A Stormy Night

source: A Stormy Night

I found this film a really interesting proposal. It touches many points of LGBT relationships from both the Spanish and the American side and I believe it is really well characterized. Both actors, represent what an average gay person from that geography looks or thinks like. It exposes their ideas, personal struggles, expectations and visions (of course not everyone, but my point is I think it is really well studied and represents a sector of the gay person of those societies.). It also reflects on different visions regarding work, day to day habits and life goals from American and European cultures in general. And then regarding the sexual tension between both characters, I loved how it is explored in the film, I could feel the sexual tension all the way and both characters have their way of showing it. I wish even the film could have gone deeper and explore more this romantic dimension. Would like to see more like this in the future.

A threatening storm is playing havoc with flights from New York and causes "Marcos" (David Moragas) to seek shelter at his friend's apartment. She has gone alway to avoid the weather, but her friend "Alan" (Jacob Perkins) is there and the remainder of this film depicts the twenty-four hours (or so) as these two gay men learn a little about each other. It is quite intimately filmed, this - but the whole story is contrived and over-scripted. Perkins brings an intensity to his performance, but the underlying themes of love, happiness, frustration etc... are depressingly familiar. Despite the odd quip and some fairly predictable attempts at humour, this really just comes across as a rather unfulfilling story that left me indifferent to both characters and rather bored with a will they/won't they dynamic that really fails to get off the ground - and never looks like it should either. The audio of the thunder and lightening around them, along with some frequently rather dingy lighting, does lend a little to the atmosphere of the scenario, but in the end Perkins just has way, way too many lines to deliver and, well, eighty minutes seemed to take much longer.

A terrible case of trying too hard. It's black & white. Fine. It has more unnaturally-crafted awkward/uncomfortable moments than Borat. The riveting Wi-Fi password writing & creepy sleep-watching scenes were reeeeal steering wheel-jerkers. And... we get it. Alan has anxiety. WE. GET. IT. Seems somewhat agoraphobic as well but with the insistent dialogue, one can't even gain an ounce of empathy for the character. The only kudos I could give this "What Ever Happened to Auntie Mame" was the scene where Marcos talks Alan down from a panic attack. The verbal queues mimicking intimate "dirty talk" WERE a smart metaphor for any sex scenes usually in one of these films. For that, credit due!

Two strangers meet during a stormy night thanks to a mutual friend. One is a film maker from Spain on is way to a festival in California that is showing his documentary. The other works from home on a dating app, a gay dating app, and hosts the filmmaker on his unscheduled layover in NYC/Brooklyn. An intimate film, a character study of two strangers whose brief encounter changes both their lives, not in big dramatic terms but sufficiently that one feels both have grown in small but discernible ways thanks to the encounter. The black and white cinematography feels appropriate and reminds one of character driven European films of the 50s and 60s. There is a graduate student feel to the film (thesis project), some stilted dialogue, and wish there had been more clarity and development in the characters. But given the obvious budget restraints, the sensitivity to the subject, and the charm and ease of David Moragas as actor, I'd say it's an auspicious beginning. If you don't need car crashes and sex but enjoy the subtle and more lyrical character study, you'll appreciate the work here.

Goodness. Yakily, Yakily, Yak and more whiny Yak Yak Yak. Drama in drama out. If I were Marcos, I would have had dashed out of that yin energy vampire black hole within 5 mins of encounter and checked into the YWCA instead for a more authentic butch environment. I felt drained just watching for 30 mins and then decided I'll FFWD this Woody Allen masterpiece to its end while I pound in this review.

This film tells the story of an unexpected encounter between two guys with different beliefs, opinions and life plans that will not only shake their code of values but will also keep lingering on the audience's mind long after the credits have ended - that is, if you are willing to embark on this adventure, shot in black and white and in an almost "chamber drama" type of style, which might not be everyone's cup of tea. I found the narrative highly enjoyable, well-balanced between seriousness and (deadpan) humor (at some points I laughed out loud). Although it originally was probably a matter of keeping the costs down, the scenes in black and white are beautifully shot, and the conversational plot is great. Even though a few of the issues that arise, like heteronormativity or anxiety, feel a little bit forced into the dialogue and not that natural. However, for me this is an outstanding longform debut of an aspiring filmmaker and worth watching. I hope there's more to come.

What a piece of garbage. I can't believe I watched this movie. Such a waste of time. It felt like the dialogue of a gay porno; and not a good one. The one American actor-if you can call him that- is so terrible. He definitely shouldn't continue with this profession.

This movie was surprising. Sexual tension and good dialogue make for a few tense moments. Each person has their own level of morality. It's good to see this open discussion.

Horrible !!! It is pointless and depressing! It never actually gives the impression that it is even going anywhere. What was even the emotive for a plot that would parallel a piece of packing material that fell out of a box!