Slutty Summer (2004) User Reviews

Cute but a little boring

[edannon88 · 5/10 · 1 June 2006]

I like gay movies and I liked a lot about this movie. The guys were very cute especially the guy who was the director who was also in it. I also liked the woman who was very funny but the movie is obviously pretty cheap and the story kept going over the same thing over and over again and it started to get a little dull. i am really glad I have netflix because this is a perfect rental but not really something to go out and buy. one other thing was how it seems like it would be a comedy but mostly it is very serious. If it is a movie about serious relationships then don't put a guy grabbing another guy on the cover. it just makes you feel a little ripped off.

Could be better

[travka79 · 4/10 · 17 February 2006]

So the cover of the movie says its the gay sex in the city...I beg the differ. Yes, in premise there are similarities such as set in NYC and about four friends dealing with finding and losing relationships. Throw in a gay hook, instead of high manhattan-ites, they are waiters pretending to be models, writers, and actors. Seeing past the low budget production, I was quite disappointed that the characters discussed nuances of gay culture that neither provided new insight nor tackled real relationship issues. Instead we are bored with conversations like how many people constitutes an orgy and what does the phrase "sleep with" mean. These shallow and unfunny moments take away from the plot of a protagonist dealing with a break up all gay men can identify with. Whats even worse the dialogue at best was un-witty, and drab. No wonder these gay men are waiters, they talk like they couldn't pass the 11th grade. Given the actors were natural and very hot, the movie is cute and entertaining. But Honey...this was no Sex in the City. *snaps fingers*

Surprisingly good light entertainment.

[fordraff · 18 January 2006]

This was a thoroughly entertaining film that had laughs and a predictably happy ending. Yes, the characters are stereotypes, but at the same time, the guys are all real people. I know people exactly like these men, and I could see myself in various aspects of these characters. And the topics of conversation were exactly ones that I've had with my friends.

I found Casper Andreas as Markus, the protagonist, perfectly acceptable as a sensitive guy who's a bit shell-shocked after coming home to find his lover Julian making out with a trick. Julian exits, ending their four-year relationship. And Markus takes a job in a Manhattan restaurant, where his friend Marilyn works. Since Markus has been out of the cruising scene, he's taking very tentative steps to get back in circulation.

Markus is surrounded with a very believable group of gay waiters, who are, at the same time, stereotypes. Luke is the smart-talking queen, who recommends his own promiscuous lifestyle as a model for Markus to get over Julian. Tyler is a model who wants no part of relationships. Peter, an actor, is a serious young man who is holding out for Mr. Right, who just doesn't seem to be around.

The guys talk about topics that plenty of gay men talk about: can men be faithful; is a monogamous relationship possible; how many guys constitute an orgy (they agree on five); what does "sleeping with" mean (if you and another guy fellate each other in the steam room at the gym, can you then say you've slept with him), how is "sleeping with" different from "hooking up with," and so on. Thank God, this film spares us any "in-depth, darling" conversations.

The restaurant setting was very real, and the interaction of the waiters and customers plays out fantasies of what many waiters must want to do to obnoxious customers.

All of the men are good looking in their differing ways and deliver solid performances. The accents of Casper Andreas, Jamie Hatchett, and Christos Klapsis added flavor to their characters. And, yes, Jesse Archer as the smart-talking Luke, steals most of the scene, but isn't that true in just about every gay film that features a smart-talking queen? Don't overlook the extras. The deleted scenes and outtakes are entertaining, too. There's one deleted scene showing a disgruntled patron complaining to an already angry Peter that there are only two olives in his martini instead of three. Peter grabs up a handful of olives from a bowl and returns to throw them at the startled patron before Peter slams out of the restaurant. Hurrah, Peter, says every waiter in the business. There are also interesting interviews with the actors, and Jesse Archer, who plays Luke, hosts a short documentary in which he takes to the streets of Chelsea to ask various gay men there, "What is a slut"? This was a funny footnote to the film.

Most newspaper critics and more than a few commentators here have been hard on this film. But I think it's quite a remarkable achievement for a first film, made on a miniscule budget, and shot in just fourteen days. Lighten up. It's fun.

