Search - Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story on DVD

It's Olympic Time

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 07/27/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story"

It's Olympic Time

Amos Lassen

With the Olympics closing in on us Ariztical is releasing "Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story" and it is a welcome addition to our DVD libraries. Originally made in 1977, the film is a well made biography of a gay icon and a man who taught many of us to accept ourselves.
Louganis' story is a compelling and remarkable tale and includes his struggle with his sexuality, his troubled family life, his relationship with an abusive lover/manager, his HIV positive status and his Olympic triumphs. Mario Lopez plays Louganis convincingly and with sympathy. The rest of the cast, however, seems quite wooden.
The film is based on Louganis' book of the same name and the movie stays true to it. This is, by no means, a happy movie but it is full of emotion and well directed. The poetry of diving is evident in the movie but the personal account of the book was somewhat missing. Yet the film covers not only the professional career of Louganis but his formative years by allowing us to see his relationship with his adopted parents as well as incidents that shaped his life. His adult life is depicted as being one dismal challenge after another. It's a movie that should be seen especially by those who are having a hard time admitting to themselves and others who they are.
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Heart Warming & Life Changing

John L. Parkerson | Chichester, NH USA | 05/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Definately a 5 star. To this day still a masterpiece in my mind. As others have written this is so well written and acted on all fronts. All the parts were right on the money.
If you haven't seen this movie I highly recommend it. I saw it back when it first aired on USA network. A very powerful movie and hitting very close to home for me. It ended up being a turning point in my life.
It's so nice that our community has a piece of media like this that fairly depicts Gay life in the USA. Unfortunately we have not progressed very much since this film was made. But I have high hopes.
I hope it is watched with an open heart and mind.
Peace all.


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TRAGIS STORY - MARIO LOPEZ SUPERB

Anthony green | 08/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"tHIS MOVIE WHILE VERY SAD AND EMOTIONAL IS SUPER SUPERB. MARIO LOPEZ IS PERFECT AT EVERY GIVEN MOMENT IN EVER FRAME. YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE YOU ARE WATCHING GREGG NOT MARIO. MR. LOPEZ IS AN UDERATED ACTOR - SAW HIM IN A CHORUS LINE AND HE STOLE THE SHOW. HE HAS THE RARE ABIITY NOT TO BE MARIO LOPEZ - BUT- TO BE THE PERSON HE IS PLAYING. GREAT GREAT GREAT."