The Love Patient (2011)

Sick Product of a Sick System

How sad is this?

Expected more

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

...without the humor. Like every episode of Seinfeld, "The Love Patient" is unfortunately derivative of the very Jewish, campy genre of "protagonist lies to get his way, then spends the rest of the episode/story covering it up, despite a series of "close calls" until it just all falls apart at the end...but really doesn't, because it all works out". Oy...for this we wasted 90 minutes? Feh! Benjamin Lutz, is completely incapable of carrying-off a lead role, but the director is hoping that his many close-ups and ridiculous cutesy poses with the other hotter guys will distract the viewers from this painful reality. This is the kind of bad/bordering on embarrassing film that keeps the gay genre relegated to local film festivals.

This movie had been recommended by friends for me to watch and so I rented it from Amazon.com.I found it to be a funny, entertaining, and fast moving story filled with good looking actors who know their craft. Everyone played their parts to near perfection. I loved the two main characters who were lovers, broke up and one comes up with a crazy plan to get his X, the hot looking Brad, back. While an eyebrow may rise once in a while, it is pure joy to behold. It is a good deal better than many indie produced gay movies that I've seen in the past. I urge you to view the movie and make up your own mind instead of buying the bile that has been puked forward by some on this review page.

A previous reviewer must be somehow related to this film. I saw this at Qfest in Philadelphia. The entire movie cast and crew were in attendance. As people left midway, I wonder what they thought seeing the mass exodus. In any event, Philadelphia Film Festival (QFEST) has a reputation if they can get cast members to come to the event (and go to a festival party afterwards)they are almost guaranteed a prime spot on the schedule (opening night or a Saturday night) and/or a rave review by the committee.As a previous reviewer said, it makes me wonder why I attend the film festival anymore.A comedy about cancer might be 'The Big C' on Showtime where Laura Linney can break your heart and have you laughing at the same time. Its a fine line watching characters live in fear and hope and be surrounded by well meaning but quirky people in their life. Therein lies the humor. This is not the case here.Poorly contrived, it is a non-humorous attempt to portray a character so desperate to get his ex-lover back that he strikes a deal with his doctor to fake chemotherapy. Yup, he even shaves his head when friends and family don't feel he is showing any effects. Over the top acting, feels very amatueristic. Rushed ending and strangely apologetic, the writer and director seem to understand they are on blasphemous ground and throw in some penance for the main character to perform.Sadly, all works out well, so the ends (getting the lover back) justfies the means. Not even a gratuitous butt scene can salvage this mess.I suggest the writers and directors visit a cancer ward and let them laugh it up because there isn't laughs in this tired, pathetic film.

The unanimous reaction after most of us walked out after the screening of the film was 'It was so bad'. A few of us looked at each other and remarked how could this film have been in the top 10 favorites of the festival committee but then hey everyone has their own choices. But it seemed like most of us belonged to the category where they questioned this American indie comedy. The story of a self centered executive who will go to any lengths to win his ex-back just did not go well with me and quite a few others.Paul, an ad-executive now realizes after almost a year of breakup that he might have lost something very good with his ex Brad. Since Paul is a self centered man who just thins about himself, and is not used to losing, he wants to win his man back. Brad on the other hand is now dating another colleague Alex who is bisexual. Paul comes up with a plan with his doctor friend Burt. Burt needs a lot of money to save his clinic which Paul offers to give him if Burt plays along with the act that Paul has cancer. This could bring Brad back to him. Initially reluctant, Burt agrees and this is when the mess begins. Because of the news, Paul's family of parents and sister move in with him to take care of him. It also brings Brad back to him. Brad starts working with Paul at home on the project and slowly they start remembering old days. It seems things are falling back in place. Meanwhile Paul's sister seduces Alex following which Brad and Alex break up. But when he finds out the truth about Paul's fake cancer from his sister who was always suspicious, he is deeply hurt but as expected everything ultimately falls in place after some drama.This movie could never make up mind whether they wanted to be a simple comedy, over the top comedy, a lil bit serious or just plain simple annoying. Paul's character was supposed to be annoying which I guess he did well but Brad seemed as if he just came out of a sugar jar. So sweet always and with pretty much similar expressions on his face throughout. And don't even ask about the woman who played Paul's mother. She was sooooo over the top that it was annoying. The film took a long time to build up the whole story of fake cancer and then just suddenly out of the blue, the beans are spilled (as if the director just ran out of steam and wants to finish the film). But that does not actually happen. As sudden as Paul's secret is found, in the next 5 minutes we also see how Paul realizes his mistake and finally over a period of time wins back Brad by right means. The end seemed so rushed. The screenplay was not evenly divided throughout the film. And to top all this, there wasn't enough eye- candy too.This movie joins the rank of really bad indie gay cinema that US produces. Please, lets learn from some of our best foreign gay films. (2/10)