Jeffrey Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

outdated and ...

American stage conventions don't translate well into film and equally they don't translate well into the more cynical and perhaps sophisticated views on this side of the pond.

This film (about as sophisticated as your common-or-garden blunt instrument), despite its theatrical origins, is terrifically well-meaning, but a) it is now out-dated, and b) it displays some truly toe-curlingly embarrassing situations and acting. It fails to convince on pretty much every level, partly because things have moved on from the period it depicts.

(That's what you write when you're trying to be generous.)

Not really worth the time -- any more, at least.

Gay men are not all like this!

An interesting film which depicts gay men in a very sterotypical manner. Obviously, when you're gay you have to be terribly camp, work out in very tight muscle shirts, and be into musical numbers. (Well that last bit is probably true!) Having said this, 'Jeffrey' is entertaining, socially appropriate (AIDS message coming across loud and clear!) and clever in it's use of 'talking to the audience' monologues. One of my favourite bits has to be when the two guys kiss at the gym and the film cuts to a scene of two straight couples watching the film in a cinema. The two guys make faces and 'yuck' noises, while the girls turn to each other and say 'Aah'! Patrick Stewart is excellent in his very non-Captain Picard role of a camp interior designer. Seeing him mince around in a central New York park dressed as a 'Pink Panther' is hilarious. Sigourney Weaver also does a very funny cameo as a motivational speaker. Not the best film I've ever seen and very obviously written in the 80's, but not a bad attempt at re-selling HIV and a story about gay love in a difficult world.

Superficial

on every level! Outdated? very. Embarrasing? very. Obvious? very.

Dreadful - Avoid

I didn't finish this film, which is indicative of how much I disliked it, so it's perhaps unfair of me to review it.

It looked to me like a made-for-TV movie. It's totally theatrical: characters talking to camera, music sequences. It's overtly camp, which is frankly embarrassing.

Unbalanced and disappointing

New Yorker Jeffrey loves sex, but he's terrified of AIDS, so he decides to beome celibate. Sex was meant to be fun not fatal. Of course it's inevitable he then meets Mr. Right in the hunky shape of Steve.

Dealing with sex and death through humour often works very effectively, but not with a film that doesn't balance light and dark and never hits its mark. It's very episodic and lacks narrative drive pulling the bits together. The movie's theatrical origins show, with musical numbers and camera asides that don't work on the small screen. I was a bit uncomfortable with stereotypical characters and behaviour.

The main weakness though is lack of chemistry between Jeffrey and Steve, a big disadvantage for a triumph of love story. The actor playing Jeffrey seems awkward in his role, failing to convince me.

It's not all bad. Patrick Stewart has fun with Sterling the camp decorator, and Sigourney Weaver does a turn as a motivational speaker.

downhill

Right when i first saw this film bout 6 years ago before i had come out as gay i thought this film was brilliant and all but when i rented it recently it was the opposite effect on me thought was crap (maybe cause now i have been on the scene abit and know what it is like). shows gay men in a wrong light.........

A good film. It has a very strong underlying message about AIDS which underpins this romantic comedy. It has it's sad moments along with the funny ones, and altogether an entertaining film. Imagine a camp Philadelphia!

I agree with the statement - UNBALANCED AND DISAPPOINTING

Completely agree with a customer from Glasgow, Scotland who said: UNBALANCED AND DISAPPOINTING in the title (9th September 2004).

If you wnat to know about the movie, read his rewiev.

Good

Film about a gay man who is fed up with meaningless one night stands and wants a relationship. Well made and should be more romantic comedies like this for gay communities.

Disappointing

This usually gets rave reviews in gay film lists & my bf loves it, but I just found it to be unconvincing & dated. Patrick Stewart camps it up & it's all very stereotypical. Which I don't always mind. . .but this is lacking something for me. The acting/budget/script are all fine but I just didn't like it much.