Tan Lines

By: Lewis Tice
In-House Review - Jul 20 2012

Midget Hollows (Jack Baxter) is an Australian surfing and partying machine who has to share a bed with his mother in their small apartment. Feeling claustrophobic from such living conditions and small town life, Midget spends his time with his buddies surfing, harassing local townfolk, drinking and smoking a lot of weed. But when the naïve teenager meets Cass, the openly gay brother of his best friend, the duo begin a secret romance that his fellow surfer "dudes" might not approve of. Add in some peculiar activities at the McQuillan mansion, where Midget works part-time, and this could be a summer to remember for everyone involved. Featuring exciting skate/surf action and cast with gay/straight real-life surfers who aren't shy about shedding their clothes or diving into the steamy sex scenes, Tan Lines is a vastly entertaining gay romance in the world of extreme sports. The leads are gorgeously sexy and you'll see copious amounts of skin but, besides the "eye candy" factor, the story of Midget's first romance is so dreamy that you will be applying the sunscreen for some hot summer fun in the sun.

By: Averywunz Akridick

By: Amos Lassen

"Tan Lines"
A Child of the Sea
Amos Lassen
There is something about a surfer boy just as there is something alluring about the ocean. They are both beautiful, mysterious and seemingly out of reach. Or so I thought until I saw "Tan Lines", a beautiful new coming of age film from TLA Releasing. "Tan Lines" is a combination of coming of age, gay surfer and teenaged sexuality all rolled into one fantastic movie. There is passion, love, laughs, and, of course, sex. All of this is set against the beautiful backdrop of the ocean.
Midget Hollows (Jack Baxter) loves to party. He also loves to surf and he is gay (and very cute). He and his friends live the surf existence and now that school is out and summer is here, there is not much to do but surf, harass the townspeople, and smoke weed and drink. This may seem an ideal life but Midget begins to feel claustrophobic.
Cass, the older brother of Midget's best friend. Suddenly comes home after having traveled in Europe for four years. Midget immediately is attracted to him. He is openly gay and exudes self-confidence. He is also a wonderfully graceful surfer. Midget and Cass become involved and their meetings are filled with passion. The problem is that they live in a town where secrets cannot be kept and every one knows what everyone else is doing. Midget realizes that being gay and the life style he leads are incompatible and even though he tries to imitate Cass's confidence he sees that he can't and wonders why Cass ran away for four years. Midget thinks that perhaps the confidence of Cass is just a cover-up for his ultimate desire to be accepted.
Midget is entrenched in his town and besides is very close to his mother which makes leave home a difficult decision yet he also feels that if he stays he cannot be himself. He also is afraid that Cass may expose his secret.
Aside from all of this, there are some rather strange happenings going on in the own.
What "Tan Lines" gives us is a look at the surfing culture in a small town and a real look at the craziness of teenage love and emotions felt for the first time. It's a beautiful movie that has something to say and should not be missed. I predict we will be hearing a lot about it and if you are fortunate to join us at "Reel Attractions-the Arkansas GLBTQ Film Festival on June 23-24 ion Little Rock, you will have a chance o see it before anyone else. It will not be released on DVD until later.

By: Janorm

Well, finally a flick from Down Under that is really great!! Aldridge has outdone himself in this myoptic story surrounding this young coming-of-age(puberty) man, who happens to e a sufer, in a small coastal town. All of the characters surrounding him directly enhance the story line trementously. This action keeps the audience on its collective toes!! A definite Classic for the Gay Cinema and a worthy addition to your Collection. ALAS, THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF PUBERTY!!!

By: Tom O'Leary

This movie is a wonderful surprise---a small gem, really. The photograph on the DVD and the title are actually misleading. The actor on the cover is not the lead, though he is good.

The standout performance in TAN LINES is the by the actor playing the main character. Jack Baxter is absolutely sensational as a smart and mouthy youth coming of age. He is attracted to other boys but also lets himself be distracted by females.

