User reviews

After reading so many horrible reviews of this film I had to muster up strength to even go see it. To be honest, the only reason I went was to see Letterle, whom I've had a thing for since the movie musical Camp. However, I got a lot out of it! It's the first time I've seen a gay movie that wasn't about coming out, wasn't about breaking straight girls hearts, and was based more in , well, reality??.........I do say that lightly.

But honestly, the 30 people who were in the theatre with me, inluding my boyfriend, were laughing the whole time. I really enjoyed the movie. It was very entertaining.

Donnylutz :)

A funny line from a funny song, but somehow it captures the mood of this light little comedy, made with enough wit and ingenuity to keep our attention, rehashing some tired gay stereotypes with a fresh approach, and in the end just offering a pastiche that should find an appreciative audience. George Bamber takes on his first directing role and uses a comic strip (Eric Orner) translated for the screen by David Vernon and populates his movie with an attractive cast of men (and women) and ably manages to make the individual frames of a comic strip almost become a smooth storyline.

Ethan Green (the talented Daniel Letterle) has problems with relationships: he has been in many from Juarez (Ramon De Ocampo) who still lives with Ethan's gay boy loving mother Harper (Meredith Baxter), to previously closeted baseball player Leo (Diego Serrano), to Kyle (David Monahan) to the very young Punch (Dean Shelton). The crux of the story revolves around the difficulty of selling Leo's house and the ways in which the various ex-lovers interact provides the somewhat frustrating line of dialogue.

Comic relief is supplied by two elderly gentlemen known as the Hat Sisters (Joel Brooks and Richard Riehle) as well as the shenanigans of the real estate people. Of course we know from the beginning who will end up with whom, but the getting there is fairly fun. The cast obviously has such a good time with the film that they forget to enunciate and so much of the dialogue is swallowed. But they are all fun to watch so it matters little that the superficial aspects of the story remain sub rosa. Grady Harp, October 06

Heard a lot of negative comments, but the trailer convinced me to at least check it out. I was pleasantly surprised. A nice, cute film with some very nice moments. Well written/acted/directed/produced - the only trouble for me is that the film isn't consistent. Starts out as "regular" comedy with asides, then tries to add grand farce and bouffe elements, and it never really comes together. Plus, if you want to have farcical elements, you need a speed and intensity in cutting that this film doesn't quite get to. And there are a few non sequiturs, which may be because my hearing isn't the best and there are no subtitles. On one hand I liked the playing with the stereotypes (e.g., elevator scene towards the end), yet found slightly irritating the glasses on / glasses off cliché. Loved the treatment of the Hat Sisters. I also like the constant reference(s) to characters who never appear.

On another level, I liked the film because it said something to me on a personal level at this time in my own life ("The Ethan Reflex"). Not that there's a "message", per se, but there happened to be a message for ME in Baxter's "words of wisdom" to Letterle.

A possibly shallow comment from me is that while the actor playing Punch is a wonderful actor and nails the character totally, he doesn't quite physically match my expectation. Sorry, but then, I'm as shallow as they come sometimes.

If you're looking for Letterle nude shots or suggestive shots or looking for soft porn, forget it. (Though there are some underwear shots for the desperate.) But if you're looking for a decent movie that stands on its own, check it out.

This film is about the love life of Ethan Green, an attractive young man who repeatedly fails to find the love of his life.

"The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green" is a surprisingly good film. Acting is great, the cast is persistently good throughout. I really felt connected with the characters and the events! The portrayal of Ethan, Leo and Sunny stands out, they provide the most laughs.

If it was a low budget film, it certainly does not show. All the sets and costumes are nice and eye catching, enhancing the uplifting feel of the film. I think "The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green" is a cheerful and upbeat comedy and deserves to be seen by more people.

In THE MOSTLY UNFABULOUS SOCIAL LIFE OF ETHAN GREEN, there is one great laugh: As two of the characters argue with each other in a bookstore, all the shelves are packed tight, except the one marked "Lesbian Humor," which only has one volume. Okay, it's not a great laugh, but it is a nice little chuckle. And the viewers should be grateful for that, because otherwise as a romantic comedy ETHAN GREEN is pretty skimpy with both the romance and the comedy.

