Coffee Date (2006) Reviews

• Go on this Coffee Date!

  eslgr82006-07-22

  First of all, get this straight (no pun intended). Coffee Date is NOT a movie about yet another gay man hopelessly in love with a straight man (not that there's anything wrong with that--Who hasn't been there, done that--and maybe more than once?) What Coffee Date is is a deliciously funny and frequently touching comedic examination of the nature of friendship and love and sexual orientation with some of the best writing/performances in indie gay cinema in recent memory. Coffee Date started as a 17 minute short (the first 17 minutes of the feature) about an Internet blind date that goes unexpectedly and disastrously wrong (as a date) but ends up being the meet cute beginning of a beautiful friendship. Writer/Director Stewart Wade has done the seemingly impossible by expanding his short into a feature, and moving the friendship between Todd and Kelly in many different (and mostly unpredictable) directions, involving Kelly's fag hag best friend/roommate and Todd's slacker brother, with a surprise of his own to reveal, as well as hilarious appearances by Todd's oh so supportive mother, Todd's there's-not-a-gay-man-I-can't-seduce coworker Melissa, and a host of others. This comedy of errors would end as soon as it started if only Todd's family and friend's would listen to him when he tells them he's straight. But of course, being a movie, they never do, and his life as a "gay" man keeps getting crazier and crazier. Meanwhile, Kelly must cope with the reality that when love for a soul mate of a best friend is combined with physical attraction, someone is going to get hurt... No more plot revelations here, so as not to move into the realm of spoilers, but plenty of praise for all concerned. As previously stated, Stewart Wade is an upcoming talent to be reckoned with. A+ for his writing/directing. He's got a lot more wonderful films in him! A+ also to Stewart for casting the wonderful Wilson Cruz, openly gay in his career since his teenage days on My So Called Life, in the starring role of Kelly (of the unisex name). Not only does Stewart give Wilson the big fat leading role he so richly deserves, but he has the guts (and the wisdom) to realize that no, unlike Brokeback Mountain, this film just wouldn't work if a straight actor were playing Kelly. Wilson is sexy and funny, and superb at the more dramatic moments. He gives the performance of his career so far. In the same vein, kudos to Stewart for discovering Jonathan Bray. At the Outfest Q&A, Stewart said that Jonathan was his immediate choice for the role the role of Todd from his first audition. Here is an actor comfortable enough in his own heterosexuality to explore a straight man's possible attraction to another man, at some level, maybe even physical. He's a leading man in the Tom Hanks/Jack Lemmon vein--good enough looking to play the lead but enough of an Everyman to inspire immediate audience empathy. Other wonderful performances: Elaine Hendrix and Jonathan Silverman: Two underrated and underused comedic talents who steal every scene they're in. Both of these actors so disappear into their roles that someone having seen them in something else might not recognize them at first. (I didn't know it was Silverman till the end credits.) Sally Kirkland as Mom. Sometime a little of Sally can go a long way, but here she absolutely marvelous as the PFLAG mother every gay son wishes he had, unless he were really straight. Deborah Gibson (here's one teen idol who's proved she's got legs--18 years after her debut and she's still showing new sides of her talent.) Her end credits song is the icing on the cake of this lovely film, and if she were still in her heyday, it would be a huge hit. In fact, if there's justice in the music world, it still will be! Jason Stewart: Another out gay comedic talent, who is funny in everything he does including his role in Coffee Date as Todd's gay work colleague. And finally, Stewart Wade proves himself a real mensch for writing roles in Coffee Date: The Movie for the original stars of the Coffee Date: The Short (Thomas Saunders and Peter Bedard). When I saw this film at the Showcase Theater (Outfest 2006), the theater's projection system was apparently not equipped to show the film in its correct aspect ratio. But Coffee Date proved itself strong enough to stand up to having everyone in it stretched out to slight chubbiness. I look forward to seeing it again with properly proportioned actors! This is one I'll be standing in line for when it (surely) gets its theatrical release and one I will surely be adding to my DVD collection.

