The 24th Day (2004)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Tony Piccirillo

Writer:

Tony Piccirillo (play)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

Your next lie may be your last.

Plot:

Tom (Speedman) and Dan's (Marsden) one-night stand turns into an intense power-play between captor and captive. |

Plot Keywords:

Captive | Power Play | One Night Stand | Hostage | Handcuffs

Cast

James Marsden	...	Dan
Scott Speedman	...	Tom
Sofía Vergara	...	Isabella
Barry Papick	...	Mr. Lerner
Charles J. Corrado Jr.	...	Officer 1 (as Charlie Corrado)
Jarvis W. George	...	Officer #2 (as Jarvis George)
Scott Roman	...	Bartender
Jeffrey Frost	...	Dan's Assistant
Jona Harvey	...	Marla
Thea Chaloner	...	Wife
Brian Campbell	...	Blondie
Zach	...	Lerner's Dog

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual dialogue, and for brief violence.

Runtime:

92 min | USA:96 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Philadelphia Civic Center - 34th Street and Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Big Teddy Films

Trivia:

Began as a play in Los Angeles with original cast members Noah Wyle and Peter Berg. A year later the play was revamped in Atlanta with Chad Darnell and Quint Von Canon.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Tom refers to the Iowa State "Hawkeyes." The Hawkeye is in fact the mascot of the University of Iowa. Iowa State's sport teams are known as the "Cyclones."

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tom: I walk home. I'm all scratched up, I got blood all over my face. I'm crying my eyes out. Anyway, my mother see's me. She runs in screaming, "What happened, who did thisa to you?" So I tell her Stevie Bellow jumped me from behind in the schoolyard while his pals stood there and made sure no one broke it up. So, take a guess what my mom does? She takes me back to the school yard. She finds Stevie, she tells him we're gonna fight again this time it's gonna be a fair fight.

Movie Connections:

References "Happy Days" (1974)

Intelligent Tale of Sexual Responsibility

This is another film I purchased without knowing a thing about it, and wound up being quite glad I did. The premise of this film had me on the edge of my seat from the very first gut-wrenching conflict, in a film that was filled to the brim with gut-wrenching conflicts. The acting of both principals in this essentially two-character piece was first rate, and helped to elevate it high above most standard gay-themed fare. But what really made this picture superior to 90% of the gay titles I've purchased in the past year was the confrontation of real issues that gay men should be discussing, but frequently shy away from. Without giving away the plot, let me say that almost every minute of the taught, carefully crafted script is imbued with thoughtful discussion on issues that are all to frequently ignored by sexually active gay men. I didn't see the ending coming at all, and the ultimate, positive and healthy message – that everyone is responsible for their own conduct, and the consequences thereof – is one that too many people don't seem to get, in my observation. In a world where the madness of barebacking and substance abuse is decimating the gay urban male population, the lesson of this film is one that every gay man needs to consider, if not embrace wholeheartedly. Good god! A gay drama that dares to address and discuss sexual responsibility in an adult manner! What will they think of next?