Based on a cult gay comic strip of the same name, ETHAN GREEN seems to be trying to say something socially relevant about contemporary gay relationships. And while the film isn't wanting in imagination or even inspiration, it regrettably reflects its comic strip source by being strangely flat and two dimensional. The jokes are there, but like Eric Orner's artwork in the original comics, they are drawn with little style or depth or skill.

Ethan is an unlucky-in-love, self-proclaimed "serial monogamist." At 26, an age when most men -- whether gay or straight -- are searching for anything other than a lifetime romantic/sexual commitment, Ethan is going through a mid-life crisis worrying about his biological clock and a fear of dying an old maid. Despite his almost desperate desire to find his soulmate, the has an equally desperate need to find something wrong with every potential Mr. Right. Both things seem to preoccupy his every waking thought, but then again, Ethan doesn't seem to have anything else going on his life, such as a job. And even his strangely anonymous suburban home is devoid of evidence of his existence, without so much as a MOULIN ROUGE! movie poster or a Streisand album in sight to indicate a gay man is on the premises.

As played by Daniel Letterle with an almost-campy almost-swishiness, Ethan is clearly a gay stereotype, yet he remains curiously devoid of a personality. Surrounded by non-stereotypical characters, who nonetheless have obvious personality quirks that define them, Ethan is arguably the least interesting character in the story. His lovers, past and present, include a hot Latino boytoy (to whom Ethan's mother plays fag hag); a nerdy bookstore owner; a fresh-out-of-the-closet professional jock; and a 19-year-old sexually adventurous twink, all of whom are hung up on Ethan to some degree -- though God knows why. There is also a gay Republican, which the story treats as a perpetual joke, (and the less said about The Hat Sisters, a pair of burly aging transvestites, the better). We are supposed to wonder which of these guys Ethan will ultimately pick, though we also might rightly wonder which one will ultimately get stuck with Ethan. Ethan's focus seems to be on avoiding the wrong choice and not making the right one, a subtle, but telling difference.

The strangest thing about the film is that Ethan is this unfunny dead weight at the center of everything. Virtually everybody else is almost joyously upbeat; like Meredith Baxter as Ethan's mom, whose acceptance of her son's homosexuality has inspired her to be a wedding planner for civil unions. Even Rebecca Lowman as Sunny Deal, a chronically depressed lesbian real estate agent, manages to make her character's suicidal depression amusing. And an especially bright light in the film is Dean Shelton as Punch Epstein, the twink who is still high on being out and sees gay sex as a game with few rules and endless possibilities. If someone in the film has to be deemed "fabulous," Shelton's performance earns him the right. (It's just a pity the film isn't THE MOSTLY FABULOUS SEXUAL LIFE OF PUNCH EPSTEIN.)

It is not just that Ethan is such a sadsack -- the whole point being that his pessimism is an island in a sea of optimism. But Letterle, who made such a winning impression in CAMP, brings no charisma to Ethan and thus, no focus. And I don't think it is entirely Letterle's fault, since he seems to be playing the part as written. For instance, when Ethan decides at the last minute to break up a wedding, he stops midpoint to browse a catalogue and place a phone order. Funny? Yeah, sorta. But at what cost to the story? Despite a few discreetly suggestive sex scenes, there is no passion, let alone urgency, to the story or between any of the characters. For a movie filmed in less than two weeks, ETHAN GREEN is surprisingly well made technically, but first-time director George Bamber can't conjure up any eagerness to please. Likewise, in the end Ethan doesn't seem to find Mr. Right so much as Mr. Alright. If neither Ethan nor the film are fabulous, it is because neither have made the effort.

We went last night to by far the funniest new film of the year so far, THE MOSTLY UNFABULOUS SOCIAL LIFE OF ETHAN GREEN, an R rated (a few decades ago it would have been considered an X) release drawn rather brilliantly from a not-so-brilliant but long running comic strip in a number of "alternate" publications.