• A Light Confection: Sugary Sweet With No Substance

  cfbrown772010-05-18

  If you have a couple of free hours on a lazy afternoon and you are not looking for anything too challenging to fill them, you might try watching this low-budget comedy on cable. It certainly wouldn't be the worst way to spend your time, but the problem with this little film is that it certainly wouldn't be the best way to spend your time either. Jonathan Bray and Wilson Cruz are certainly competent actors who play likable and attractive leads who meet-cute in the setup for this sweet and goofy comedy of errors. Along the way, the film even manages to achieve a couple of touching moments and a few small laughs. Nonetheless, the story suffers by the screenwriter taking a premise best suited to a movie short and stretching it thin to fill a feature length film. The film piles improbability upon improbability to keep the plot trudging forward and it throws in tired clichés and cheap laughs as a poor substitute for genuine wit and sophisticated character development. The sincere effort of the two lead actors keeps the whole flimsy story together for most of the film, but eventually even their strong acting skills can no longer compensate for the ridiculous plot developments and trite dialog.

• A gay movie about a straight man

  paulbakalite2007-12-08

  This film is so nearly there. There are more than one or two genuinely heart rending moments in it. There are several characters of almost three dimensions. A little more work and it could have been all the things it almost is - subtle, touching and funny. It's just slightly amateur. Not much, but enough to take the edge off what it could have been. TLA Releasing seem to put out a fair number of movies a bit like this. Sweet tales of modern gay life. Gay movies you want to love, that sometimes bring a tear (just the one) to the eye and have you laughing (a couple of times), but that don't quite cut deep enough to make them memorable or watchable twice. This coffee-date does have charm and looks, but he lacks substantial charisma. (There is also a technical problem with Coffee Date; the sound mixing is all over the place. One minute the background is high and the dialogue low, then an angle changes and it's all different again. This is a pretty basic requirement these days, decent sound design and mixing).

• Enjoyable Date

  missmistyeyez2006-12-05

  Go see this movie you will most definitely be entertained by this realistic comedy. However more importantly it doesn't matter if you are gay or straight you will be able to relate to their pain on many levels. First off, most all of us have been miss labeled for being something we are not, at least once or twice. Better yet, maybe you have fallen for a straight guy, and let your feelings go haywire even though you know he is not capable of returning the affection. If not, I know we have all had a blind date or met someone off the Internet, and often times our date might not have been quite what we are expecting. Relating to one or all of these plot lines will make this journey truly enjoyable for you. Yes this is a gay feature film and like most gay films, they are independently made and done so with a low budget. Yet as a member of the Gay and Lesbian community we are going to go and see this film and support the continuations of Gay and Lesbian Movies. That being said you can now go into the movie realizing it is a spectacular film even though there are no shiny sets and no blockbuster special effects, thus allowing you to focus on the plot and the storyline from the writer/director Stewart Wade. Granted plot is somewhat superficial or shallow (lacking any real or true depth,) yet there are some seriously funny one liners, with many truly touching moments, and several seriously unmanageable situations that lead to the characters struggle with their identities and deals with what makes them who they are. Todd (Jonathan Bray) plays a straight guy who meets Kelly (Wilson Cruz openly gay actor) off the Internet not realizing he is a male the meet for a coffee date that changes his life. Once they have overcome the uncomfortable, awkwardness they realize they do have some in common and become friends. Thus leading to the comedy of errors, and his miss labeled identity, for now everyone Todd knows thinks he is gay, so much that he to begins to question it. There was a surprise cameo from Deborah Gibson (80's pop star) who plays Melissa the temptress co-worker who thinks that she can seduce all gay men. This film is a hilarious journey full of many belly laughs, yet its a trip that may lead you to a few moments where you may get a bit Misty Eyed. Either way you will be glad that you went on this Coffee Date. PS - I suggests that if you know someone that might be questioning their sexuality, you should bring them for the ride. Also a great date movie. PSS - Spoiler -- I think that being the plot decided to make Todd straight in the end even after having relations with a man makes this a much better film. It kept it real, and genuine. I am glad he steered clear of the cliché Turned Gay Story line.

