Gay-oriented
films often take The Boys in the Band (1970)
as a model and then construct bitchy dialog between characters
that appear to have little in common except for their sexuality.
All Over the Guy, directed by Julie Davis,
falls into such a rut and never climbs out, though adapted
from a stage play, "I Know You Are, But What Am I?,"
in which all the principal characters are straight. While
a straight couple, Brett (played by Adam Goldberg) and Jackie
(played by Sasha Alexander), carry on a reasonably blissful
affair in the film, they arrange a blind date for love-hungry
Eli (played by the film’s screenwriter Dan Bucatinksy)
and Tom (played by Richard Ruccolo). The date proves to be
a disaster in which special education teacher Tom knocks down
everything that journalist Eli says, but Eli inexplicably
tries to keep the flames alive. Although the film is supposed
to be a comedy with clever lines, the heart of the movie consists
of an analysis of why the two gay men are so incapable of
developing a relationship, despite their obvious need to find
a mate. The parents in both cases are to blame. Eli’s
Jewish parents, while trying to be progressive, made him neurotic,
especially about heterosexuality, so he seeks psychiatry.
Tom’s Gentile parents are alcoholics, so Tom drinks a
lot, yet often liquor does the talking rather than his heart,
which he is trying to find. The gay relationship in the film
becomes off-again, on-again, and ultimately filmviewers hope
that they will end the bickering and just move on. But in
the end they decide that they are ideal partners, sticking
together perhaps because only neurotics can understand each
other and enjoy both verbal fighting and making up. But for
how long? MH
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want to comment on this film
