The Reception

I thought THE RECEPTION had its moments, although I don't know if I was that fond of any of the characters (especially the guy with the purple hat - why on Earth did the director let him wear that?). Nonetheless, the upstate setting worked quite well for me. It appears the cast and crew got some unexpected snow which added nice topping to storyline. They also drank lots of wine and ate good food, and the film made me want to go upstate. Unfortunately, the French woman and the woman playing her daughter looked about ten years apart which damaged some credibility. Their relationship was off kilter and bizarre. With the two guys - it may have been a little bit better. Still, kudos to the writer/director. And, I'm not talking about the budget or what not. I'm talking about working with story and actors and making it watchable for 80-90 minutes. That's a great accomplishment.

Just saw this film at the San Francisco LGBT Film Festival. Writer and Director John G. Young shot this film in eight days with $5000, and yet it is vastly superior to most films costing, literally, 10,000 times as much. The storytelling, the dialogue, the acting, and the photography are all superb. Young elicits rich, natural, and sensitive performances from his four principal actors. His script reveals a deep understanding of the complexity of human relationships, needs, and pain without resorting to hackneyed conventions or contrivances. The characters are written so beautifully and distinctly, and are revealed so skillfully, that I do not even want to provide a basic outline of the plot. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

ditto to Ted. It was very slow for me also. Who was mother/daughter? Where is this going. an African American relationship movie? gay/straight it went off into too many different directions and never quite arrived, unless thats your genre of film. If you liked this movie there is an interesting untapped genre not looked at by most Americans and thats the interesting world of French Canadian cinema. Most movies are available with English subtitles.

Though in French, the genre is still very North American. Though lacking in flashy special effects of Hollywood, relationships are explored and they have good sometimes very entertaining story lines with the beauty of Canada for a stage. Search Luc Picard, Roy Dupuis, Sophie Lorain, Patrick Huard for samples. Perhaps that was the purpose of the film? A nice doorway to Canadian films.

It is a great day to see a film made for love of art, not made as a product. This shows that if you have a story to tell and an excellent cast it doesn't matter what format you shoot on.

All the cast is great and the director/writer does himself proud. Pamela Holden Stewart will especially knock your socks off . If actors in films of this budget got academy awards there would be one coming at her. (Especially when, after the screening at Outfest in LA I found out she isn't French!)

This film could serve as textbook for aspiring film makers in the simplicity of its structure. The action is placed in one house, there is a minimum of characters and their interaction is personal and emotionally resonant. The redemptive theme is payed off at just the right moment to sustain tension. Nothing is wasted.

Even without considerations for the minuscule budget (reported to be an unbelievable 5g) this film is an emotional gem. It is a pleasure to see indie film which is truly independent yet entertaining and affecting.

The movie wasn't the greatest but it was great. The characters flowed together nicely and the setting in upstate New York with all of the beautiful snow and scenery made me want to go. The relationships were a little weird but I think that's what made the movie flow so well. The mother and best friend relationship left a lot to be desired. I wish it would have gone into greater detail as to how they met and came to live together. funny how when I watch the movie I feel as though I am a part of it. I was hoping to find out what happened to the two male characters other than getting together and moving to New York. Maybe they should have added another thirty minutes to an hour.