Dog Tags

By: Lewis Tice
In-House Review - Jul 25 2012

Abandoned by his father and raised by his single mother, Debbie, Nate Merritt joins the Marines to support his soon-to-be fiancée, Trish. While on leave in Palm Springs he meets Andy, a magnetic, seemingly free-spirited young gay man with dreams of escaping to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Though the bond between the two men is initially platonic, the nature of their relationship unavoidably shifts into something physical and intimate as they tread the risky waters of vulnerability and introspection. Unexpectedly, by delving deeply within himself, Nate also uncovers the identity of the father he never knew. With this brave cinematic work, director Damion Dietz (Beverly Kills) demonstrates tremendous ambition and craftsmanship, focusing on the emotional terrain of family loyalty and the weight of finding yourself in the world. Anchored by deft and powerful performances from a dedicated cast that includes Candy Clark and newcomer Paul Preiss as the introspective marine, Dietz has cultivated one of the warmest and most stirring gay dramas to come around in years.

By: Spongey

By: BELLYBEAR

By: port

By: Paul

By: David

By: Bigdancd

This tired film certainly didn't live up to it's advance publicity. We were led to believe that this marine has sexual identity problems. There is not a hint in this film that he has ever entertained being gay. This film is a dog and a complete waste of good electric to watch. Of the multiple "gay" films released in December, 3-Day Weekend is far superior to this bore.

By: just a reviewer

.......WHAT HIS TRUE SEXUALITY IS?"

((1)). When buying this film, I had hoped for something perhaps as well done, and along the lines of, the recently released "Shelter," a film highly received by many of we everyday, nonprofessional reviewers. However, that hope was quickly turned topsy-turvy (learn the primary reason for this by continuing on to the Postscript, below).

((2)). To this viewer, this is NOT a "Gay Romance" and certainly not a "Gay Drama." (Oh, I know, I know, those of you who've seen the film will say: "what about the bed and shower scenes?" Then I'd come back with: "maybe he was just getting to that 'you-show-me-yours-I'll-show-you-mine' life phase a little later than most"). But to continue, what this film is, is a story in drama form of two young men trying to find themselves and their roles in life. One is heterosexual (Nate), one is gay (Andy); one is more a goalless, live-day-to-day type who's looking for a way to change all that; one is, simply, a free spirit......with a haunting memory. Our lead character, Nate, is someone at the most vulnerable point in his existence, someone desperately in need of comforting----and it just happens that the person who then comes into his life is gay. And, now that you know bare details for each character, you should also be made aware that, because of strong needs brought about by problems in both men's lives, they do fall into sex.........but they do NOT fall into love. Still, Paul Preiss (Nate) and Bart Fletcher (Andy) are, together, able to achieve quite a high degree of "chemistry" (not of the Trevor Wright / Brad Rowe caliber), which is very important to making their characters believable to us.

((3)). But, wait, there is yet another character of note making up this interesting little group of ours: Nate's mother, Deb (nicely played by Candy Clark). In this character we have someone who, to avoid a hurtful situation, sets an even more painful event into play. She seemingly loves her son, but whether she's always honest with him, as would be hoped, remains for us to find out.

((4)). I do have to especially address Paul Preiss's performance because, as a newbie to filmed acting, he most definitely gives this viewer a sense of his being "a natural" to acting (similar to, I would say, the case of Wright). Further, unlike Fletcher who is very good in his role, it is Preiss who takes control of / commands our attention.

((5)). One especially jarring note, for this reviewer, involves the writer / director's apparent need to insert what I consider gratuitous gay sex into the film's first twenty minutes. A heterosexual sex scene, on the other hand, seemed appropriate to developing aspects of Preiss's character. Again, I certainly did not see any real need for the nude male frontal scenes associated with Fletcher's character building (I've already got others of that type DVD). What was the director trying to do, anyway, shout out: this IS a gay movie?!! Obviously, Dietz chose not to aim this production for the mainstream market---too bad for Preiss's and Fletcher's futures; they deserved more). (Extra Point / Star given for Preiss and Fletcher performances..........none extra given for the director's)

((6)). PS--To, finally, address this review's subject question about sexuality, we know that character, Nate (representing the Director), at the most emotionally low and vulnerable point in his life, has a "gay event" with likely the most understanding and encouraging person he's ever met. But, from that point on and through film's end, is there anything that tells us, definitively (or even near definitively), what the sexuality future of Nate / Damion is going to be? Please don't give me conjectures in trying to answer this.

((7)). NOTE to Director Dietz: Check your Dog Tags, Damion............maybe in addition to name, SSAN, type, they'll tell you your sexuality.

By: Patrick

An excellent movie! The best Indie film yet from Damion Dietz (Love Life, Beverly Kills, Neverland). It does not have the feel of a low budget production (you know what I mean). I was swept up in the story after 5 minutes - the entire cast is that convincingly natural in their roles. Be sure to listen to Damion's sole commentary. He has the "gift of intelligent gab" and offers much insight into this somewhat personal story. BTW - this is not one of those covers that lure you in with false promises like so many DVDs do these days. It delivers.

By: Amos Lassen

"Dog Tags"

Exploring

Amos Lassen

I just watched an amazing new film due to be released by TLA, "Dog Tags" which looks at a young marine who explores his same-sex feelings.
Nate Merritt (Paul Preiss) lives with his mother (his father had abandoned them) and his fiancée, Trish. Life is not easy for them financially so he joins the Marines in order to help support Trish and his mom, Debbie. When Nate goes on leave in Palm Springs, he meets Andy, a free-spirited and energetic young gay man who dreams of going to Hollywood for the glitz and the glamour.
Andy and Nate become good friends platonically but as time passes their relationship becomes physical and deeply intimate. What is so interesting is that the two are total opposites-Nate is introspective and pensive while Andy seems to be without a care in the world. The guys both find themselves in vulnerable positions regarding each other and as Nate looks more deeply into himself, he discovers and uncovers his missing father's identity. He also discovers who he, himself, is.
The film is directed by Damion Dietz who gave us "Beverly Kills". Dietz has created a moving look at a young man who faces difficult decisions as he is faced with family devotion and loyalty and having to find himself and his place in the world. The film touches the viewer on an emotional level, something that small films do not often do.