Broken Gardenias

Jenni is described as a 'super nerd' and a bit of a doormat. She has got hold of the wrong end of the stick in the life's fortune game and has had a life that few would envy. So in desperation she attempts to end her life. Enter Sam who is feisty, street wise and has a heart. She decides to help her newly acquired friend and so they head off to find Jenni's long lost father – along the way a bond grows between them.

Now this is a sweet movie and some of the scenes are borderline brilliant, but it can be a bit slow in places too and to be honest it ain't that funny. However it is one that will stay with you for the right reasons. The acting is all more than solid and it is also quite touching in places.

It is an independent effort and has had mixed reviews but most being positive – especially amongst younger women on IMDb. I am a man and I actually thought this had a really positive message and I quite enjoyed it – hence my rating which is me being generous but I like to encourage indie film makers.

This film lacks three main components: good acting, a good script, and cohesive direction. On paper, the main character has a compelling story, but the actor portraying her is more childish than child-like. The character of Sam was pretty much the only memorable and well played one in the bunch. The plot and characters are contrived and cartoon-ish. Plot points are dropped while others are used to smash the audience on the head over and over again. Specifically, two useless characters keep showing up and, although the audience would have to be brain-dead to not know what was coming up, I know I lost any interest in the ending long before it arrived.

This is probably the only movie of its kind of out there, finally something that's actually for Queer people and tackles a serious story from a fun and playful stance. I watched the film in San Francisco during Frameline and it was a really fun experience. This film is Not for everyone. It's not trying to be anything but what it is, which is pretty darn original. The characters at times are larger than life but comically so, where you feel completely engrossed in each of their worlds as the two main characters travel through.

It tackles some serious issues, suicide, child abandonment, abuse etc, but does it in such a comedic playful and poetic way, something I have rarely seen well delivered in small budget Indies. And that's another aspect of the film. It was made without any money, from what the filmmakers explained, and they still delivered a very watchable film, but again, it's not for everyone, the queers and weirdos will definitely appreciate it. It will take you places and you better be in for the ride or you'll fall off the wagon and hurt your tush and miss what it's all about.

I've seen a lot of queer movies, and this is by far the worst. The writing, acting, and directing are all painfully awful. In response to the positive reviews on this site (which I suspect may be from people connected to the film), I do not expect a high budget from queer indie films. I don't expect them to be perfect, but I do expect a compelling story with characters I care about. The main character is painfully awkward, not awkward in an adorkable way, so much so that my friend and I cringed whenever she spoke. The chemistry between she and the other lead is ambiguous and confusing. Why is the butch one interested? It doesn't make sense. During the screening I watched at a LGBT film festival, 9 people had walked out by the end (I counted). I stayed, and regretted it. It is not a genderqueer film, as another reviewer stated, unless they mean the inclusion of a very minor character who is on screen for only a few minutes. Usually queer films have some redeeming factor: a moment of humor, a funny portrayal of queer lives that rings true, a character the audience can relate to, etc. This film had none- don't see it. There are far better, or at least less painful, queer films to watch.

And not even the best worst movie ever. (Troll 2!) Just painfully, painfully bad.

I went to go see this with a friend at a Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and generally, folks at this film festival are pretty forgiving when it comes to shitty movies (we are so used to them). Not so this time! People kept on walking out during the movie - the first time I'd ever seen this happen in like ... close to seven years of attending this particular festival.

And I can't blame them. What makes this movie so terrible, you ask?

(1) The writing. I didn't develop a strong sense of who anyone in this particular movie was, or why they continued to maintain relationships with each other, or why they made any given decision. One character is an anxious panda. The other character is not. Ta-dah! Those are your characters. Now watch them do things that don't make sense.

(2) The complete and utter absence of a coherent plot. The less said about this, the better. I still find myself thinking about why particular scenes in the movie happened.

(3) The filming / editing. I know it's a low-budget movie, but that doesn't mean that you should end the movie with the soundtrack to the Breakfast Club.

This movie is not particularly representative of queer aesthetics. Just because it is bad and confusing doesn't make it queer, you all. Do not be mislead and do not waste two hours of your life. You could spend that time cleaning out your fridge or watching grass grow, both of which would be vastly more enjoyable than watching this movie.