An Angel Named Billy (2007)

Meet Mark Anderson, a recent stroke victim who is frail and weak. Also, his best friend Thomas, a classic over the hill drag queen desperate for love and happiness. Mark and Thomas have a ... See full summary »

Director:

Greg Osborne

Writers:

Eliezer J. Gregorio, Greg Osborne

Stars:

Brent Battles, Dustin Belt, Robin Dionne

Cast

Credited cast:
Brent Battles	...	Todd
Dustin Belt	...	Billy
Robin Dionne	...	Rondell (as Robin Dionne Smith)
Hank Fields	...	James
Allison Fleming	...	Donna
Buddy Daniels Friedman	...	Thomas
Kadyr Gutierrez	...	Guy
Molly Howe	...	Addy
Amy Lyndon	...	Nancy
Toni Malone	...	Tina
Franklyn Passmore III	...	Homeless Dave
Kevin Perez	...	Matt
Edgar Allan Poe IV	...	Steve Houston
Matt Prokop	...	Zack
Shawn Richardson	...	Rick

Storyline

Meet Mark Anderson, a recent stroke victim who is frail and weak. Also, his best friend Thomas, a classic over the hill drag queen desperate for love and happiness. Mark and Thomas have a master plan, to find Mark's son, James Anderson the love of his life once and for all. Meanwhile, Billy, a young gay teenager who has just turned 18 gets his first country kiss from his best friend Rick and is immediately caught and then thrown out of his house by his abusive father. With no place to turn, no cash and no contacts, Billy hitch hikes to the big city. Confused, lost and running scared, Billy soon finds a help wanted ad posted in a local city gay café by James. Billy interviews for the job and soon accepts the challenge as the role of caretaker on the spot. He quickly learns about full responsibility, independence, not to mention real life lessons about being gay. Billy unexpectedly finds himself in love with James and builds a bond with Mark that is unbreakable. "An Angel Named Billy" ...

---

Plot Keywords:

drag queen | stroke victim | cafe | zealot | voice over | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Billy

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Clearwater Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo Sound Trax Surround Stereo

Color:

Color

User Reviews

An Experience Like No Other

What can I say. I can't tell you how this movie has changed my life. Really, I can't. From the moment the first light hit the screen I knew I was in for a special evening. My boyfriend and I watched every frame of the film and all of the special bonuses that this DVD offered. And there were allot. Apart from the standout performances, especially from Hank Fields, whose deleted scene where he cries along with his stroke victim father woke in me an emotion I have hardly had since and may never have again. But most intriguing was having the honor of peaking under the curtain to see/hear/feel and be touched by the Wizard himself: director/producer/executive producer/writer/original concept/additional script changes/distributor/location and production car provider, Greg Osborne. This man, ney, hyphenate, who not only had the vision but the talent todeliver this level of quality is homage to the fact that anyone with enough desire and strong enough dream can make it all happen. This cinematic experience will stay with me for many years to come. It's amazing that this piece of work was realized in only 4 years. The attention to every detail is so obvious that we actually accept Billy's mom taking him out on a shopping spree before remembering to casually mention that his estranged father died in a tragic car accident as she serves her son his favorite: milk and cookies, which she happens to have brought with her to the hotel room, as any good mother would. Having abandoned her kids to the capable care of their abusively alcoholic over-religious father, she has no reason to feel remorse at her actions. And, like the angel that he is, Billy seems to feel no rancor at her careless behavior. She does admit that her only love is Billy, forgetting her younger son completely in the process. The aunt is taking care of him while she shops with Billy. This touch you in areas you never thought a movie could! I have read the other reviews and I didn't find the creepy scenes creepy at all. The portrayal of Stroke Dad simply stopped me in mmy tracks, not to mention the transgendered gentelman's delicate portrayal of a woman trapped in a man's body in love with an ambiguously gay stroke victim father, unable to consummate their obvious love for each other due to his stroke and all. I only wish Stroke Dad would have lived long enough to see the end of this movie, where James and Billy get married. In a surprise turn-around Guy moves to Billy's home town and finds love in Billy's best friend, the fellow who started it all. When people find a true connection, even in one day, they give each other gifts and profess their love for each other. It was obvious that pre-pubescent Billy could take care of a severely ill man, even after only one day in Los Angeles, and without any references. James was so excited after their brief initial phone conversation that he was moved to clean the house and make it spotless for the hired help to be impressed. It only proves that having a big heart can make moving to Los Angeles a pleasant and rewarding experience, even at 17. But be warned: the real heartbreak comes from the pivotal scene where poor Billy admits to the unspeakable cruelty displayed by the off-handed comments of relative strangers calling him a "cute young nurse" this was beyond the pale and tore my heart in two. It speaks honestly of the cruelty of youth. Thank GOD that James was there to provide a helping shoulder and a tender, (not creepy at all you cynics!), kiss. I just knew that when he offered margaritas to this minor, that they had a special connection and that no federal law could keep them apart. I applaud this film's refusal to adhere to a purely logical approach to film-making and instead embracing a more ephemeral style, eschuing film convention completely, forgetting about predictable continuity, doing away with the usual editing tricks of pacing, timing, appropriate scene selection or believable performances, and sticking to style over substance. DO NOT MISS THE FILM!