Connecting these dots yields cliché-overloaded disaster

It's tempting to just skip this flick. "If you haven't anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." But that wouldn't be true; there is much merit, unfortunately, it's smothered by a huge flaw.

As a first-time outing (get it?) for C. Jay Cox (writer/director), one can only look forward to his second feature. The film looks fabulous thanks to Carl Bartels' vibrant and shot-savvy camera, coupled with John Keitel's clean edits, and sounds great (Eric Allaman has co-ordinated a soundtrack that works well, even if the lyrics tend to reinforce the substance-lite script). The problem is the writing.

The conversion follies of a quartet of Mormon boys plunked into L.A. beside a hedonistic homo who pines for volume rather than attachment from his ongoing parade of buff, if bland, one-night stands has promise. But it fails miserably in the delivery as, like commercials on TV, we soon reach for the remote to mute the dialogue whenever the competent cast looks like they are about to speak.

Let's start with the names: Confused Mormon—"Aaron" (alluringly played by Steve Sandvoss); Shallow stud-hunk, awaiting redemption "Christian" (Wes Ramsey who seems happier with a tongue you-know-where than morphing into a caring human being); Restaurant-owner "free spirit"—"Lila" (Jacqueline Bisset who in a scene that falls flatter than the mid-West, accepts Aaron's hanky for non-existent tears, even after she has just pulled the plug on a dying friend)—will Robert Pirsig demand royalties (or launch a defamation suit?).

A bit of dialogue? Having been outed with their first kiss (never leave the door open, kids—your roommates might just walk in ...), Aaron is sent back home to Utah to face the consequences. At his trial (naturally, his father is the head Mormon) he declaims "I wish my shame was enough for both of us," while the cut-away shot has Christian's co-worker and wannabe pop star (Julie, perky Rebekah Jordan) singing "Another beautiful day in the land of the free." Both scenes use U.S. flags as prominent parts of the set. Yikes!

Of the supporting cast, it's the HIV+ characters that steal the show: Khary Payton plays the smart-cracking waiter, Andrew, brilliantly and Erik Pallandino makes the most of his lines ("I used to be you!") as the reclusive full-blown-AIDS shut-in, Keith, who eventually shows Christian that there's more to life than the gym and blow jobs.

The BIG sex scene starts poorly as the pair, alone at last due to a so-convenient snow storm, efficiently undress themselves as if preparing for a rugby match, but once bare and aroused appear to have been lovers for decades—perhaps Aaron's fellow Elders only pretended to be homophobes and have been secretly banging each other for years—"Praise the Lord, pass the lube!"

With so much talent both in front and behind the camera, the crew should consider this venture a mere rehearsal for their next effort where the dots will be connected after overcoming some gritty situations that are based in real life and not the Sunday colour comics that, well, even a child could draw.

Director/Writer	C. Jay Cox
Producers	Scott Zimmerman, J. Todd Harris, Kermit Johns
Director of Photography	Carl Bartels
Music	Eric Allaman
Editor	John Keitel
Main Cast	Steve Sandvoss, Wes Ramsey, Rebekah Jordan, Amber Benson, Khary Payton, Jacqueline Bisset, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Erik Pallandino

Some readers disagree ...