Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Much better than expected, it was. Steve Bell turned in a terrific performance as the bare-knuckle street fighter who tries to turn is life around for the better once he meets an openly gay music producer (handsome Ian Rose). It amazes me when straight actors give such top-notch performances as gay characters (Get Real, Beautiful Thing, ect) and Bell's performance is right up there. I was expecting a two-second cameo by Roger Daltrey, however, he plays a strong role in the film as the aging, rich bitchy queen of yore - he was excellent and had few zingers in his scenes. Theme wise, this film is optimistic and engaging. There's a subplot involving the creation of a '90's boy band that is just too precious - they can't dance, who knows if they can really sing and their music is very Euro-disco and teeny-bopper oriented. The lead singer of this group comes between Bell and Rose at one point in the story - could you imagine the British tabloid press getting a hold of that factoid? Director Paul Oremland gives us a film as earnest and romantic as he intends to give (the character of fighter Bell was inspired by his own experience as he explains in the DVD's featurette) and I look forward to his next projects. As for the DVD: the picture is letterboxed to 1.66:1. The video is much crisper and clearer than I was expecting - it looks very good. The sound is clean and audible. Music sequences give quite a punch and there is no background hiss to be heard. Colors are stable and natural, but I really liked the scenes in the nightclubs which were fairly vibrant without "bleeding" or "smearing". There is also an original trailer that is incorporated into the informative featurette. I especially liked the ending of the film which wisely avoids the Hollywood-ish all's well that ends well bug. Overall, recommended but try to get the DVD version of this film - the quality is pretty darn good.
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Like It Is (1998)Director Paul Oremland's witty, fast-paced love takes us into the gay nightclubs and pop music scenes of London where Matt (Ian Rose), a young, ultra-cool record producer visiting Blackpool, meets Craig (Steve Bell), a young northern lad who makes money from illegal bare-knuckle fights and is struggling with his sexual identity. The two have a brief and clumsy sexual encounter that becomes a liaison which changes both of their lives. As they try to form a lasting relationship amongst all the pretense of London nightlife, Matt's bitchy boss Kelvin (Roger Daltrey), and his flatmate and biggest star, Paula (Dani Behr), try their best to keep them from living happily every after. LIKE IT IS takes a candid look at "Cool Britannia"--London's cutting-edge club culture--with exuberance, and offers an enjoyable and positive look of gay life rarely seen in films. In 1998, LIKE IT IS played to sold out festival crowds, rave reviews and smash openings in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami and other US cities. "Studded with good performances" (The Advocate) by actors Ian Rose and Steve Bell--who has been called "an amazing talent--clearly gorgeous, with marvelously expressive eyes, a chiseled body, powerful charisma" (Bay Area Reporter)-- and the legendary Roger Daltrey of The Who who is "appealingly devilish" (NY Times), as well as British pop star Dani Behr as pouty, spoiled diva.
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