Lucky Bastard (2009)

Rusty is a successful architect with the life of his dreams. However, when his boyfriend leaves town, Rusty meets a mysterious drifter names Denny who opens Rusty up to a strange new world.

Director:

Everett Lewis

Writer:

Everett Lewis

Stars:

Patrick Tatten, Dale Dymkoski, Timothy Ryan Cole

Cast

Cast overview:
Patrick Tatten	...	Rusty
Dale Dymkoski	...	Denny
Timothy Ryan Cole	...	Garret (as Timothy Cole)
Johnny Kostrey	...	Daniel
Norma Louise	...	Sandra
Nina Manni	...	Patsy
Jane Fleiss	...	Mrs. Howell
Ivar Brogger	...	Mr. Howell
Nathan Sutton	...	Roger - drug dealer
Lorin Doctor	...	Waitress
Clint Keepin	...	Convenience Store Clerk
Sarah Hamblin	...	Bridesmaid
Jennifer Montgomery	...	Bridesmaid - passed out

Storyline

Rusty is a successful, respected and attractive restoration architect. He's also gay. With his lover Daniel away on a business trip, and his business partner Garrett making a couple professional missteps, Rusty finds himself taking in Denny, a meth-addicted, HIV-positive transient who soon starts leading Rusty around. Is this love, lust, or a new restoration project for Rusty? Rusty himself isn't certain.

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Plot Keywords:

restoration | architect | drifter | business partner | human immunodeficiency virus positive | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 2009 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Much of the dialog is taken from real life conversations writer/director Everett Lewis had. Denny's monologue detailing how he became involved with drugs and sex work comes directly from a man Lewis met who was in Alcoholics Anonymous.

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Goofs

When Denny leads Rusty to the wine section, he puts an arm around Rusty's shoulder. After a cut his arm is down.

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Quotes

Denny: Rusty is kind. He really likes me. He wants to take care of me.

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Soundtracks

"Baron"
Written by William V. Malpede
Performed by Vince dePalme

User Reviews

Grossly underrated

Viewers and critics have a hate-on for this film that baffles me. "Lucky Bastard" is a solid, well-told story about a man who, professionally and personally, is simply stuck. Given the opportunity to escape the pressures to move forward to which his business partner and his boyfriend each subject him, Rusty leaps at it when it appears in the form of Denny, a deeply damaged hustler and meth addict. The appeal of trying to fix Denny parallels Rusty's enjoyment of restoring old houses, Denny's emotional damage being comparable to the damage that perfectionist Rusty deals with in his work.

The principal actors handle the material well, although Timothy Cole as Rusty's business partner is the weakest member of the cast. The film is far more introspective than writer/director Everett Lewis's previous work. Lewis drew upon his own experience being in a relationship with a meth addict and much of the dialog, notably Denny's monologue on how he became involved with drugs and sex work, came from life. The result is a film that feels intimate and real. My one complaint is that it feels like there is a scene missing between Denny's final angry outburst and Rusty's sending him packing. Rusty's emotional transition feels abrupt and unmotivated. That one flaw should not dissuade anyone from seeing the film.