I was never a big fan of the strip which was crudely drawn and heavy handed in conception - or so it seemed in the papers and the several compilation books published - but on screen at New York's Quad Cinema, the characters are almost *perfectly* cast to resemble more attractive versions of the cartoon characters and screen writer David Vernon has been given latitude to smooth out and improve on the hilarious conundrums in Generation-X Ethan's self destructive social life (finding an intriguing blend of lots of sex but all too little satisfaction).

In some ways, this is a gay-male version of SEX AND THE CITY: whenever Ethan finds an almost perfect mate, you KNOW he will somehow screw it up (no pun intended). Right now, it's being marketed to a largely gay audience, but it's so well written and directed (feel-good date movie, "independent" variety), it should cross over to a much wider audience and deserves to do for the actor playing Ethan (Daniel Letterle from CAMP!) what BILLY'S Hollywood SCREEN KISS did for "Will & Grace's" Sean Hayes.

The movie is as episodic as Voltaire's Candide, but just as perceptive, and the very episodic nature gives the entire supporting cast (ranging from Meridith Baxter's all too supportive mother to Joel Brooks & Richard Riehle's "Hat Sisters" to Dean Shelton's oversexed teen entrepreneur, "Punch," to Rebecca Lowman's Ann Coulter look-alike/psychotically depressed real estate agent, "Sunny Deals") equal chances to shine, and shine they do.

The grand farce scene where ALL the romantic threads (including, in addition to the above, an ex-football pro, a landlord ex-lover, a Log Cabin Republican fiancé and Ethan's lesbian roommate) come together in the house where Ethan is trying to carve out a coherent love life tops one great laugh with another as if Feydeau-plotted and will have you howling.

Silly, sunny summer fun, and *highly* recommended to straight and gay alike open minded enough to laugh at a very funny but true look at how the other half (or at least a goodly younger part of 10%) loves. Stick around after the fine double ending for the playing cards from the plot significant "Dream Date" board game scattered through the credit "crawl." Its a device that hasn't been used as well since FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF.

Horrible, unfunny "comedy" about a gay man (Ethan Green) and his life with friends and boyfriends.

I've read the comic strip this is based on. The strip (while no classic) was actually pretty funny and right on target with its comments on the gay community. But it doesn't translate at all to film. For starters Green has black hair in the strip--he's light brown here. Also the actor playing him was clearly NOT gay and seemed very nervous and unsure of how to play it. He's also the most annoying, whiny guy I've ever seen--half way through the film I wanted to slap him to shut him up. His friends are even more annoying then him and his romantic complications are predictable and stupid.

The only bright spots in this mess are the Hat Sisters (the only ones who give a performance) and seeing Meredith Baxter (she's not good but that's not her fault). So basically, the script is terrible, you get a character you could care less about and most of the acting is lousy. I saw this at a Gay Film Festival and the audience sat there in dead silence. It's no wonder this isn't getting released. I give it a 1.

If you're looking for a slight cross between "The Broken Hearts Club" and "The Breakfast Club", it's right here. Not one of the best movies I've seen but if you liked Daniel Letterle in "Camp!" then here's your chance to see him get even more gay! He's still starting out as an actor so a role like this was a bit of a gamble. There's some minor things that I think could've been improved upon but all in all, I didn't feel like I wasted my time after watching it.

If there's a message to be derived from the movie, it's probably "Gay people have problems, too!" Incidentaly, that would've also served as a better title for the film as well!

Daniel did seem a bit ill at ease during some of the more "gayer" scenes. But then again, who wouldn't with an entire film crew (and possibly his girlfriend) on the set watching your every move. Give the guy a break. Of course, Daniel wasn't the only one in the film. The other actors I felt played their parts to a tee!

