To say that Boy Culture, that latest film from Q Allan Brocka is a step up from his last, Eating Out, is like saying saying Hurricane Katrina is a worse disaster than the Northridge Earthquake. Eating Out, as many have noted, is one of the worst, most insulting gay-themed films ever made. It is a blight on the cinematic landscape. Boy Culture is mature step forward but I'm not sure how much credit goes to Brocka. The film about three displaced male hustlers is based on an acclaimed novel by Matthew Rettenmund and Brocka co-wrote the screenplay with Phillip Pierce. For the first hour, Brocka riffs on Trainspotting -- Brocka should have acknowledged Danny Boyle in the credits -- and the sloppy editing by Philip J. Bartell is a major annoyance. Most of what works here is due to the strong work by newcomer Derek Magyar, a stunning newcomer who invests his portrayal with insight and nuance not generally found in films like this. The other two young actors Darryl Stphens and Jonathan Trent are also capable, though Trent borders on caricature. One deterrent, however, is actress Emily Brooke Hands -- soooo shrill in Eating Out, here she's given less to do but she still has a nails-on-a-chalkboard screen presence.
Review of Boy Culture
