OK. It's a small indy film with small indy production values. However, it is cleverly written and quite funny. I laughed through most of it. I will admit that the story line mirrors my own adolescence (20 years earlier than the time in the movie). So, I am prejudiced. Michael McMillian, brilliantly playing the intelligent gay boy who confronts the straight patriarchy with searing wit and flat affect, is simply spot on. His delivery is flawless. Steve Fletcher does a great job as the overbearing father who dotes on the jock of the family and tries to run down Dorian. The dynamic between these two characters is very well done. The characters are fairly well developed. The mother is a bit dimensionless, but maybe that was accurate too. Frankly, in its league of smaller gay films, this one really stands out.

Dorian is a young gay man just discovering himself. The story is not unique, the father is hostile to him, the mother afraid to speak out and help her son, the older brother in denial, but there is a twist. Through much introspection Dorian discovers that he is OK just the way he his, that he is not the freakish social outcast his father tells him he is. Step by agonizing step Dorian finds his own true path and while never easy he does prevail.Most independent gay theme movies try hard but never seem to get it all together. This one is different. The story is well written, clear and concise. The images and thematic flow work well and don't show the usual artifacts of a low budget. The actor are all very competent with the exception of the lead Michael McMillian who brings a very special something. Beyond being cuter than a "bug's ear" he has a presence that jumps out of the small screen. His comedic timing is startling for an actor so young. His ability to make you feel the emotions of the character in serious scenes is just as amazing. The strongest single part of this great little movie is the actor that plays Dorian.

After watching Dorian Blues, I checked out the reviews at metacritic.com, and I was in absolute shock at the casual way these "experts" tore down one of the best and most original coming of age/coming out films I've seen. Almost everything about this movie is outstanding, from the acting (I've never seen such totally assured performances from an unknown cast in a low budget indie) to the direction (Bardwell is a talent to watch) to the photography and other technical elements that belie the film's modest origins. Dorian Blues skillfully blends comedy with honest dramatic moments, but what stands out the most is its absolute unpredictability. Whenever you feel the story is moving in an expected direction, something invariably surprising will occur. How could any critic have found it "clichéd?" Kudos to the fine performances by Michael McMillian, Lea Coco, Mo Quigley and especially Charles Fletcher as Dorian's nightmare of a father. My only quibbles I'd like to see a director have the wherewithal to cast an actor in a gay role that passes the gaydar test (good as he was, McMillian didn't for me) and have teenage characters played by actors who are the right age for the parts. I'll forgive him these two transgressions because the final result of Dorian Blues is worth 10 stars, especially when compared to a lot of other gay indies out there.

"Dorian Blues" is indeed worth seeing. The acting is considerable. "The story" has been told many times, but this movie has an air of freshness to it, perhaps mostly because of the overall quality of the film. Without losing it's low-voltage current of kindly nature and good humor, this movie came close to showing some deeper levels of inner-struggles of those around a person coming out. Yet the self-absorption of the gay character was allowed to overshadow the likely introspection of the overly macho dad, the gay-friendly quarterback and the not-so-clueless mother.By necessity so many of today's (and yesterday's) independent art films are shot on low budgets and rather poorly produced, but this film appears to have had a big budget and top-quality production. The low-rent "statement films" are getting more difficult to endure (especially @ $9.50 a ticket), yet I understand the need for them.Thanks and Kudos to the producers of "Dorian Blues!"