Between Love & Goodbye

I had just seen another Casper Andreas vehicle last night in NYC called The Big Gay Musical and found it to be a charming film. Then lo and behold I get Between Love and Goodbye in the mail as my Netflix DVD. Not realizing that Casper Andreas too wrote this and directed it. I also remember him as an actor in Slutty Summer. Here are three film entries by the same person and all different. A musical, drama and comedy starring the author himself. Quite a courageous attempt.

Now the acting in this from Simon Miller and Justin Tensen as the two lovers was excellent and natural. They seemed to have a good rapport between them. Whether in the bedroom making love, or striking out at each other, it all seemed very natural. However, you didn't know who to route for when the split comes. Now enter the sibling of one of the boys, a woman, changed from a man, and changed back to a woman and then a man again. You dislike her/him for meddling and causing the entire breakup. Role is played well by Rob Harmon. Jane Elliott as the best lesbian friend turned in a great performance. Believable throughout. And Deirdre Brennan as the Interviewer was wonderful. Cold and indifferent with absolutely no sense of humor. I loved her.

Now I will argue about the end without giving it away. I didn't like the choice of Mr. Andreas. I felt after two hours of the ups and downs in a gay marriage, there could have been hope given, especially with today's day and age and same sex marriage. It could have inspired others to believe it could happen. There can be a happy ending in a gay film. Shame on you Casper.

I saw this movie today, and had to post my own review after reading the "awful" review that had been posted on it. I don't think that review was fair at all - I started wondering while reading it, whether or not I was looking at a review for the same movie I just saw. I couldn't understand why the person who wrote the review found it so bad. Having the movie fresh in memory, and since I watch a lot of gay movies, I wanted to give this movie a more positive review - this one was one of the better gay movies I've seen; it had some originality. In comparison to some of the other (too predictable)gay movies I've seen, it provides some previously unseen conflicts and themes. I also didn't think the dialog was cheesy. It seemed pretty real to me. On occasion, some of the things said are harsher than I've experienced, but that's all. The actors are great, they have charisma, and like I said, I believe the story they are performing. Maybe if they hadn't been good, some of the dialog would be bad, but I didn't at all think that it was as it is. Altogether, I think this movie is alright. And the soundtrack IS great. The lead singer doesn't have the most amazing voice, but it's all really edgy and original. Kind of like the movie. :) In addition, though, I'd like to say that the movie really touched me. That not being in a totally positive way. I might be a little too emotional - I get that a lot - but I do like having a nice feeling in my body after watching a movie. And this movie contains a lot of arguing, a lot of hurtful things are said - and that really got to me. Again - that wouldn't have happened if the dialogs and script were bad, would it. So watch it if you like gay movies :)

I see that some people thought this was an awful movie, but I must disagree.

For me, a movie is good when it doesn't let you drift into thoughts like "wait... that's a mistake in the movie" or "argh.. that was poorly acted"... or even better "that's an unrealistic situation...".

The actors were splendid. The story was sad, yet it convinced me. The situation was a possible situation, and the character's actions and reactions don't seem to me like a movie script, but rather like something that could happen to real people. So, I think this was a good movie... I gave it 9 stars because it made me feel sad... but I won't tell you why.... watch the movie and decide for yourselves whether you like it or not...

well, i do watch a lot of gay movies and a lot of them are awful. i mean, really awful. so... i had absolutely no expectation that this movie is gonna be good. and... of course this movie wasn't superb. but... hey, this movie wasn't so bad. this movie was much better than now classic gay movie latter days.

i felt the hatred feeling towards each other, obsession, jealousy are genuine. i went through those things. didn't you? and two of the songs that featured are pretty good (especially the first one played during the opening title)

there are bad things. cheesy dialog, over-used yellow filter, stupid slow motion... but i didn't fast-forward a bit.

if you love gay films (for just guilty pleasure), watch this, rather than latter days or velocity of gary.

First, the good news is that this movie has some interesting concert scenes, the soundtrack is pretty good, and it is quite entertaining. (In the same way a train wreck is entertaining. You want to look away, but you can't.) That said, I saw this at the NY screening on 1/30/09, and it is certainly among the worst ten films I have seen in my life. Probably top five. Perhaps the worst, period.

My main complaint is with the writer (and director) Casper Andreas. His script is absolute garbage. He has enormous potential as a director, but he needs to learn that he shouldn't poison his own movies with his own words.

The dialogue is totally awful - the experience is akin to being force-fed heaping spoonfuls of sugar until your body falls into a coma. The lines is so forced, so overwrought, so charged with false drama, that I didn't believe the story I was being told.

I would be able to forgive Andrea if he had written it in a single, late-night, drug-induced rage the day before shooting.

But no. Speaking at the Q&A following the screening, he mentioned that he had written it around ten years ago.

Ten. Years.

Ten years, and this is the result? I felt embarrassed for Andreas. What a waste of the talent of his cast. What a waste of twelve bucks.