Between Love & Goodbye

I had just seen another Casper Andreas vehicle last night in NYC called The Big Gay Musical and found it to be a charming film. Then lo and behold I get Between Love and Goodbye in the mail as my Netflix DVD. Not realizing that Casper Andreas too wrote this and directed it. I also remember him as an actor in Slutty Summer. Here are three film entries by the same person and all different. A musical, drama and comedy starring the author himself. Quite a courageous attempt.

Now the acting in this from Simon Miller and Justin Tensen as the two lovers was excellent and natural. They seemed to have a good rapport between them. Whether in the bedroom making love, or striking out at each other, it all seemed very natural. However, you didn't know who to route for when the split comes. Now enter the sibling of one of the boys, a woman, changed from a man, and changed back to a woman and then a man again. You dislike her/him for meddling and causing the entire breakup. Role is played well by Rob Harmon. Jane Elliott as the best lesbian friend turned in a great performance. Believable throughout. And Deirdre Brennan as the Interviewer was wonderful. Cold and indifferent with absolutely no sense of humor. I loved her.

Now I will argue about the end without giving it away. I didn't like the choice of Mr. Andreas. I felt after two hours of the ups and downs in a gay marriage, there could have been hope given, especially with today's day and age and same sex marriage. It could have inspired others to believe it could happen. There can be a happy ending in a gay film. Shame on you Casper.

I decided to write this review because i see allot of negativity on this film here, of which i believe isn't deserved. "Between love & goodbye" is a small and solid film. Sure it isn't perfect, but which movie is? As the title gives away, it's about falling in love and also out of it. It features overly sweet moments between the two boys that seem too much, but if you have been in love yourself, you will recognize these little moments and know them to be true. I've read complaints about the film being too over dramatic and "unreal", which might be the case for some people, but once again, if you have lived through bad breakups as well, you'll know things can go that way and in real life. The acting is not awful. I felt it to be genuine. It's not the greatest you'll ever see but it is not bad. The bitchy sister seems over the top, but i know people who act like that, so i had no trouble accepting that performance at all. They do exist! ha ha. The film features some nice music. Personally i think there's a bit too much of it, but since the lyrics are about the relationship between the boys, it's cool. Overall, a movie worth watching. It kept coming back to me in the days after, which to me is always a good sign. 8/10.

well, i do watch a lot of gay movies and a lot of them are awful. i mean, really awful. so... i had absolutely no expectation that this movie is gonna be good. and... of course this movie wasn't superb. but... hey, this movie wasn't so bad. this movie was much better than now classic gay movie latter days.

i felt the hatred feeling towards each other, obsession, jealousy are genuine. i went through those things. didn't you? and two of the songs that featured are pretty good (especially the first one played during the opening title)

there are bad things. cheesy dialog, over-used yellow filter, stupid slow motion... but i didn't fast-forward a bit.

if you love gay films (for just guilty pleasure), watch this, rather than latter days or velocity of gary.

I am so glad I am watching these films in the film festival. So many new concepts and ideas and the fact that they are actually executed well makes me feel so good and happy. I sometimes feel that I should somehow be a part of all this. The film is a modern day gay drama about falling in and out of love. Sometimes you can think that everything is going in favor of you until some unseen forces come to destroy your life.

Kyle and Marcel fall in love the instant they see each other. They are so perfect for each other. Since they cannot marry and live together legally, the french Marcel gets married to his lesbian friend Sara so that he can live with Kyle. Everything seems to be just so perfect and then enters April, Kyle's sister ( a transsexual and a prostitute). She has instant disliking for Marcel and soon we realize that her aim is to break this wonderful love that Kyle and Marcel share. She starts poisoning their life slowly and methodically. Marcel can clearly see what an why April is ding but all Kyle sees his April , his sister, his family. He does not want to choose between Marcel and April. But Marcel wants Kyle to ask his April to move out so that they can spend more time together. After a series of misunderstandings, finally April succeeds. She now id Cole because her breasts are not adjusting with her body. Kyle and Marcel decide to breakup and then starts the fight about the NY apartment. Clearly Cole does what he can best to fill in Kyle's mind with everything negative about Marcel just so that he can win. This leas even to the extent that Cole reports about the fake wedding that Marcel and Sara took. Immigration one day is finally taking Marcel away when Kyle suddenly realizes what a big mistake he did. He runs after him but its to late and tragedy strikes. The end is left for the viewers imagination.

I actually really liked the film. There were so many bits and pieces that seemed so real and slice of life. The constant fights, saying sorry to each other, making up soon, having fun and sex, hanging out with friends etc. It was good. Guy who played April/Cole was good. He was very convincing. You cant help but hate him. He was that god. Other characters acted well too. It showed how the couple gets trapped between the emotions of love and goodbye.

I can definitely see this movie again.

I see that some people thought this was an awful movie, but I must disagree.

For me, a movie is good when it doesn't let you drift into thoughts like "wait... that's a mistake in the movie" or "argh.. that was poorly acted"... or even better "that's an unrealistic situation...".

The actors were splendid. The story was sad, yet it convinced me. The situation was a possible situation, and the character's actions and reactions don't seem to me like a movie script, but rather like something that could happen to real people. So, I think this was a good movie... I gave it 9 stars because it made me feel sad... but I won't tell you why.... watch the movie and decide for yourselves whether you like it or not...