Highly Overrated But Still Good

Boring

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Sweet, well-intended comedy/drama examining sexuality and love. A company comes out with a pill to make gay men straight and Tim (a very good Jonathan Slavin) decides to try it, since there is a painful lack of romance in his life as a gay man, while a number smart women seem to like him. This leads to all sorts of complications, hurt feelings, lost friendships. Some of this is clunky, the plot relying a bit heavily on some thin ideas, cliché characters, and big coincidences. But it has a good heart, nice performances and ultimately is a real affirmation of self- acceptance, without pretending that is always an easy thing.

The writer, John Baumgartner, had an original idea, but failed to make it work. That a pill would change a person's sexuality. A gay man, in his 30s, all of a sudden decides he's tired of being rejected in the bars and in life. So, why not turn straight? Then no more problems. Alas in life it doesn't work that way. Take a pill and girls turn you on. No, it doesn't happen. Our hero just fools himself in believing it will change his personality and bring him happiness with a woman. But our hero's problem seems to be not in the sex department but his own self confidence in himself. He lacks any commitment in anything. Seems to be dream walking and fantasizing his romantic escapades, including a gorgeous straight friend who gives his body to him out of friendship. This is what annoyed me in the film. Using others for your own weaknesses. Using them and then dumping them when it doesn't work. The cast seemed to be good for the most part and fit the roles well. Our hero, Jonathan Slavin, was very cold and filled with enough self pity. But I never felt the emotional toll it took on him. He seemed too staid in the role. However Susan Slone, his best friend, was perfection. With the right amount of sensitivity not to go over the wall. Her breakdown scene was simply precious. Quiet and filled with such raw emotions. Scotch Ellis Loring, his good gay bar hopping friend who cannot commit to any relationship, was well cast. Jennifer Elise Cox played the woman he befriends in a sexual relationship and goes home to meet the folks. She did a good job and came off sympathetic as well. Jason Bushman played a straight young beauty in our hero's office that is understanding of our hero's ailments. When he tries to approach him with his own doubts, I felt the script fell flat. Sort of a rush job ending. My favorite actor in this was Mike Begovich as the giving straight friend who really loved our hero in his own way. His wearing down and falling apart was so natural and realistic, I wanted to just hold him and weep. Brilliant work.So, good idea, fairly written, well cast, yet lost original concept along the way. Worth seeing for some of the fine acting.

This film is both original and surprising. It sounds like a gay sci-fi flick by it's premise, but it is not; The more you watch it the more you are drawn into the complicated and interesting plot.I have to say that I have enjoyed the film immensely. I watched it at home actually, and I was shocked to find it was only 90 minutes long - there is so much 'meat' in this film, it actually felt like 180 minutes! and in the best way possible. This really should have been a TV mini-series, minimum 6 x 1 hour episodes. There is so much yet to tell which was not told in the film - most probably due to luck of time; I wish there would be a 'director cut' of it.The acting in this film is very convincing and vivid, at time very emotive and touching. The lead actor Jonathan Slavin is very good indeed and so are all the other cast; very believable and empathic characterisation by the cast; Yet another strong plus for this wonderful film.Well done to the creator John Baumgartner who did a fine job.If you have missed this film go and watch it. It's a must!!

If there was a pill that would change gays into straight, would you take it? If so, what would the effects be? Those are two of the pertinent questions in the excellent sci-fi flic Hard Pill. Tim (Jonathan Slavin) is a sad little cubicle monkey. His personal life is a disaster. He pines for guys he doesn't seem to have a chance with, mostly because they are straight or straight- ish anyway. This is a point made clear by his coworker Joey (Scotch Ellis Loring) when he says that Tim has "a sea of fags at his disposal and he stays home with a straight man." Nowhere is Tim's social life more depressing than when he practically begs his straight friend Don (Mike Begovich) to let Tim fellate him ("Can't we ever just watch a movie?" Don asks?). As Tim's personal life is defined each of the cast is introduced with a graphic that works as a spectrum of sexuality. It's an interesting and clever idea to show the shades of gay and straight in each character though it wears out its welcome a bit by the time the entire cast is introduced.The film uses "street interviews" with various folks to introduce a new controversy involving a pill intended to provide an opportunity for homosexuals to go hetero by making a chemical change in the brain. One of the best one-liners in the film has a Christian fundamentalist making a selectively supportive comment about the drug. With Tim feeling that, "The only currency in the gay world is being attractive," he signs up for the human trials for the drug. What Tim doesn't seem to realize is that each of his friends and neighbors has problems as bad or worse than his own, they just have ways to deal. Sally (Susan Slome) covets Tim but continues an unfulfilled flirtation with a coworker. Joey throws his balls between more legs than the Harlem Globetrotters but he lacks an emotionally satisfying relationship. Don's relationship is contingent on his continuing use of antidepressants. It's to the credit of writer/director John Baumgartner that these subplots are so well developed without sacrificing the central story or adding superfluity.When Tim begins using the pill it's not just his world that changes. Each person has a place they fill in others' lives and when one tries to change something so fundamental to their own self it goes without saying that there be effects on their relationships with others. The film's major success is in exploring these results. After a first straight screw that he apparently regrets, Tim finds himself attracted to Tanya (Jennifer Elise Cox) with results transcending the chemically dependent nature of their mutual attraction. Slavin's excellent performance makes Tim a sympathetic anti-hero. Despite Tim's consistent aversion to sensible solutions for his problems, one can't help but root for him to succeed, even if it's the result decidedly unsympathetic actions on his part.Baumgartner's superb story offers a lot to viewers beyond just the visual story and fine performances from the cast. Musings about the effects of chemical personalities are as relevant to the real world as they are in Hard Pill speculative Los Angeles. The gradation of sexuality is a path rarely explored but it's done well here with the help of not only a graphic, but a healthy dose of remarkably non-exploitive skin. Throw in a brief yet profound argument for gay marriage and you've got yourself one hell of a movie. Enjoy.