eCupid (2011)

Just perfect...

Fresh and Exciting

Excellent but underrated film

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

From the brain of someone who was far too influenced by the Wizard of Oz as a child comes this disappointing schlock. Behind all the attempts at relevance (i.e. talk of "apps" and conversations over a computer screen) lies that old familiar nugget of wisdom; there's no place like home...even if that happens to be a sex-less relationship where neither side talks or seems to care what or how the other is doing. We're supposed to believe that after 7 years, this fictitious couple can't seem to see the slightest of warning signs in their relationship or careers. But no, wait-- there's even more suspension of disbelief we need to invest in, which entails a magical app that conjures up fantasy guys who do everything except what an actual fantasy would entail. I get that the "Steam Room Stories" guys wanted to try their hand at feature-length film (and how they managed to get Morgan Fairchild is beyond me...maybe she babysat one of them during her hiatus in the 90s?) But this just isn't cute, funny, witty, relevant or unique. What it IS however, is not worth watching.

It's difficult to evaluate this film. A relaxed romantic comedy, if well-executed, is welcome amongst LGBT films, which are often as angst-ridden as queer people's real lives too often are. 'ECupid' is light and qualifies as a 'rom-com' because of its basic 'boy-loses-boy, boy-finds-boy-again' trope. But that's where it ends. Generally, these films, whether gay or straight, have appealing characters in the leads, with whom the audience can identify, or at least like. This film has a curiously cold, dispassionate lead in the character of Marshall. As a couple, Marshall and Gabe are dreary and mismatched, already peculiar after their relationship's seven-year duration. The narrative into which they're plunged makes them props for a set of surreal circumstances. Triggered by Marshall's download of a dating app in an attempt to relieve his relationship's sagging sexual component, he finds himself in a low-level Buñuel-like situation, where inexplicable things happen and people turn up with seemingly no rhyme or reason. Any real person in a normal 'rom-com' would be alarmed, a certain hilarity ensuing from his reactions; but Marshall just walks through these bizarre turns of events nearly without reaction, almost as we see in 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'--to which, I assure the reader, I am *not* comparing this trifle. If the film had stayed with a surreal premise, it might have succeeded better. But the film maker tried to conflate the surreal with the tediously ordinary. Despite his sexual frustration, and without even giving the alternatives provided by the dating app a chance, Marshall dismisses potentially exciting flings with the 'young skaters, bad boys, boy-next-door types, and naughty frat boys' we are told he craves. He suddenly only wants his boring, unsatisfying primary relationship, and the surreal dating app serves to reunite the dull couple. The juxtaposition of styles makes for an uneven tone, leaving one to wonder what Marshall was thinking.Marshall and Gabe's problem, as we see instantly, is that they don't communicate and make entirely inaccurate assumptions about each other's motivations, itself implausible after seven years together. It all ends blandly, except for the annoyed viewer, who has been tantalized with the possibility of a more complex narrative texture and outcome. The film also seems to reiterate a narrow 'monogamy or nothing' credo, making the possibility of seeking to satisfy unmet needs immoral and forbidden. It wags a prudish, insulting finger at its intended audience, despite the semi-clad hunks who appear from time to time (there is no sex or nudity in the film). It also hints that on-line dating is fraught with unimaginably odd perils. But 'eCupid' has its moments.

This film has more good looking guys than you can shake a stick at. The leads are all hunky and so are all the supporting cast. The story is very light and predictable but cute and sweet nonetheless. Morgan Fairchild makes a cameo appearance and practically steals the film, but then she has always been absolutely wonderful in everything she does. There are lots of twists and turns as well as really great photography and West Hollywood and LA never looked better. My bud and I watched the film in a single sitting as part of our mini film festival we are doing only taking breaks to check the cast here. Apparently, the leads are all working still and considering how good they are in this film it seems their futures are secure. This is the kind of film you never get tired of seeing again and again because it is so great to look at and the story is so uplifting.

I'd urge that you watch it only if 1) you're not paying for it 2) you have absolutely nothing else to do 3) You're so jonsing for a new gay-themed movie that you don't care how bad it is.Swap the second lead with a lady and without any change in the storyline, you have yourself an equally awful chickflic. And by that I don't mean something like 27 dresses. This one would be much worse. The main lead is easy on the eyes, so are a few other people. Not all of them are equally bad actors, some more, some less. That's the only good thing I can think of this movie.Okay, may be the original idea had a point - roadbump in a long-term relationship. It's supposed to be a story of how they realize again how much they love each other. Everything else, as I mentioned earlier, could might well be a story about a guy and a very emotional girl, and not even a good one at that.