In gay cinema, we've finally gotten to the point where, like every other genre, most of the new stuff is crap. If you liked "Broadway Damage" or "Friends & Family", this may not be your cup of tea--those two definitely weren't mine.
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I thought "Luster" showed originality and was enjoyable. It's essentially a story about a young man hitting the "holy shit, I need to grow up" point of his life. Most times I've seen that storyline, I've wanted to beat myself up for being stupid enough to watch the whole thing--not here. I thought it was very amusing. It was well written, acted and directed. The friend's death and cousin stuff didn't add anything to the story. They seemed more like cheap gags (one for laughter, one for tears) than meaningful contributions to the story, but overall it was a good effort. Its style reminded me a little of "Swoon" and "The Living End." Don't be dissuaded by the mediocre rating, particularly if you're in the mood for something a little different.
******ambiguous spoilers********
I thought "Luster" showed originality and was enjoyable. It's essentially a story about a young man hitting the "holy shit, I need to grow up" point of his life. Most times I've seen that storyline, I've wanted to beat myself up for being stupid enough to watch the whole thing--not here. I thought it was very amusing. It was well written, acted and directed. The friend's death and cousin stuff didn't add anything to the story. They seemed more like cheap gags (one for laughter, one for tears) than meaningful contributions to the story, but overall it was a good effort. Its style reminded me a little of "Swoon" and "The Living End." Don't be dissuaded by the mediocre rating, particularly if you're in the mood for something a little different.