Mulligans

By: Scott Cranin
In-House Review - Dec 16 2011

Charlie David (Dante's Cove: The Guilty Pleasure Collection) is taking the controls of his career as the star and writer of this gay update of The Graduate. Tyler (Derek Baynham) brings his college buddy Chase (Charlie David) home for the summer to hang out with his surprisingly hot dad, Nathan (Dan Payne), and mom, Stacey (Thea Gill, "Queer as Folk"). They have the picture-perfect, All-American life going on here in quaint Prospect Lake. The father-son duo golf with regularity, there's always a family barbeque and the conversation is straight out of "Leave It to Beaver." While Chase knows he's gay, he has never come out to his friend, who tries in vain to set him up with girls. But when Chase comes out to his summer family, the cracks in the family dynamic start to show. Nathan looks with a lusty new eye to his son's best friend, and when he and Chase are left alone for the night, their mutual passion bubbles to the surface, and clothes are quickly shed. The drama hits a peak as Tyler and Stacey return early and discover the shocking secret about this young dad. Can Nathan remain true to himself and keep his family together? Sparkling dialogue, a fast pace and lots of screen time for the ridiculously gorgeous Charlie David keep this indie compelling throughout.

By: Tricky

By: buddhaman

By: buddhaman

This was a remarkably candid portrait of a family with an underlying secret. It's almost reminiscent of the film Doing Time on Maple Drive. One earlier reviewer asked "Why is it that so many gay movies end in sadness? Either someone commits suicide, or someone is left all alone, or everyone goes their separate ways. Is it too much to ask for a happy ending once in a while?" To answer your questions;
So many gay movies end this way, because gays to this day due to American society's ridiculous insistence in holding on to the notion that being gay is a choice, feel the need to live their lives closeted for fear of rejection. Every gay coming out story doesn't have a fairy tale happy ending. Furthermore, the paint that unacceptance of a loved one's sexual orientation causes is something that needs to be depicted realistically.

By: Gaelan

I actually liked this film. There were some weaknesses in the acting (the straight boy is a bit over the top), but, overall, the acting was believable. Direction was good and the story was well told - if really familiar. Have a weakness for Dan Payne... truly a beautiful man and a capable actor. Better than many you see in most 'gay cinema'. I will probably watch it again.

By: joe_in_baltimore

By: JANORM

To really appreciate what this film is trying to say, you have to know, to be involved, or to have watched a situation such as this, develop and enfold, to a conclusion. This was so real and true to life, I wonder if Charlie David might have had some personal experience. I cannot say enough about the story line or the acting by all the characters, Truly, very realistic, yet very entertaining. This will become a classic and must be added to your collection. REALITY OF TRUE HUMAN EMOTIONS ON DISPLAY!! NJMJr.

By: Jayson

I didn't know much about the movie before seeing it, but I was impressed. The acting was good and I felt a connection to the characters. On a lustful note; I'm now in love with Dan Payne. I've never heard of him before, but I was like a high school kid with a big crush every time he showed up on screen.

By: marty

Like real life, this movie does not tie up every loose end by the final frame like an episode of "Golden Girls."

At the beginning of the movie, I felt like everyone was under a time crunch to spit out their lines in 15 minutes flat. (Thea Gill as Bree Vandekamp). Later on the pacing slows down and has a more realistic feel.

I've always liked Charlie David's acting, in spite of his earlier press. In this movie he seems to have grown into his skin as an actor. Bravo!

By: CreamB

This movie was well worth the wait. I loved everything about it: the cast; the setting; the acting; & the wonderful storyline. This is the perfect example of why we have to be true to ourselves. I know so many people who live the same life that the father in this movie lives.

Excellent work.

By: Ricky

Unfortunately, I don't share the enthusiasm of other reviewers for this film. My biggest problem, quite honestly, is the casting. Nathan and wife are too young for their roles as parents of Tyler, while Tyler and Chase are way too old to play. convincingly, a hard-partying undergraduate, and a virginal gay.

The story line is not unfamiliar in some respects. A raging teenage male libido knocks up a high school girlfriend. They marry very early, have the child, and wait about fifteen years to have another. Somehow they become very affluent, and Dad suppresses his attraction to men - we think, but we don't know.. That's not usually how teenage pregnancies-cum-shotgun-weddings usually play out.

The dynamic of dad, Nathan, waking up to, and acting on, after twenty years of marriage and two children, his sexual identity is not exactly shocking or new. But in this day and age one has to wonder why it took him so long. We get little insight into this obvious question, nor is what the loyal wife knew or suspected explored to any extent. Just suggested.

The havoc and pain such revelations wreak on a family as it is suddenly torn apart is portrayed sensitively, accurately, and is probably the best part of the film. . But the real problem with this film is the superficial treatment, to the point of being a predictable cliche, of the whole scenario. Many opportunities to add depth and texture were missed .The characters are cardboard-cutouts, I had to myself to sit through it..

By: Conner

I give, "Mulligans', 4 - Stars, as I thought it was well done, well acted, and very thought provoking, as this has happened to families in real life.

I found the movie to be a mixture of both the "Graduate" and "A Change of Heart" which starred; Jean Smart. Both timeless classics.

I'm not going into much detail, as the last reviewer did an excellent job of reviewing the movie. All I'm going to say is; this movie ia a "MUST" see, and it is defintely one for your DVD collection.

By: Amos Lassen

"Mulligans"

Going Forward by Looking Back

Amos Lassen

"Mulligans" is something of a modern gay version of the classic Dustin Hoffman/Anne Bancroft film "The Graduate". It, like "The Graduate" is a story of coming-of-age with the extra themes of secrecy and betrayal as it looks at the modern family and life after an affair. Written by and starring Charlie Daniel (The "Bump" Series, "Dante's Cove" and "A Four Letter Word") and directed by Chip Hale, this movie is a lot of fun and one you do not want to miss.
The story is simple. Tyler Davidson (Derek James) brings his friend Chase Rousseau (Charlie David) home from college with him for the summer. However, this is a summer vacation that is filled with secrets and one of them could very well tear the family apart. But there is something positive that also happens that summer-Tyler and Chase discover the meaning and importance of friendship and that it is possible to have a second chance.
Tyler's family is not only the typical family (whatever that means in the 21st century) but it is also exemplary, almost perfect. When Chase arrives he is smitten by Tyler's dad, Nathan and Nathan has to struggle against his feelings for Chase in order to protect both his family and a secret about himself that he has kept hidden. However the affair between the two does not go unnoticed and as things come to light, the family is on the verge of collapse.
"Mulligans" is about family but more about parents. Everything appeared to be fine in the Davidson family until Chase caused the incident that everyone to embark on a journey of self-discovery and even though he is the catalyst for what happens in the movie, it is not about him; it is about family. The film also deals with forgiveness and we see that it is never easy to forgive and that it can come in many different ways. We also see that the "perfect" Davidson family has its own dysfunctions and that dysfunction in the American family seems to be the norm. Perhaps the overriding theme is the universality of love and that the quest for love must begin with self-honesty. We must learn to accept people for who they are and realize that people are just that-people.
The film is filled with great dialog, good acting and beautiful people. Although the story may be simple in premise, the movie is smart and funny.