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FILM REVIEW
Latter Days (2004)
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"From the screenwriter of Sweet Home Alabama"
might not be a ringing endorsement for a gay Mormon love story, but at least
writer/director C. Jay Cox avoids the kind of formulaic treacle that rendered
Alabama almost unwatchable.
Well, mostly. He does resort to some of the silly, completely unbelievable
happenstances that litter most romances -- especially in the film's almost
preposterous third act -- but Cox was smart enough to cast Latter Days
with two strong (and attractive) unknowns while giving them ample support
from more established players.
Wes Ramsey is Christian, a Los Angeles party boy who's the kind of unapologetic,
sex-obsessed, new-guy-a-night gay tart that right-wingers envision all homosexuals
to be -- sorry, but they really only exist in gay movies.
When a foursome of Mormon missionaries moves in next door, Christian bets
his fellow waiters that he can convert one. Did I mention Hollywood cliches?
It doesn't take long for him to latch on to the sole closet case, Aaron (Steve Sandvoss), and the two embark on an inevitable courtship. Yet as each of them moves closer toward love, it becomes clear that Aaron isn't the only one who'll have to change his ways to find happiness. And things really get interesting when Aaron is excommunicated after being caught in a lip lock with Christian.
The leads have an undeniable chemistry, and they shine even more when surrounded by folks like Jacqueline Bisset, as a motherly restaurant owner; Third Rock From the Sun's Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as Aaron's homophobic roomie; Mary Kay Place, as Aaron's stern yet devastated mom; and ER's Erik Palladino, as a bitter man with AIDS who helps open Christian's eyes.
Latter Days is 108 min. and is not rated, though an R equivalent for adult subject matter, strong sexuality, nudity, strong language.