Rock Haven (2007)

Fresh and Exciting

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

this movie really is a lot to do with life if Christ said he didn't come to condemn the world but to offer us new life this a beautiful romantic story about to young people who have come to there point in life to make a choice of being who they are and the beginning of being adults if I had, had this opportunity to make this choice at 18 to meet and fall in love with a man without preconceived ideas of sexually and other things I would been a real happy person instead of men or Christian men and women telling me what to do and how to do it we have only one being we have to answer to that the trinity of god which is god + Jesus+ the holy spirit and read the bible and pray for every human being is infallible and our thoughts change every time the lights go on know matter what you believe in?

Rock Haven is a well-meaning movie that is difficult to dislike. This beautifully shot film, which promised to be a heartfelt story about a young man coming to terms with his inner truth while struggling within the confines of his religious upbringing, ultimately fails. Young Brady is a conservative, studied young man who moves to a seaside town with his devoutly religious and slightly over-bearing mother. He quickly meets his young neighbor, Clifford, and the two young men couldn't be more opposite. The reserved Brady is at first put off, if not a bit intimidated by the outgoing and confident Clifford. He even has a tough time talking to Clifford at first. Over time, a friendship develops and pretty soon, an emotional connection is made. But Brady, who is in conflict with himself due to his burgeoning feelings for Clifford being at war with what he has been taught to believe, cannot easily accept Clifford being so demonstrative in his affection. This relationship is what the entire film rests on. The movie seems to be screaming, "Come out, come out!" but never in the entire film do either of the two male leads say the word "gay." Never in the film do the two male leads say "I love you" to each other. And once one of the characters has the courage to do what he needs to do, he still doesn't quite get the words out. If the movie is about coming out, shouldn't someone in the movie do just that? It certainly shouldn't be done half-way with innuendo, averted eyes, never really saying the words. Unfortunately, this is the fatal flaw of the movie. I think another turn at the typewriter would have done this story some good. The ending, quite frankly left me cold. It's a shame, really and a missed opportunity. All the other elements were in place.

........."Finding The One Who Helps You Find Yourself".So, Folks......we could play a little game of "second-guess the Director?" Just kidding; after all, trying to do the "Monday morning quarterback-ing" thing is too easy a way out.......especially if we're honest and admit that David Lewis did do the biggest, most important-est thing right. What is that, you may ask? Well, in the case of a gay romance, be it a comedy or otherwise, doing the right thing is finding and bringing together two male leads who've got "C-H-E-M-I-S-T-R-Y" with one another. And in the case of Sean Hoagland and Owen Alabado, it's undeniably there---it's "cutely" there, I might add (a term which fittingly describes them and what we increasingly see them come across as). While some leads grab you from the very beginning.......others grow on you. These two are of the latter persuasion, but along the way they do hook you nevertheless. Honestly, in the initial scenes I was thinking: these two guys can't act, (particularly Sean's way of expressing himself---though it grows on you), but before long they were reeling me in. So, maybe this pair didn't have the acting "chops" to give us what a Cyrille Thouvenin and Stephan Guerin-Tillie ("Just A Question Of Love") gave us, or even what a Trevor Wright and Brad Rowe ("Shelter") happily bestowed upon us, but what they did give us was real enough. Thanks, Boys.Not to let Director Lewis off the hook completely, while others have already complained of over-numerous surfside and coastline "nature" scenes, as well as the big misstep of thinking he could effectively/believably act the minister role, I won't have to echo those thoughts. BUT.......I do feel I have to add this: in a religious community in which someone like "Brady's mother" would find herself comfortably at home, no way would I expect to find such a gay-understanding, "servant of the lord" as Reverend Brown. On the other hand, I also wouldn't expect to find in that "little white-steepled church" community a character such as Katheryn Hecht's "out-there" mother (Angie) either.To me, much of this film pits religious indoctrination (read: interpretation of the bible) vs. learning to be---and accepting---oneself. Brady, finally, epiphanies (please let me make that a verb) that he can be who he is.......and still have his religion. As he, in a closing scene, says to his mother: "I just want you to love me".......then forgives her after she replies she can't change either.Lastly, for myself and others of you who are observant and find positive meanings in such things, I'd like to ask that you remember the place to which Brady finds his way in the film's final scene is that very same beach-side location at which he first encountered Clifford. We are now sure with whom his thoughts remain. Plus, this realization then reminds me most tellingly of a bit of conversation occurring the morning following their night of love making. Laying in Clifford's embrace, Brady is asked by him: "How're you feeling?" Very significantly, Brady's answer simply is: "Safe." (Can any of you think of a more meaningful response to one's lover in this situation?). PS--Oh, yeah, and who's to say that there isn't a good prospect of a "reunion" between a more accepting, "reborn" Brady and a Clifford---whose mother, after all, will still be needing visits at her Rock Haven home?***This film is becoming "Addictive." Other such habit formers: "Brokeback Mountain" / "Boy Culture" / "All Over The Guy" / "Second Skin" / "The Man I Love" / "Latter Days"****

Considering the small budget this film must have had, all-in-all I found it to be a true delight. I now hold it as my second favorite after "Latter Days." Sean Hoagland turns in a masterful performance as Brady, the confused Christian lad with a heart of gold and a tortured soul. He brought the movie home for me and I found myself tearing up at the end. Sure, I wanted both of the boys to go off into the sunset hand-in-hand, but the actual ending was more realistic and illustrated the consequence of failure to be true to one's self. I can't say enough about Sean Hoagland, a truly talented young actor who completely suspended my disbelief with his performance of the naive, sweet, introverted and sad Brady - he will go far. The brief nude scene only intensified the implied love making. If the two boys were seen grinding in bed, the movie would have turned into soft-core. Instead, the act of revealing their bodies to each other in the way the two actors did told you everything you needed to know and was not gratuitous. The kissing scenes were the hottest part to me as there was real passions being expressed. In conclusion, I think it's very interesting that people seem to either love or hate this movie. Count me as one of the ones who loves it.