Adam & Steve (2005)

Follows two New York city couples -- one heterosexual and one gay who explore the peaks and the valleys of their respective relationships.

Director:

Craig Chester

Writer:

Craig Chester

Stars:

Craig Chester, Malcolm Gets, Parker Posey

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Malcolm Gets	...	Steve Hicks
Cary Curran	...	Cary / Cherry Dazzle
Craig Chester	...	Adam Bernstein
Parker Posey	...	Rhonda
Noah Segan	...	Twink
Sally Kirkland	...	Mary
Jackie Beat	...	Herself
Mario Diaz	...	Orlando
Lisa Frederickson	...	Fiona
Sandy Martin	...	Biker Chick
Michael Panes	...	Lou
Jennifer Echols	...	Triage Nurse
Jack Guzman	...	Security Guard
Chris Kattan	...	Michael
Maxine Prescott	...	Elderly Lady

Storyline

Teenage Goth couple Adam and Rhonda are club hopping when Adam spots a dancer he is immediately attracted to. Taking the dancer home, Adam is introduced to drugs by him, but their sexual escapade is interrupted by an embarrassing episode and the dancer leaves quickly. Years later Adam accidentally stabs his dog and brings him to a hospital where he is treated by a psychiatrist who once studied veterinary medicine. The doctor (Steve) and Adam start dating and fall in love. Rhonda, who has stayed Adam's close friend through the years, begins to date Steve's straight roommate at the same time. Months later Steve realizes that Adam was the Goth teenager with whom he had the embarrassing encounter, and breaks off the relationship, afraid that Steve will reject him when he finds out the truth.

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Plot Keywords:

gay | gay club | man dancing with man | gay bashing | boyfriend boyfriend relationship | 

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Taglines:

the tempting new comedy from the producers of 'Latter Days'

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, language, drug use and some crude humor

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 May 2007 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Adam i Stiv

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$66,429, 2 April 2006

Gross USA:

$309,384, 16 July 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Funny Boy Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The flashback in the beginning of the film takes place in 1987. The remaining film takes place in 2005.

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Quotes

Adam: You know for a shrink he's really unaware.
Rhonda: I'm tellin' you they're like preacher's kids!

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Alternate Versions

The DVD release of the film contains several deleted and extended scenes with commentary from writer/director/star Craig Chester. The scenes are included in the film's novelization, also written by Chester. Most of the scenes were cut for time. The scenes featured on the DVD are:

• An extended version of Adam's (Chester) opening visit to the support group
• Adam saves Rhonda (Parker Posey) from a relapse into her food addiction at a barbecue restaurant
• Adam recounts to Steve (Malcolm Gets) a sexual experience he had with a mime
• Adam and Steve get ready to go country dancing
• An extended version of the party at Steve's apartment, including more scenes with Jeff and Jeff's adopted daughter Ling-Ling
• An extended version of Michael (Chris Kattan) telling Adam about Steve's past
• Adam and Steve have a fight after Steve's party
• An extended version of the dinner party with Adam, Steve, and Steve's parents
• Michael wakes up to find Steve is not home and realizes he doesn't know how to operate without him (he tries to make coffee and realizes he doesn't know how)
• Rhonda and Michael make out when Michael tempts Rhonda with a pie, which promptly ends up covering them both (Craig Chester admits that the scene was cut due to massive technical difficulties in staging it)

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Connections

References Funny Lady (1975)

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Soundtracks

Remember Me
Written by Michael Lloyd and John D'Andrea
Published by Michael Music and Scoreboard Music

User Reviews

Well-done date movie

What a fun, funny, sharp-witted, incisive film about the rocky road to romance. And how brilliant that it's about a gay couple-- a committed, monogamous gay couple who look very much like real gay human beings (as opposed to the broad caricatures usually seen in film and television). Is it possible that this will be the first "gay" date movie that straight couples will go to and laugh with?

Maybe that's hoping for an America more open-minded than it is, but certainly the open minded heterosexual partners are in for a good time.

Kudos to writer/directer Chester for creating what is an impressive mosaic of styles. In lesser hands the film, with everything from emotional honesty to slapstick comedy to over-the-top (and I do mean WAAYYYY over-the-top) camp, should be a mess. But somehow scenes of first love are actually made sweeter all the more by the slapstick running gag that accompanies them (sorry, no spoilers here!).

The leads are extremely appealing, the dialog is well-realized, and the realities of dating are sharply realized in a film that walks the fine line between maudlin and frank but rarely feels dishonest. That's going to sound ridiculous in the context of a film that includes a choreographed dance-off featuring a drag queen, but the movie is wise to use broad strokes of humor to help otherwise clichéd movie devices go down easier. Additional kudos to Parker Posey, who becomes the heterosexual equivalent of the "Jack" character on "Will & Grace." Her comic contributions are note-perfect.

Chester has commented that the use of comedy has a role in helping straight audiences better accept a budding romance between men. I hope that's true, because this film deserves better than the "cult" or "gay/lesbian" dungeon in your local video store.