Lazy Eye

Dean has just been told that his eyesight is deteriorating but that is what happens in 'middle age'. Still a good looking man but suffering the gay years are 1 times 2 sort of thing he starts to have a bit of a mid lifer. So he decides to go off to his little holiday home near Joshua Tree in the Mojave desert.

Then out of the blue his old flame from New York contacts him. This is Alex and he walked out on Dean fifteen years ago. So they go for the rekindle and see what happens route. What happens next is an emotional roller coaster for both men as their honesty acts as a mirror to the other's perceived sins and in return their own.

Now this is a solid piece of film making and for the most part is just the two of them and yet it still works as there is enough chemistry. I saw it billed as a comedy but it is a relationship drama and any mirth that does occur is purely incidental as it is in real life. The acting is all fine as is the direction and everything else with some particularly good cinematography – but with the Mojave to play with you should not go too far wrong. The story may not be to everyone's liking but it does play out in what I consider to be a realistic and interesting way, and so is one that is worth seeing if you enjoy gay cinema (not a porno by the way) for all it brings to our screens.

'"Lazy Eye" is terse, polished, understated but deeply felt. "Gay" films usually ask viewers to cut them slack, to allow the makers expressive leeway we don't give other films. Lazy Eye stands up proudly and lays down its cards calmly. It compresses the emotional range of a novel as the very best short stories do: Annie Proulx's "Brokeback Mountain does that; so do stories by De Maupassant, Fitzgerald, Katherine Anne Porter, Philip Roth. It's a small film with big things tightly rolled inside it.

A lush California desert backdrop frames the story of two former lovers, out of touch for 15 years, who reconnect for a weekend idyll. Each has his own agenda. The script is sharp, biting, and perceptive. The two leads, Luca Near-Verbrugghe and Aaron Costa deliver spot on performances. A highly recommended addition to your 'watch next' list.

First I want to thank Director: Tim Kirkman for making a good film on a touchy subject, that being male companionship and how it's often based on a shallow foundation. In Lazy Eye the character Dean decides to look back and find a guy he had a brief relationship with 15 years past. What Dean fails to realize is that the entire affair with Alex was based on lust and not common interest or friendship. He finds Alex through the now all pervasive social media via the internet and discovers that Alex is open for a short visit to Dean's desert house.

We discover early on that Dean and Alex are more interested in one another physically than mentally because within five minutes of meeting again after 15 years they are both in the sack! From that point on their relationship and efforts to catch-up through talking is strained and often confrontational. In addition both seem to regress to the emotional level both were at 15 years earlier. Dean is only curious because he is not completely truthful with Alex about his life. And the past 15 years with Alex's life remains a mystery to Dean and the viewer.

This movie has nice production values and the actors try to bring the script to life. The story is a bit weak but it's brought together nicely.

Lazy Eye does a brilliant job of capturing the nuances and complications of intimacy. I was captivated by the chemistry between the two leads, Dean and Alex. Their superb acting and the carefully crafted story-telling truly bring this story to life.

I appreciate the way the passing of time is handled in this film. It resonates with anyone who has met back up with an old relationship. It feels organic.

Joshua Tree is such a gorgeous back-drop to this narrative. From a production stand-point, this film captures an aesthetic that honors the insane beauty of the desert. Lovely, beautiful film in every way. I highly recommend.