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Bardex wrote on 02/14/2007:

Just picked up a copy of this film. I was intrigued mainly by the fact that this film was directed by Toby Ross, the director behind the man behind such gay classics as Do Me Evil from 1975 and more recently the sublime and hilarious Bowser Makes A Movie. Here Ross returns to the darker and more brooding narratives which characterized his films from the 70s and 80s without losing any of the sophisticated wit and warmheartedness which made Bowser such a treat.
Taking place in Chicago's boystown, Get A Life is narrated by a young man who, while attending Summer classes in Chicago, decides to experiment in homosexuality. Working off of the assumption that he can get his "gay thing" out of his system just in time to return to his girlfriend, our hero happily cruises The Ram, a well liked cruising bookstore, with an eye for old trolls.
Enter Jamie: a somewhat self loathing gay man who only wants to settle down and live a nice, comfortable, and above all normal life. Working at a homophobic machine shop (my subtle joke for those Chicagoans in the know), Jamie maintains a heterosexual facade partially as a cover but also as a means of coping with the internal conflicts he faces each day.
Jamie thinks he's met the man of his dreams after being cruised by our young hero. However the young man wants nothing more than a series of anonymous flings. He does however befriend Jamie in an almost fatherly manner. Meanwhile Jamie starts getting closer and closer to one of his male co-workers, but nothings is as it seems...
Get A Life is one of the most honest and haunting depictions of the "cruising lifestyle" ever committed to film or video and joins the ranks of masterpieces such as The Fluffer, Hustler White, and Todd Verow's brilliant Anonymous. Ross draws heavily from the iconography of his 1970s films with his extreme attention to detail and the swooping, zooming camera work during the bookstore scenes which turns the camera into the eyes of another unseen voyeur.
A crisp musical score and good acting on the parts of the leads heighten both the film's dramatic and comedic aspects of the production. Ross' direction is top notch as always and a skilfully weaves a powerful glimpse into one of the least talked about areas of gay life.
I'm 18 and I think this film spoke to me as a young adult. I felt able to communicate with the experiences and desires of the young man having his "gay summer" as well as the almost morbid fixation with older men. Instead of depicting the older trolls as ridiculous caricatures, Ross gives them all personalities making each one into a unique individual.
Ross also seems to draw from films such as Friedkin's Boys In The Band in chronicling the deep self loathing which plagues so many gay men as a result of heterosexual homophobia. At the same time, the darker aspects are perfectly matched with broad humor and a wealth of in-jokes.
That said, Get A Life is not a film for everyone, especially those who have come to love the bowdlerized squeaky clean and oh so fake gay lifestyles depicted in far to many run of the mill films. However, this film is compulsory viewing for fans of Ross' work and seekers of intelligent cinema alike.

Movie Goer wrote on 02/14/2007:

I am a total Hornbill Films fan! So forgive me if this is a biased review, but it is an honest review! I was lucky to see "Get a Life" on the big screen for it's debut in November. "Get a Life" is superior to Hornbills's first and very good film, "Bowser Makes a Movie". This film cracks the door at the darker side of gay life for all to see. It has a powerful message that evokes emotions from the entire gamut throughout the film. I laughed, I got mad, and felt some salty fluid ooze from the eyes as well. The musical score, especially the song "Run" got my toes a tapping. Hornbill has fascinated me since their first film as to how they capture the honesty of deep material and bring it to film/video for all of us to be part of. FANTASTIC viewing experience! The evening I saw "Get A Life" was a double feature and I must say that seeing "Bowser Makes a Movie" again was pleasure and the trailer for "Father Knows" looks like a winner that will be coming out later this year. Hey Hornbill, if you read these reviews, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK and TLA, I assume you read this, you got a Winner with these Hornbill Guys!

Dreamlover wrote on 02/14/2007:

I just got done looking at it and found it very unusual for a gay film. Not your run of the mill. The one thing that endeared me is the beauty of the music and the original songs. I did find it to be a bit "dark" in mood so I guess it kind of classifies this one as a dark comedy. The boy playing the hetero is super cute (I wish they would have shown his dick coming out of that one glory hole, but at least I got to see his ass). The plight of a group of gays who are not happy in the general main stream of the bars and pride day type events and feel isolated into the sex obsessive laden locals is very well portrayed. I sort of identified with the main character Jaime (Who appears to the very last frame of the movie contrary to "Marty"'s comment below, I also did not find the exaggerated grimaces, but I’ll look again since we are screening it for a group of friends tonight.) There is a small sense of homophobia I personally sensed riddled through it that could be me. All and all an incredibly out of the ordinary gay film with very funny moments and a touching poignant point. Not for everybody but definitely for me.

marty wrote on 02/12/2007:

Where to start? plot didn't make sense - tried to be the great american gay film novel in 71 minutes. "Main character" exits 3/4 of the way thru the movie. Decent stage actors who don't know how to tone things down on film (big facial gestures that you need to be seen in the second balcony aren't necessary in the more intimate/immediate media of film). Last but not least - I've spent many happy hours at the Ram - it's never been so well lit!!

Quest48093 wrote on 11/09/2006:

GREAT MOVIE! Story is good, awesome musical sound track, real guys, and a story that I related to. The movie is honest and truthful and kinda different in a very Midwestern way. It made me cry, laugh, and feel like it captured some of who I am. If like me, you love Chicago, and maybe can't be there every weekend, plug in Get A Life and you're there. Great guys, awesome city scenes, plain Midwestern honesty and a really good movie experience. I loved it.