PS Daniel Letterle... do some more musicals!! ;)

how delightful is when we are moved in some way by a movie , even if the genre is drama or comedy, who cares? what really matters is believe the reality of the unreal that a movie can offers.The script, which is the story, is creative and in some moments smart. Unfortunately The director play whit it in an opposite direction, the comedy get melted whith an unbearable shallow treatment, the actors are making fun at the roles, instead of believe what the characters are saying all of them (the actors) seem playing a joke, destroying what it can be a witty movie. Obviously there is a director who allows that,it is pretty sad watching a comedy that final outcome is like a story told for a retarded audience by a retarded director...how unfabulous is that!!

The movie was never trying to be ground breaking or amazing. its a light hilarious movie with broad generalizations that everyone can identify with. Anyone who gives this movie a low rating was looking for too much. Why cant we make a movie for fun sake? Not every gay movie has to try to better our position in the world. This is a movie that could have come from a group of gay guys sitting around joking and laughing about the day to day grind of our lives. I would recommend it to anyone tired of the epic Greek tragedy of most gay films. For some reason every gay film has to have drug use, Pain and most often the death and or beating of one if not all of the people in it. For once we have a gay movie that takes a lighter view of our FABULOUS way of life.

26-year-old gay man fears he will never find true happiness after a series of romantic dumps and cast-offs have led him back into the arms of his ex-boyfriend, who is currently preparing for a commitment ceremony to his lover, a stuffy gay Republican. With both a bombastic sense of satire and an unbroken string of snotty quips, "Ethan Green" never even approaches becoming a fabulous same-sex romantic comedy. Openly gay cartoonist Eric Orner surely didn't mean for his popular comic strip series to become yet another angst-in-the-boudoir farce, formulated around a carousel of failed gay relationships. None of the immature central characters are willing to think outside the box; they are picky, petulant, and boring (even with their shirts off). At one point, the protagonist (rather incredibly) doles out some seasoned dating advice in a scene scored with a plaintive piano. It is the height of ridiculousness that such a bald-faced attempt to tickle a gay audience with the usual shallow conceits like flashes of skin and bitchy banter should suddenly turn introspective. The fickle nature of gay love is addressed continually--which is predictable considering the filmmakers are not interested in seeing a relationship through. To the people who made this movie, commitment is viewed as the end of the line; the comedic thrust of the material is all in the early coupling. I think they got it backwards. *1/2 from ****

I just wanted to give a quick review and say that I really enjoyed this movie. I saw it at a gay film festival in Austin, and the audience was in a constant laughing uproar. I don't know what film festival the other review went to, but I think it was in D.C.

I didn't notice any bad acting. I quite enjoyed it. The dates he went on and the people he met were all too real. It very-much resembles the gay scene in a humorous way. One of the last scenes was very American Pie style, and it was a riot! Loved every minute of this movie.

As a gay guy, previously straight, I enjoyed this movie and hope it sees a DVD soon.

This movie was awful, not funny and the acting was unfabulously bad bad bad. You want funny and intelligent, watch Adam and Steve. That was a howl. You want romantic, watch Mambo Italiano or Kiss Me Guido. You want a young ensemble cast on a shoestring budget yet enjoyable and lovable, watch Lie Down with Dogs.You want to be bored soft, and watch a gay train wreck with the cast ad libbing and going way over the top, watch this nonsense. Just awful. And the people who did laugh at this? I want the drugs that you are on. The worst acting was done by the character Sunny the real estate dealer. She growls and squinches her face to let us know she is angry and the potential buyers run out of the house. Yeah, that's funny alright. When she gets out of her funk, she dances on tip toes and sings as she twirls around the room. Yeah.... that sounds like laugh out loud comedy.

I watched the first 45 minutes of this film and decided to cut my loses. As a film studies graduate, its extremely rare for me to not watch a film in its entirety, I don't like the nagging, lingering question that arises sometimes after only seeing half a film; "I wonder what happened in the end?" With regards to this film, I honestly don't care how it ended. A romantic comedy that is neither funny nor romantic. I couldn't even force half a smile at any of the jokes.

