|
Photographer Billy Collier is a hopeless romantic who's out
of work and out of love. Enter Gabriel, a smoulderingly handsome
coffee-house waiter whom the love-struck Billy enlists as
his star model. As their friendship develops, Billy finds
himself asking is he or isn't he?...
Billy's
Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998)
stars Sean Hayes (Will and Grace) as Billy Collier,
a jobbing photographer who only works with Polaroid instant
cameras (a bit limiting, but an angle I suppose). While discussing
his latest project idea with his friend Georgiana in a local
coffee-house, he spots the waiter and instantly realises his
potential for being a model. But Billy is also attracted to
him, but is too shy to ask him if he is gay.
When they meet at a party a short while later, Billy eventually
plucks up the courage to ask him to be his model. The man's
name is Gabriel - an angel in Billy's eyes - and he has a
girlfriend. Resigned to the fact that Gabriel is straight,
Billy and Gabriel strike up a close friendship. After a while
Billy starts to become convinced that Gabriel might be, at
the very least, bisexual and is eager to find out if a romantic
relationship could still be on the cards. As their friendship
blooms, Billy is worried about making a move on Gabriel as
he doesn't want to frighten him off. Is Billy simply projecting
his desires into their friendship, or is Gabriel attracted
to him too?
This
film will find a special place in the hearts anyone, regardless
of their sexuality, who has ever experienced the fear of romantic
rejection, or who has been the victim of unrequited love.
There
are a number of nice touches including Billy's flashback story
telling. Here the screen goes dark and Billy is on one side
telling his story, while Polaroid images appear on the other
side of the screen. His story about how he came by his Polaroid
camera (which also doubles as him revealing, and realising,
that he is gay at a young age) is moving - especially when
you consider that the only thing selling it is Hayes's voice
and the Polaroid stills.
While
this movie has aged fairly well (it's almost ten years since
it was first released) Gabriel's hair is about the only thing
that really dates it. He's got the stereotypical pretty boy
haircut - 90s style. CSI:
New York fans will no doubt be pleased to see a young
Carmine
Giovinazzo (who plays detective Danny Messer in CSI:NY)
playing Gundy, a drug addict, boat owner. For me, one of the
movie's funniest scenes is between Giovinazzo and Meredith
Scott Lynn (Georgiana)
as he serenades her with the most tasteless love song.
The
only extras on the disc is a trailer for the movie. There
isn't even an audio commentary, which is surprising. It would
have been interesting to hear some background information
on the film. That considered, I was a little surprised to
see this release had a £20 price tag. Most back catalogue
movies that are released with no extras generally retail for
somewhere between £12.99 - £17.99.
At
the end of the day this is a wonderfully romantic movie that
will appeal to all men and women - straight or gay - who still
remember what it was like to be young and in love.
Nick
Smithson
Buy
this item online
We
compare prices online so you get the cheapest
deal!
Click on the logo of the desired store below
to purchase this item.
|
|
|
£14.99
(Amazon.co.uk) |
| |
|
|
|
£11.99
(Play.com) |
| |
|
|
|
£11.99
(HMV.co.uk) |
| |
|
|
|
£12.89
(Sendit.com) |
| |
|
|
|
£12.99
(Bensons-world.co.uk) |
| |
|
|
|
£13.47
(Thehut.com) |
All prices correct at time of going to press.
|
|
