East Side Story

Fresh young talent and a healthy dollop of enthusiasm serve as the springboard of this well written (Carlos Portugal and Charo Toledo), well directed (Carlos Portugal) and well acted exuberant story of those once perceived tightly closet doors of the East Los Angeles Hispanic community. Not that this is the first film to engage the topic of being gay in East LA - QUINCEAÑERA is another superb film on the subject - but it addresses so many other aspects of family and social life happening now that it deserves a wide audience. With a cast of newcomers coupled with some very fine veterans of the screen EAST SIDE STORY comes to life in a highly entertaining fashion.

Closeted schooled chef Diego Campos (a fine debut by René Alvarado) works as a waiter in his grandmother Sara's (elegant Irene DeBari) little Mexican restaurant where grumpy homophobic chef Don Rogelio (Luis Accinelli) presides in the kitchen. Diego dreams of opening his own restaurant but family ties keep him grounded. Diego's campy Aunt Bianca (Gladise Jimenez) returns from Monaco on one of her many expensive sojourns to find a man and changes begin to happen. Diego's equally closeted boyfriend Pablo Morales (David Berón) has been refusing to settle down in a relationship with Diego, claiming that the union is a 'passing fancy'. When Bianca enters, Pablo's attentions turn to the sexy lady and Diego is brokenhearted.

Into this mélange enters a white gay couple who buy a 'flip' house across the street, a signal to the neighborhood that gentrification is just around the corner. The couple - Wesley (Steve Callahan) and Jonathan (Cory Schneider) - meet the morose Diego and a match strikes between Diego and Wesley. Jonathan is assigned all the lines having to do with prejudice and is the one who wants out of the neighborhood as soon as their house is enhanced and their gay friends begin to visit. The white couple move apart and Wesley and Diego begin a courtship dance that is encouraged by Diego's family. How Diego handles his loss of Pablo to his Aunt Bianca and copes with the possibility of being open with Wesley forms the story line. It is all the hilarious and not so hilarious sidebars that share the space of the 'outing' that make the film so personal and successful.

Carlos Portugal is clearly a talent to watch, as are his attractive and talented cast members. EAST SIDE STORY is a fine companion piece to QUINCEAÑERA and should enjoy the same degree of popularity for all the same reasons! Grady Harp

I just finished watching this movie and I have to say; I really enjoyed it. The whole cast is great. The acting from the sexy Rene Alvarado who plays Diego Campos to the crazy and lots of drama aunt Bianca Campos played by Gladise Jimernez is simply incredible. Irene De Bari who plays Sara Campos truly plays a latina grandmother. I really admire the way the Director Carlos Portugal has brought together many issues how people in our own latino community feel about outside economic infusion, minorities and gays.

I can only hope that this is not Carlos Portugal last film. I wish him luck in finding new and refreshing material to turn into great movies like this one. I want everyone can see East Side Story. It is a great film.

Gay movies very often suffer a lack of funding and subsequent underdevelopment. East Side Story bears no sign of this; the production values are good and the acting is mostly great (the lead actor is particularly good).

Diego is approaching 30, yet his life has consisted of very little outside of working at his family's restaurant in East Los Angeles. After being dumped by his "boyfriend", rather than face the ensuing fall-out over his homosexuality, he resolves to leave LA and make a life for himself in Phoenix. But a brief meeting with his openly gay new neighbours begins opening his mind to the possibilities of life - if he can only have the courage to be who he is.

The blurb for this film claims that it avoids all the clichés, and that is actually true. Just about everything works perfectly in East Side Story, a welcome fact that ensures you concentrate on the emotional journey playing out on the screen. Those who saw "Mambo Italiano" another gay film of high production values (from Canada) may notice some story similarities, but every element is still very valid. Anyone looking for a good gay movie should certainly give East Side Story a go.

Very enjoyable, well-acted, well-scripted romantic movie! It's hard to believe this is Mr. Portugal's debut film. It doesn't hurt that the movie is chock-full of really cute actors, with enough shirtless scenes and quick rump shots that titillate. ;)

Great characters--almost all the main characters were fully developed. Unlike many gay films, some female characters were given genuine roles and they soared with them. There was definitely a chemistry between ALL of the actors and the movie flowed very well.

Standout performances by René Alvarado as Diego and Irene DeBarri as his grandmother.

This is the best film I have seen so far this year at New Fest in NYC.

Diego (Rene Alvaredo) is almost 30, living in east LA with his grandmother (Irene DeBari), helps run a family restaurant, has no friends and has an unhappy relationship with a VERY closeted real estate agent (David Beron). Diego also is in the closet but wants to come out. Then a gay couple move next door--and Diego falls for one of them (Steve Callahan).

This is extremely light and a little lacking in plot--but how many movies to we see about a gay Latino man falling in love and struggling to come out? It's well-directed, moves very quick and has a very good attractive cast. Alvaredo and Callahan are (to put in mildly) very handsome with nice bodies...but they also can act. Also DeBari is excellent as Diego's grandmother--her and Alvaredo play off each other perfectly. Also Gladys Jimenez (as Bianca Campos--an aunt) comes roaring out full force. She has the funniest lines ("A four way is not an orgy!") and plays them full tilt. I also have to admit more than a few moments had my audience choking up--Diego's wanting to come out is sometimes painful to watch and DeBari's total acceptance of him is very moving.

My only complaints are the plot is kind of sketchy, the ending is way too unbelievable (this one pushes for a happy one) and the two main villains in this (Pablo and Wesley's lover Jonathan) are so vicious it gets uncomfortable. And we're supposed to believe a hot young guy like Diego has NO friends??? Still this is fun, light and also includes some very passionate guy on guy kissing. Recommended.