• Just How I Like My Coffee...Sweet, Hot and Just A Little Nutty...

  cchase2008-10-24

  In spite of the fact that a lot of the low-budget seams are showing here, COFFEE DATE is not yet another vapid gay film filled with airheaded twinks or equally vapid muscleboys whose problems pretty much run the gamut between sex, drugs, sex, money, sex, clothes and...did I mention sex? Not only that, but this little B-level indie has the audacity to ask That Question - the one that always seems to tie everybody's Calvins in a knot: If a straight man sleeps with a gay man, does that mean he's still straight? And if a gay man does the same with a woman, does that make him gay? It begins as a prank: Todd (Jonathan Bray) is the victim and his uber-slacker brother, Barry (Jonathan Silverman) the instigator. The fastidious Todd decides to go on a coffee date pre-arranged by his slobby sibling, who makes Walter Matthau in THE ODD COUPLE look like Martha Stewart. Of course, Todd should know better, but if he did, this would be a real short movie. All that he knows is that he's going to a coffee shop to meet his mystery date, someone named "Kelly". I guess you can see this coming from ten miles off. Todd has no idea that Barry set the date up on a gay dating site, the coffee shop in question is located in WeHo, and "Kelly" just happens to be the VERY-out owner of a hair salon and spa in the neighborhood. Anyway, the already more-than-semi-neurotic Todd meets Kelly (a very hunky Wilson Cruz, one of the best openly gay actors working these days), and is about ready to run for the hills, except that Kelly is...not that bad. He's funny, attractive, and shares Todd's interest in movies, among other things. And so a friendship begins to blossom. Where the frappaccino hits the fan is when Todd decides, as a way to get back at his idiot brother, to pretend that the date with Kelly went well...VERY well. Kelly, amused by the idea, decides to play along. Barry takes the bait and Todd and Kelly get a few laughs from his reaction. But soon the joke is on Todd, as suddenly he realizes that Barry doesn't think he's kidding...he thinks that Todd really has come out! But things don't stop there. Suddenly, Mom (Sally Kirkland) is involved. And then the neighbors. And then people at the office where Todd works. And then...well, let's just say that everyone becomes so convinced that Todd and Kelly are an 'item', that even poor Todd himself isn't so sure anymore about his sexual background. And soon, there's only one way for him to find out the truth... Jonathan Bray is perfect for the role of Todd. He's neurotic, but adorable - like Woody Allen with a much better body and a lot less of the tics. Which is perfect, because it wouldn't be very convincing to have a Brad Pitt-type questioning himself the way that Todd eventually does. And Wilson Cruz is completely believable, giving a great performance that only carries a touch of camp, as opposed to other actors who would've ridden this all the way into Cliché-land. Plus, Wilson's Kelly is the kind of guy you could easily see a guy OR girl falling for. Sally Kirkland and Jonathan Silverman are two actors best served in small doses. While there's just enough of him here, there might have been a tad too much Sally. Legendary status and all aside, I just don't think she was up to the challenge of exploring the more nuanced sides of Mrs. Muller, Todd and Barry's mom. (For that, you'd need someone like an Ellen Burstyn or a Judith Light, but I'm sure they were well above the price range this budget had to offer.) The blink-and-you'll-miss-her cameo by Leigh Taylor-Young as Todd's boss was great, but I wish there had been more. And while I enjoyed seeing Deborah (aka Debbie) Gibson in a role that's a pretty nice stretch for her as a predatory co-worker of Todd's, the underrated Lisa Ann Walter only gets a few lines as a soused gal-pal. (Is there no justice?) Jason Stuart and Elaine Hendrix were outstanding in roles that appear to be stereotypes, (as Todd's office friend and Kelly's roommate, respectively), but turn into something completely different. And it was so great of director Stewart Wade to write in parts for even Jon Bray's wife (who must be the most understanding and supportive woman of the year!) and the two actors who starred in the original 'Coffee Date" short from which the feature came. Though there are technical and editing problems here and there, those are minor quibbles, especially when there are so many mainstream gay 'dramedys' that won't even touch the subject of the fluidity of human sexuality. Are we really the people we think we are, or are we who we are because we try to live up to everyone else's expectations of who we should be? I would've liked to have seen more delving into this aspect, but it would've taken a more serious movie with a longer running time, a bigger budget and a sensibility more substantial than just being passed off as "light entertainment." But for what it is, COFFEE DATE is definitely worth discussion afterward, over your own favorite cuppa Joe. Or Steve. Or Mike. Or...