Search - True Love on DVD

Surprisingly Good!

Robert Byrd | Minneapolis, MN United States | 05/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I must admit that when this DVD arrived in the mail I took one look at the cover art and thought "what the hell have I wasted my money on?" But, to my surprise, this wonderful compilation of short films (that felt incredibly true to life) turned out to be a great purchase! All the stories are gay themed, and all deal with topics that will resonate with damn near anyone, gay or straigt. They run the gamut from the emergernce of gay identity through youthful innocence to the horror of child molestation (my personal favorite story). The writing is impeccable and very, very credible. Michael J. Saul, the film's impassioned and smart director, has a magnificent way with actors that shows throughout this impressive production. What's most amazing, though, is he made this film for $10,000 using two digital cameras, final cut pro, and a lot of love and dedication from an all volunteer cast and crew. This is a success story of talent, sweat equity and very sound decisionmaking paying off. I applaud Mr. Saul for a job well done and urge anyone reading this review to purchase his DVD, make some popcorn, invite a few friends over and enjoy a remarkably touching show."

Touching and real

M. FUSCO | NEW YORK, NY | 02/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Writer/director Michael J. Saul has brought together a consummate cast for his memorable collage of short films. The seven vignettes cover a wide range of gay men and boys finding, keeping, and examining the nature of love. They build in interest and intensity to the quietly spectacular concluding film, A Little Drama, set the music of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde -- a great big drama, indeed, and one of opera's greatest love stories.

Without dialogue, A Little Drama circumscribes a poignant moment in the life of a vulnerable high school boy, perfectly played by sweetly sexy Brett A. Newton. Working the light board of a production of Romeo and Juliet, he falls for the boy playing Romeo (virile, handsome Ryan Thomas). Mesmerized by Ryan's beauty and strength, light boy nearly misses his cues. Whenever Romeo glances his way he melts, panics, yearns, suffers. A world of emotion passes across Brett's beatific face as the two exquisite boys wordlessly play out their gut- and heart-wrenching counterpoint to the stunning music. The exquisite ending is the stuff of which dreams are made."

Serious and "important" = depressing and trite

Dave from Central CT | USA | 07/13/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"A very disappointing collection of short films. The director says that these are "important" stories, but I just found most of them to be depressing and way too caught up in how clever they were trying to be."

True to life

Keith E. Welsh | St. Louis, MO | 10/17/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This movie unsettles and pleases. The first and last shorts, *Christmas Story* and *A Little Drama*, are wonderful acts-without-words that explore longing not yet to be fulfilled. The inner stories are of varying merit--*Sunday* is trite, though short--but they add up to a very satisfying collection of shorts. Was he molested? Or wasn't he?"