This film breaks the most basic fundamental rule of storytelling; the audience needs to feel empathy, affection and support for the central protagonist. I could not invest in the character Ethan Green at all, I felt no interest in his 2 dimensional life whatsoever.

The plot is farcical, the narrative is all over the place and the acting is wooden and amateur.

Avoid, avoid, avoid.

I loved this movie, the actors, the writing the score, everything about it. It's a shame it's not on release in the UK, I only discovered it by accident on Here TV and went on a search to to see if it was available. I decided to take a risk and buy it without first watching it. I'm glad I did, it'd quite refreshing to find a gay movie that's not all about coming out and being alienated. Is funny without having to present gays in a stereotypical way and presents life and love as any other 'straight' movie would. I loved Meredith Baxter she was fantastically cast as Ethan's mother, the Hat Sisters were great fun. David Monahan as Leo was too cute. And Daniel Latterle was brilliant as Ethan. As a 32 year old gay man this movie felt relevant to me.

Great Comedy So Funny. The story-(gay or straight) is the same. The dating world, always looking for something better, something perfect. George Bamber did a terrific job directing. David Vernon's writing was creative. Acting by all was real and sometimes surprising even the Hat Sisters were believable. Rebecca Lowman played a convincing basket case. Dean Shelton playing Punch was hilarious he did a impressive job portraying every persons young impetuous self. I loved Meredith Baxter she plays such a remarkable non judgmental mom. This is a entertaining, fun night out at the movies. I saw it first in New York and can't wait to see it again.

If you want a very funny movie than this is it. Very good gay movie.. Very good gay movie and David letterle does a good job in making us laugh. The situations he gets himself in a very funny. ..He was great in camp and i had to look and make sure it was him. He is a little older in this movie but still$$$$$..if you know what i mean. I buy a lot of DVD movies and end up selling them but this one is a keeper. I watch it and it picks up my day. There a lot of other personalities in this movie. I wish this was my life but no way . So go out and buy this movie and enjoy it when your down. It will make you smile and wish it was you. So smile away.

I am old enough to have been a fan of the original comic strip in our Boston gay weekly. The comic-strip glibness of the movie will be missed by anyone expecting it to be a romantic comedy in the cinematic sense. Seen in the light of its original genre, it is well done as a low-budget film. All that glitters is not gold, and all that doesn't isn't necessarily shabby. Daniel Letterle suffices as the clueless Ethan. He does 'duh blonde' quite well. The Hat Sisters, a real-life and venerable Bostonian team, were done justice. Defensive young gay movie goers might be made uncomfortable by a rather stinging and accurate, yet overblown, portrayal of gay dating among the young. Kids will be kids. I speculate that the lack of more athletic T & A will effect the box-office, but I think this small movie will gradually earn its place on the shelf with other 'gay lite' films like it. In that context, it's pretty good.

Why? Oh, why did they make a movie about the Ethan Green comic strip?Funny when appearing every two weeks in the newspaper, as a film it falls flat. You want to like this film but that is impossible. Better to have made a film about the "Hat Sisters." The script is as if someone took some of the printed comics from the newspaper, taped them on paper and called it a script. Everyone's dialog would probably be better in speech bubbles. A character that would be funny in two or three panels of a comic strip does not make a movie. Actors look uncomfortable...and look like they are searching for cue cards. I heard this movie was made in two weeks...it shows.

And look who made the film: HERE! Those folks are single handedly destroying gay film .

A lot could be said about this somewhat neglected movie. Where Ethan a woman, situations would differ very little, perhaps with less skin. The plot centers on the difficulties of Ethan in finding Mr. Right, for, as was stated by another reviewer, he looks for Mr. Alright. It's a reality for many people, always in search of prince charming. This is told in a light, hilarious way. Ethan is surrounded by a cast of beauties (with a cutest David Monahan among them) and drops them all, for one reason or another, or simply for no reason at all. A film that can be seen many times, with different moods and appreciation, bringing joy and, why not, some philosophical insights.