It's difficult to evaluate this film. A relaxed romantic comedy, if well-executed, is welcome amongst LGBT films, which are often as angst-ridden as queer people's real lives too often are. 'ECupid' is light and qualifies as a 'rom-com' because of its basic 'boy-loses-boy, boy-finds-boy-again' trope. But that's where it ends. Generally, these films, whether gay or straight, have appealing characters in the leads, with whom the audience can identify, or at least like. This film has a curiously cold, dispassionate lead in the character of Marshall. As a couple, Marshall and Gabe are dreary and mismatched, already peculiar after their relationship's seven-year duration. The narrative into which they're plunged makes them props for a set of surreal circumstances. Triggered by Marshall's download of a dating app in an attempt to relieve his relationship's sagging sexual component, he finds himself in a low-level Buñuel-like situation, where inexplicable things happen and people turn up with seemingly no rhyme or reason. Any real person in a normal 'rom-com' would be alarmed, a certain hilarity ensuing from his reactions; but Marshall just walks through these bizarre turns of events nearly without reaction, almost as we see in 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'--to which, I assure the reader, I am *not* comparing this trifle. If the film had stayed with a surreal premise, it might have succeeded better. But the film maker tried to conflate the surreal with the tediously ordinary. Despite his sexual frustration, and without even giving the alternatives provided by the dating app a chance, Marshall dismisses potentially exciting flings with the 'young skaters, bad boys, boy-next-door types, and naughty frat boys' we are told he craves. He suddenly only wants his boring, unsatisfying primary relationship, and the surreal dating app serves to reunite the dull couple. The juxtaposition of styles makes for an uneven tone, leaving one to wonder what Marshall was thinking.Marshall and Gabe's problem, as we see instantly, is that they don't communicate and make entirely inaccurate assumptions about each other's motivations, itself implausible after seven years together. It all ends blandly, except for the annoyed viewer, who has been tantalized with the possibility of a more complex narrative texture and outcome. The film also seems to reiterate a narrow 'monogamy or nothing' credo, making the possibility of seeking to satisfy unmet needs immoral and forbidden. It wags a prudish, insulting finger at its intended audience, despite the semi-clad hunks who appear from time to time (there is no sex or nudity in the film). It also hints that on-line dating is fraught with unimaginably odd perils. But 'eCupid' has its moments.

I sincerely hated this wretched movie. It was as bad as some of the straight rom-coms that have come out in the last ten years or so, films so horrendous that you wonder if the writers weren't brain dead or smoking crack. It tried to be 'cute', but failed miserably. That is partly because I could not stand Marshall. Maybe it's the fact that he's a poor actor, but the guy playing him could not convey any real emotion. The guy playing his boyfriend did a fine job, but i didn't buy Marshall's so-called 'heartfelt' emotions at the end for even one second. Because when Gabe originally walks out in tears, Marshall shows no emotion whatsoever. Not only does he continue to show no emotion, he pals around with a douchebag from work. I seriously agree with the guy who wanted to date Gabe, Marshall and this ass were perfect for each other. I didn't want Marshall and Gabe to get back together, and seriously ended up yelling at my screen in frustration and disgust: "Gabe, get together with the other guy! Tell Marshall to go screw himself!" The whole movie was so contrived, moving from one scene to the next in such a forced way, that it felt stilted and not natural at all. And it portrayed gay guys as stupid, obnoxious, irritating, and often amoral. So, a typical rom-com only with two male leads instead of a male and a female. And that is exactly why I hated it, because i hate most rom-coms. They are, for the most part, so clichéd, so trite, and so formulaic that they tend to leave me feeling faintly nauseous rather than happy and uplifted.

I assumed this was going to be a fluffy, fun, feel-good movie that would bring some smiles, if not actual laughs. So I wasn't expecting anything too deep or thought-provoking.I guess that pretty well sums it up, although in the fun & feel-good department, it fell pretty flat. The two main characters lacked any real chemistry, so their break-up and all that followed didn't inspire much empathy/sympathy. The on-line service that took control of events quite often was more annoying & intrusive than mystically omniscient or whatever their presence was supposed to suggest. The anticipated, happily-ever-after denouement seemed pretty bland and contrived … even assuming you'd accept the dubious deus ex machina aspect of eCupid.The cautionary tale regarding the dangers of reacting irrationally to the 7-year-itch and the warning that familiarity breeds ennui, which may prevent us from recognizing the value of what we could end up losing, are worthy but this may not be the most convincing vehicle for carrying that message.

eCupid follows the life of Marshall, a professional gay man whose been in a committed relationship for 7 years, feels like he's in a rut in all areas of his life and is about to experience gay death. He's turning 30. After hearing an add from a company called Divinity he downloads an app called eCupid, looking to get out of his rut. Then all hell breaks loose. His boyfriend moves out, his job is on the line and all these guys he thought he wanted start throwing themselves at him. eCupid shows us what we all need to hear. If something needs changing in your life you have to be willing to change yourself. You can take the a person and put them in entirely different circumstances but if they aren't willing to change it will just feel the same. The production value is kind of low, and the acting is sometimes a little forced but over all the movie is pretty good and worth watching. I don't know if waiting to see it for a year made it not as good as it would have been if I'd just happened upon it. Usually the more anticipation I have for a movie the worse it is. Still I enjoyed it.