I just watched this movie, and since it's so forgettable, I will only remember that it's bad unless I write a comment right now.This movie summarizes what's disappointing in most indie gay flicks: Wooden acting, trite dialog, predictability, saccharine treatments, lack of creativity/character development and a movie that lacks rhythm.Eric treats each scene with the same manner of dialog and acting. Lack of close ups force the script to convey the emotion rather than the expressiveness of the characters. The script and its delivery are sub par.Since Eric is kind of attractive, it was the only thing that kept me watching to the end. To me this movie is just another pedestrian gay movie that is necessary on the path to much better ones.
... View MoreI wanted to like this movie,Sorry to say I was disappointed.The main reason is that the running time of 86 minutes seemed like 186 minutes. It dragged on & on.There is some nice Canadian scenery & that is about all I can recommend in it.This is another film where there is hardly any character I would want to have known or be friendly with.To me this is a vital part of a movie, I want to root for someone in the movie.The acting & production credits are OK for this type of filmThis was the directors first directorial effort, I do hope he does better.rating: **1/2 (out of 4) 68 points(out of 100) IMDb 6 (out of 10)
... View MoreThis film is about a gay young man from Hong Kong being tricked by his parents and moved to Canada. He is brave enough to follow his heart and act on his sexual desires, but a series of unfortunate events happen one after another.This film stands out as being very realistic and raw. The acting, the camera and cinematography are all very every day, as if it is a home made video documenting trivial things in a family. I am particularly impressed by the portrayal between the mother and the father, and the family dynamics between the family. Most of the dialog is mildly challenging and to the point, which makes it unpretentious.There is nothing very dramatic or graphic in the film, and yet as the trivial daily life unfolds, the film gets more interesting. It successfully captivates the viewers and makes them wanting to know more.This film deserves a lot more attention than it currently is getting!
... View MoreThis is one of those really small, slice of life, indie films that get lost in the cacophony of the stylish in-your-face stuff that's out there. It's also way too sophisticated for the average TV movie-of-the-week slice of life stuff. It's a movie that doesn't fit in anywhere, which is appropriate since it's also a movie for people who feel that they don't fit in anywhere.Although the film is about an (almost) seventeen-year-old boy dealing with being gay, it isn't nauseatingly cute like most gay coming-of-age movies. Nor is it quirky to the extreme, nor is it dark and brooding. It is in fact, like life. The characters are intelligent yet flawed, and the film weaves in and out of the lives of many types of characters, refusing to fit into a comfortable niche. For example; those who want to see a film about a Hong Kong family trying to fit into a new life in Canada might feel uncomfortable about the gay element. Those who want a 'gay movie' might feel let down by the fact that the supporting characters who are not gay, play a prominent role in the film.However, there is an audience for this film. That audience would be people who want to see real human beings on the screen. Timothy Lee as Eric, does a great balancing job of portraying someone who knows who he is, but is unable to find what he's looking for in a world where the people around him are constantly either deceiving themselves or deceiving each other. The most difficult thing about coming of age is trying to find your way through all the hypocrisy and BS that adults and society are cloaked in. The message of "Innocent" is a familiar one; 'to thine own self be true' but the film doesn't pound its message in. It's also an extremely brief film (less than 80 minutes) and ... spoilers ahead! ... it doesn't have a traditional 'they all lived happily ever after' ending. That might be the reason the film has such a low rating here, but to me the ending is beautiful because it is honest. Sometimes things don't get wrapped up all and neat and pretty. Sometimes we stay lost and searching for a long, long time, but... that isn't necessarily a downer. Because Eric is intelligent and honest with himself, we know he will find some form of love and some answers to life along the way. He'll also get hurt many more times because we all are ultimately innocent when it comes to matters of the heart. It is through our innocence that we learn. Don't let the IMDb rating fool you; this is a simple, gentle, honest little film.
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