The Australian director of this movie has done a gorgeous job of creating a totally believable world of young slacker/surfers. This screenplay for TAN LINES is smart, funny, sexy, interesting and compelling.

Bravo to all involved, especially Jack Baxter!

By: jason onyx.

This is one of the hardest films to review.
It was priceless in it's accuracy of the mind set of the characters. The acting is spot on by all, specially Jack Baxter as Midget.
It is not really an overly plot driven film, but a realistic character study. To say that it is not good in that aspect is just wrong.
It is also wrong to compare it to other films just because of its country of origin. Its nothing like "Muriel's Wedding", as good as, but nothing similar really.
And to compare it to garbage like "Crazy Richard" is just sickening.
If you want a good movie that will shed some light into the minds of teens, that will not make you feel like you've lost brain cells in the process give this movie a chance..

By: John Frame

Tan Lines is a shockingly low quality film from whatever angle you might consider. There are simply no good points.

It should have been edited down to a maximum 15 minute short film - that's more than enough time to effectively capture every idea presented here.

I am amazed that one TLA reviewer mentions this piece of deritive drivel in the same paragraph as "Muriel's Wedding" (which is one of the best and most original films made anywhere in the world).

I have only witnessed one worse Australian film - and it too was gay themed ("Crazy Richard"). We should not be encouraging talentless film-makers by buying or viewing their crappy films. Otherwise we'll just be offered more of the same.

Tan Lines deserves exactly zero stars. It should get minus stars for dragging the reputation of queer cinema down.

By: Derek

I bought this movie based on the photo of the bronze surfer with his board shorts hanging slightly below his hips. I imagined this movie would be nice eye candy, and enjoyable, and then simply forgotten afterward. I was mistaken. This film was more than enjoyable, it was a movie that I won't forget for a long time. It is about Midget (not small at all-actually tall and irrestible), a teenager longing to get away from the small resort town in which he lives. It has the same quirkiness of the town folk of another Australian film, Muriel's Wedding in which Muriel so desperately wants to leave the village of Purpoise Spit.

Sure, this movie's budget might be minimal, but it makes it up ten-fold in the clever writing and acting especially by Midget, Jack Baxter. The movie is simply worth the price when you see what Midget has to do with Alice to gain her aunt's approval of her being a proper young lady.

The scenes between Midget and Cass (the older gay brother of his straight best friend) satifies the viewer who may a little more of steamy than coming-of-age.

All in all, a great quirky treasure from Down Under.

Highly Recommended.

By: JJ-99202

this film was ok. yeah it had me say the words W T F a couple times . and the scene when he looks in the toilet is priceless. but i will say the last scene wont spoli it but on the boat that pissed me off. and kinda ruined it 4 me. he has a guy that loves him in the same age range and. ughhh. well hat just pisses me off that 5 sec. kinda made me think i dont really like this but its ok.. yeah just ok. like 1.5 stars.

By: Green Giant

First off the budget most have been at the most $1.99. not
only that but the color is quite uneven at times. Also the
mucho nudity mentioned in the above review is all rear view.
the absense of frontal nudity is well kind of bogus. also except for one sex scene between Midget and Cass say an hour into the film which would more than likely would get the
film an NC-17 rating none of the sex scenes are any hotter than vwhat i've seen in R rated films. another case of a gay
themed film getting praise simply because it was made and
not because its any good. The TLA review is very misleading.

By: Penn State

I liked Tan Lines this movie is a purchase and not a wait and rent. Midget is a sincere character who is torn betwen the straight world and the gay world - as you can see he has no problem "getting it up" with women, but yet needs the love of a man. The production quality could have been a little better, but the story line is very good.

I agree a three star movie.

By: canadalaw

I got to see this film at Inside Out, the LGBT film festival in Toronto. The theatre was packed and sold out.

It was a cute film, definitely had its eye candy. The weird happenings at the mansion are indeed odd and never really explained. That was my big criticism.

The sex scenes are actually kind of hot, and I dont even like the type of guys pictured.

I would recommend the film. its production values are a little off, but overall I'm glad I spent the money to see it.