Search - Devotee on DVD

Odd and weird

Alceste | Los Angeles | 04/01/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I seldom turn off a DVD half way into the material, but this was just too much for me. I was not alarmed by it, it just didn't capture my interest. The first part of the film lingers on the dressing and undressing of a man who happens to have multiple missing limbs. The film is in French and the pronunciation and enunciation is hard if the viewer is not a native speaker; this is complicated by the poor sound quality. The two central characters are rather bland and uninteresting and I just didn't come to care about them enough to care how they worked out a relationship between the object and and the younger man who is fascinated with a limbless man. Clumsy and slow moving, this is not that engaging film with a raw edge that I expected."

Something Completely Different

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 03/02/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Devotee"

Something Completely Different

Amos Lassen

Rami Lange's "Devotee" (WaterBearer Films) is a completely different kind of gay film. We are all aware how gay men and women are considered a sub-culture of the society in which they live. "Devotee" pushes that a little more and adds a new qualification as it looks at Herve, a man born without arms and legs and still yearns for love of other men. He spends time cruising gay sites on the internet and he finally meets a young man, a devotee or one who is attracted to people who are amputees. To Herve, he seems sincere. Even with his physical disability, Herve is attracted to 20 year olds but he has learned, as we all have, that it is not easy getting what we want when we do not have the good looks or bodies or personalities that they are looking for. Add to the mix that he is an amputee and it is even harder.

This story of desire and longing is beautifully told to us by director Rami Lange. It presents a whole new dimension of gay life but the true beauty of the film is the way the two men look for and act out the spark of desire. This is a film that we should all see if for no other reason than to see the true diversity of our community.
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