Rue des mauvais garçons

Gay love story set in Paris. Story rather far fetched. Gay French guy picks up an American closeted, movie star, who has fallen down drunk in an alley near his Paris apartment. The French guy doesn't know who the American is and doesn't find out until much later. The two end up having passionate sex; falling for each other, but the ending doesn't make it clear what happens to their relationship. Movie focuses much time on the relationship between the Frenchman and his closest female friend, who lives in the same building. This could have been a very romantic and emotional movie, but the focus is wrong. The storyline is not believable and it's weakly executed. The actor playing the American had an accent that was not American. So not convincing there.

As you can see, I rated this film 9 out of 10, and I would have been happy to rate it a 10 had it not been for two peculiarities. 1. The soundtrack is awful. If only there were some way to tune it out! Deaf people will enjoy this movie much more than their hearing-enabled friends. 2. One of the two main characters is "American". Speaking English in Paris makes clear that he is NOT American. His wiki explains that he's Portuguese. No matter, you'll just never believe his accent is American.

The movie is great! What begins as picking up a guy who has passed out in the gutter becomes oh so much more! The Frenchness of the film defies all our American stereotypes. The pacing is slow and cerebral, and the film unravels at something approaching the speed of real life.

I won't give away the ending, but let's just say it's pretty courageous.

Bad Boy Street is a charming, feel good film from prolific filmmaker Todd Verow. Actor Yann deMonterno plays Claude, a Parisian man, who on his way home after a night out finds a younger man passed out drunk on the sidewalk and takes him home to sleep it off. The next morning begins a very quickly developing and heartwarming romance between Claude and "Brad", the younger man, played by Kevin Miranda, who is struggling with who he is and who he really wants to be. Although clearly troubled, Brad is very sweet and loving. The third principal is Catherine, played by Florence d'Azemar, Claude's closest friend, who is always there to provide him affectionate and comforting support throughout the ups and downs of his burgeoning love for Brad. All three characters are very likable and all three actors are quite wonderful. For good measure Kevin Miranda is surely one of the most beautiful men ever. Yes, the movie's scenario may be somewhat improbable but it is a touching story of love and friendship that can give hope to all. There are some technical deficiencies, for example an uneven soundtrack, but they do not detract from the film's overall enjoyment. Highly recommended!

It's so difficult to find positive gay romances between an older guy and younger guy. I've seen too many gay movies that show these kinds of love affairs in a negative light. This was a really sweet story that featured this genre in a delightful and romantic way.

This film has a certain innocence that one just doesn't see in films these days. I'm really not sure why or even exactly how to define it, but watching this film make me feel like a kid on the verge of life's discovery. Giddy and excited, pure as the driven snow too. And I think that says pretty much not just how this film affected me but how it was written as though we lived in a new age of innocence in which everyone was untainted with sin. This probably has a lot to do with the individual who made this film and his view of the world, that we are innocent and live in innocence until proved guilty. Happily there is no guilt in this movie - it is all innocent joy, filled with a light hearted zest that makes your head swim. If more films were like this it would be a much better world and who knows perhaps this film is the beginning of a new wave of film that celebrates life rather than denigrates it.