Friday, June 23, 2017

'Bwoy' DVD: Boy Meets Wound


The Breaking Glass Pictures April 4, 2017 DVD release of the 2016 drama "bwoy" nicely expands on the gay-oriented theme of trying to rekindle the flame regarding "the one who got away" in breaking films such as the (Unreal TV reviewed) "Retake" and the (also reviewed) "Lazy Eye." In the case of  "bwoy," the underlying distress is more intense and the subsequent coping technique is more extreme.

The next common element of all three films is their live-stage vibe that every good drama possesses. An attribute that is more specific to gay-themed art house films is that an inverse relationship exists between the extent to which the depictions of intimate activity are graphic and the quality of the films. In other words, film makers who know what they are doing do not need to put fully erect (and inserted) penises on the screen to get butts in the seats.

The following YouTube clip of the "bwoy" trailer reflects all of the above. The moments of online profile distortions are an entertaining diversion.


"bwoy" centers around 42 year-old white guy Brad O'Connor of Schenectady, New York. His current woes include a life that generally does not seem to provide much joy and a depressing job as a collections agent for a credit card company. He also has a slowly revealed drama regarding a young black boy Theatrically trained Anthony Rapp of "Rent" puts his stage experience to good use in portraying Brad.

Although married to a woman, Brad places an online ad in which he states that he is an older man looking for a younger one. This leads to his cyber-relationship with 23 year-old Jamaican man Yenny.

For his part, rookie actor Jimmy Brooks delivers a good Jamaican Gigolo performance. He is cute and charming and strikes a good balance between playing adoring twink and veteran hustler. He further demonstrates good seduction skills regarding giving Brad tantalizing glimpses of what comes between Yenny and his Calvins.

Yenny figuratively pushing all the right buttons with Brad as their courtship intensifies is no more surprising than his ultimately (and increasingly) asking Brad for money. Meanwhile, Brad (who is practicing plenty of deceit himself) is amassing an increasing mountain of debt and further straining an already not-so-ideal marriage to keep his boy happy.

Things come to a head when Yenny engages in what seems to be a tactic for when he gets as much as he feels that he can from a mark. The nature and the intensity of the response by Brad shows Yenny the dangers associated with toying with the emotions of another. As is the case in any modern film of any genre, a Hollywood ending is far from certain. It also includes the message of "Retake" and "Lazy" that going home again may not be impossible but requires a great deal of capital.

The special feature consists of a (sadly unwatched) Q & A with writer/director John Young and his cast.

Anyone with questions or comments regarding "bwoy" is encouraged to email me. You alternatively can connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.

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