Eating Out: Drama Camp (2011)

Fresh and Exciting

Absolutely Fantastic

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Ok film snobs, this film doesn't make any pretenses about being Ibsen, O'Neill, or even Kaufman. Take it for what is and enjoy. Chris Salvatore is incredibly easy on the eyes, and there is a solid, warm performance by Tiffany Santana.

Because the only moments that were funny in the slightest were due to Mink Stole doing her Dirty Old Lady shtick. There were a few halfway decent dramatic scenes by Daniel Skelton - who's much improved from the last movie - and Garikayi Mutambirwa as their characters dealt with their respective romantic troubles. However, Chris Salvatore's acting and singing have gotten worse (not helped by his apparent new venture as a Fonzie impersonator) and it's painfully obvious most of the supporting cast were chosen based solely on what they look like with their clothes off.I appreciate that the script tried to deal with trans issues in a relatively sensitive and informative manner, but Harmony Santana was barely intelligible and seemed to be in a heated competition with Ronnie Kroell for a Razzie award. (Seriously, the actual porn star they cast was a more natural actor than either of those two.)The downward spiral of this movie series has me wondering if Q Allan Brocka is our generation's Ed Wood.

I really want to like each new installment of the Eating Out series. I really truly do. I appreciate the work that goes into making a feature film and this series is pretty much the only one of its kind, the gay romantic comedy series. But they're just getting progressively worse and worse. The formula is getting entirely repetitive and in this fourth installment the repetition is literal, with the constant re-doing and re-doing of a scene from "The Taming of the Shrew". It's like the film is on its own internal loop. A character has a breakthrough in one scene and in the next they're right back where they started, as if the first scene never happened. I struggle through one scene and I literally have to stop the film to gather myself up enough to get through the next one. The man-candy is great but I can see screen caps on the Internet. I know the next film is already in the can, but if there's going to be a part 6 then Brocka needs to take a break, regroup and rethink his approach.

This film is about Casey and Zack going to a summer drama camp to learn acting. Soon enough, they find out they get a lot more than acting lessons."Eating Out: Drama Camp" is a pleasant surprise. I like the plot a lot, as it is full of bubblegum, lighthearted happiness. It is a film to sit back and relax, then enjoy, laugh and have a good time. Apart from the brain off entertainment, there are deeper subplots of self acceptance, courage and the heart to let go when love is gone. It can bring a tear to your eyes among all the laughter. That's the beauty of "Eating Out: Drama Camp", and I really like it. I am already looking forward to the next "Eating Out".