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Chained To My Bully Stepbrother (AI Vertical BL Drama)

By Golu
This is the second vertical AI BL drama I've sat through, and honestly I went in knowing better. I had it on while I was doing cardio at the gym, and what struck me was just how much the plot echoed the last one I watched. Same step brother romance angle, same mystery girlfriend showing up near the end, same extra guy pining after one of the leads. Genuinely the only thing going for it was the runtime, the whole thing wrapped up in forty five minutes flat.  The setup kicks off with Finn moving schools because his mom just married into money. He finds out his new step brother Aiden goes to the same place, and he's warned to keep his distance from him. Their first run in at school is rocky, just like you'd expect, but there's this odd pull between them neither can shake off. Finn keeps telling himself not to read into it because Aiden's straight and openly homophobic. Things shift when some kids start bullying Finn and the student council president, Ryan, steps in to ...
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Any Day Now

By Golu
My movie watching has slowed down soooo much. Work is getting busier. Anyway, I am so glad that I saw this movie after a long break because I know I would have been really disappointed had a I ended up watching a really bad gay film (the chances of which are really high) but I am glad that I did not have to deal with the situation. This film thankfully does not deal with gay stereotype stories and movie that we have all gotten used to Instead, it touches on a very important subject of adoption and deals it with sensitivity.

Apparently based on a true story, the film is set in 1970s. Rudy Donatello is a struggling musician and drag performer in a gay nightclub in 1979 West Hollywood, where he meets Paul, a closeted district attorney. Returning home to his apartment, Rudy finds Marco, a 14-year-old with Down syndrome, left alone after his mother, Marianna, had been arrested. Rudy takes in the abandoned boy, but Family Services intervenes and takes Marco to foster care. On Rudy's insistence, Paul agrees to help him get custody of the child. All this while, quite quickly, Rudy and Paul have become close lovers. The two visit Marianna in prison to coax her into signing the temporary guardianship papers, which she does. After a rigorous court case, they are finally allowed to get the custody of the child and everyone is quite happy. Until one fine day, Paul's boss gets a hang of the fact that Rudy is not Paul's cousin but hi solver. Paul ends up losing his job and his boss files a case on him regarding the custody after coercing Marco's mother to take back her consent. The two men are devastated after constant battles in the court and the court not allowing them the guardianship. The film ends on a shocking note which leaves audiences devastated and stunned.

I did not see the ending coming. I expected it to have a happy ending but I am glad that it was more realistic. Sure, it seems that Rudy's and Paul's affair happened all too quickly which is even mentioned during the court case but I guess sometimes love just happens and you do not question it. The tender moments they both share as a couple taking care of Marco are so hear-warming. All the court scenes are done very very well and are very realistic. Coming to performances, Alan Cumming does a splendid job as Rudy. His performance needs to be applauded and the film needs to be seen because of him. Paul also acts well. The film i snot dragged unnecessarily and comes straight to the point very quick and keeps the focus in tact.

Overall a very entertaining and touching movie. I would not regret watching the movie twice. (7.5/10)
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Eternal Sonata said…
Alan Cumming is a great actor indeed! I can tell this is a great film based on your review and already the premise and storyline is already the kind of drama I like to see. I'm glad you didn't spoil the ending and that leaves me wanting to see just what it is. I have to keep in mind this was taken place in the late 70s where gays weren't seen as normal just yet.
August 12, 2013 at 10:36 AM
Golu said…
I would be quite curious to know what u thought of this. Do post your comments after you have seen this one.
August 12, 2013 at 4:05 PM
Pitbullshark said…
I am wondering why I haven't read you in a long time--something made me drift away and I've been missing out! I thought this was a great film, and one of the pleasures and privileges of being able to see screenings of films like this in a huge film festival in Los Angeles is that sometimes the principles of the films are there for a Q&A session afterwards. For this film, we had Alan Cumming, whom I got to speak with at the reception, and the actor who played the little boy, who was quite remarkable. Alan Cumming is totally a sweetheart as a person and he was a perfect actor to play this role in this film. Fortunately the law has become more enlightened since this horrible experience in the late 70s, although in some areas it is still hard. However, even straight people sometimes get embroiled in horrendous legal issues regarding custody, and the ones who are hurt the most are the children the courts say they want to help the most.
October 24, 2013 at 5:35 AM
Golu said…
I so envy you for meeting actors in festivals. If i had my way, i would go to film festivals around the world throughout the year. But what to do!! a man has got to make a living too.
Legal battles for child custody is always a tricky subject to deal with. I hope yu continue to visit my blog and even tell your friends about it
November 1, 2013 at 11:41 AM
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