Skip to main content

Any Day Now

My movie watching has slowed down soooo much. Work is getting busier. Anyway, I am so glad that I saw this movie after a long break because I know I would have been really disappointed had a I ended up watching a really bad gay film (the chances of which are really high) but I am glad that I did not have to deal with the situation. This film thankfully does not deal with gay stereotype stories and movie that we have all gotten used to Instead, it touches on a very important subject of adoption and deals it with sensitivity.

Apparently based on a true story, the film is set in 1970s. Rudy Donatello is a struggling musician and drag performer in a gay nightclub in 1979 West Hollywood, where he meets Paul, a closeted district attorney. Returning home to his apartment, Rudy finds Marco, a 14-year-old with Down syndrome, left alone after his mother, Marianna, had been arrested. Rudy takes in the abandoned boy, but Family Services intervenes and takes Marco to foster care. On Rudy's insistence, Paul agrees to help him get custody of the child. All this while, quite quickly, Rudy and Paul have become close lovers. The two visit Marianna in prison to coax her into signing the temporary guardianship papers, which she does. After a rigorous court case, they are finally allowed to get the custody of the child and everyone is quite happy. Until one fine day, Paul's boss gets a hang of the fact that Rudy is not Paul's cousin but hi solver. Paul ends up losing his job and his boss files a case on him regarding the custody after coercing Marco's mother to take back her consent. The two men are devastated after constant battles in the court and the court not allowing them the guardianship. The film ends on a shocking note which leaves audiences devastated and stunned.

I did not see the ending coming. I expected it to have a happy ending but I am glad that it was more realistic. Sure, it seems that Rudy's and Paul's affair happened all too quickly which is even mentioned during the court case but I guess sometimes love just happens and you do not question it. The tender moments they both share as a couple taking care of Marco are so hear-warming. All the court scenes are done very very well and are very realistic. Coming to performances, Alan Cumming does a splendid job as Rudy. His performance needs to be applauded and the film needs to be seen because of him. Paul also acts well. The film i snot dragged unnecessarily and comes straight to the point very quick and keeps the focus in tact.

Overall a very entertaining and touching movie. I would not regret watching the movie twice. (7.5/10)

Comments

Eternal Sonata said…
Alan Cumming is a great actor indeed! I can tell this is a great film based on your review and already the premise and storyline is already the kind of drama I like to see. I'm glad you didn't spoil the ending and that leaves me wanting to see just what it is. I have to keep in mind this was taken place in the late 70s where gays weren't seen as normal just yet.
Golu said…
I would be quite curious to know what u thought of this. Do post your comments after you have seen this one.
Pitbullshark said…
I am wondering why I haven't read you in a long time--something made me drift away and I've been missing out! I thought this was a great film, and one of the pleasures and privileges of being able to see screenings of films like this in a huge film festival in Los Angeles is that sometimes the principles of the films are there for a Q&A session afterwards. For this film, we had Alan Cumming, whom I got to speak with at the reception, and the actor who played the little boy, who was quite remarkable. Alan Cumming is totally a sweetheart as a person and he was a perfect actor to play this role in this film. Fortunately the law has become more enlightened since this horrible experience in the late 70s, although in some areas it is still hard. However, even straight people sometimes get embroiled in horrendous legal issues regarding custody, and the ones who are hurt the most are the children the courts say they want to help the most.
Golu said…
I so envy you for meeting actors in festivals. If i had my way, i would go to film festivals around the world throughout the year. But what to do!! a man has got to make a living too.
Legal battles for child custody is always a tricky subject to deal with. I hope yu continue to visit my blog and even tell your friends about it

Popular posts from this blog

The Shortest Distance is Round 3: Fallen Flowers

Continuing with the weird trilogy of "The Shortest Distance", I am so glad that finally I am done with part 3 and won't have to deal with this again in future. Thankfully, as of now the makers have not announced any further parts; which will save all of us on this earth from the embarrassment of watching this in near future. After the first 10 minutes are used in sort of recapping bits of first two parts, the story moves forward. Haruto is now starting to have feelings for Ruka, the mysterious pole dancer from second part. In a fit of rage, Ruka ends up killing the goat man and to save him and Haruto, Shibahara asks them to go underground. Meanwhile Shibahara continues the search for Seiya (the guy who had cut off Haruto's penis). It turns out Seiya is now also taking care of the original club owner from part 1. Both of them were released after they had informed Shibahara of Aoyama's secret location. Shibahara tortures Seiya's boyfriend leading to Seiya killin

One Summer Night (Korean)

I really wanted to like this film but for non native speakers, these movie leaves a lot to be understood and the way scenes were unfolding in front of me, I wasn't sure many times what was really going on. The story had potential button getting any back story on any of the characters limited my ability to empathize with any of these actors. Film starts with two North Korea military guys Yong Joon and Jae Sung having sex and they are caught red handed and they run. Three years later we see Yong Joon in Seoul leading a very mundane and poor life. He has a boyfriend Tae-Kyu, who is a weird guy. He is carefree, doesn't do any work and is completely emotional and financially dependent on Young Joon. In fact, even Yong Joon will go to any lengths to protect him , fend for him and taking care of him to the extent of even taking up prostitution. Suddenly one day Jae Sung appears in their life again. His motivation is not clear but it is obvious he wants Yong Joon back in his life, who

Ultimate masturbation: Shigoki no yama (Japanese) [The Ultimate Masturbation]

I would never know what was the point behind making this film. Was it supposed to be a comedy, cos it wasn't. It wasn't even porn. It was just a silly attempt at making something absolutely senseless and ridiculous. The story, as well as direction is equally shoddy. You could laugh for having seen something so bad, but I wouldn't call that comedy. An old man runs a camp about gay masturbation. The explanation given is that gays masturbate for pleasure unlike straight men, for whom the act is seen as shame or because they can't find a woman. One day a straight man shows up and wants to join the camp for his thesis. After discussion, he is allowed in. Rules include that you can masturbate together, you can masturbate one another, but there is no fellatio or anal sex. Some students of course breaks rule. The teacher then talks about 2 forms of masturbation which gives ultimate pleasure. He shows one without touching and then refuses to talk of the other. Somehow suddenly,