SLUTTY Sum-Up

[NJMoon · 3/10 · 8 December 2005]

"Hey now, summer in the city, independent film looking dull and gritty..." It's no wonder that SLUTTY SUMMER is one tired film, it's creator Casper Andreas wrote the script, directed, edited the film, played the lead and provided the craft services. He's exhausted and distracted and it shows. He enlists his friends to play along, and the acting ranges from 'godawful' (Lance Werth as restaurant manager Kevin, in a turn that makes Charles Nelson Reilly look like Lord Olivier) to passable (Catherine O'Hara-like Virginia Bryan as the only female and resident fag hag). Andreas' only 'new find' is Jeffrey Christopher Todd as a prudish gay aptly named Peter (wink wink). Sadly - with the exception of Todd - most of these folks are not especially attractive (or at least not attractively photographed) which can be the saving grace of a lame film like this.

Production values are poor, at best, with horrible sound, made worse by noisy exterior locations and geographically untraceable accents from some of the principals, including Andreas. The cliché-ridden script breaks no new ground ("You can't fire me, I quit!") and contributes nothing to the genre. The tone ranges from high camp comedy to soap opera seriousness, without much success at either end of the spectrum. If viewing SLUTTY on DVD, go directly to the SPECIAL FEATURES section for a series of on the street interviews by cast member Jesse Archer. On the summer streets of New York's Greenwich Village, Archer (a hundred times more winning here than he ever is in the film) asks folks the definition of a 'slut' as well as some of the key questions the film's script clumsily throws out. Now, THIS would have made an interesting film - SLUTTY SUMMER: The Documentary.

This is an awful movie !!

[skyeboi · 1/10 · 13 August 2005]

This is an awful movie !! Full of sexual teasing, pseudo philosophical type discussions and moody, pensive poses by the male lead (who also wrote it : natch) it seems little more than a mindless vehicle for he and his friends self promotion - and of course to show us how "cool" they are. At best one might say it is all very adolescent, although it is full of clichés and badly acted on top of it all. The "profound" philosophical discussions are about as deep as a gold-fish bowl and would at least be silly if they weren't so pretentious. Portentous Wittgenstein type dilemmas like when to use "sleeping together" and when to say "f***king* and the ongoing "sociology 101 debate" of whether men are capable of monogamy are all conducted on a level that would embarrass a High School class. There is even the obligatory snide remark about people who are "fat" or "over-forty", of which you can be sure that there are NONE in this movie. This is clearly not a movie any "non-trendy" gay man is going to find himself represented in. As a movie specifically aimed at the gay market (whatever the promoters might say) I would say frankly we deserve A LOT better.

Awful

[jr_loach · 1/10 · 1 February 2006]

What a terrible movie. I have seen some fairly low quality indie films but I have my limits.

I don't think I have seen a more stereotypical, predictable and badly acted film in a long time. Every gay stereotype is embarrassingly represented. The dialogue is childish and repetitive (we get it, you're a slut...). The "philosophical" discussions would befit high school students.

Poorly written, poorly acted tripe. I am embarrassed for the gay community that has embraced this film as light comedy. I found the stereotypes to be almost insulting.

Don't support this kind of film-making, please.

Unfortunate Title

[gradyharp · 7/10 · 31 January 2006]

Sometimes the title of a film has connotations that put people off, preventing them from viewing a film that has a lot of good points just because the title is tacky. Such is the case for SLUTTY SUMMER. This low budget first film by writer/producer/director/actor Casper Andreas may not have the substance or finesse that other independent films have, but taken as a whole it is an entertaining outing that deserves more credit than it has received. One wonders if a different title and cover image would have resulted in a larger more attentive audience.

Summer in Manhattan and new writer Marcus (Andreas) has just terminated a relationship with unfaithful Julian (Christos Klapsis) and finds solace in his man-hungry but gay-friendly friend Marilyn (Virginia Bryan) who lands him a waiter position in a small restaurant where all waiters are various stereotypes of gay men: ex-model sleeparound Tyler (Jamie Hatchett), hopeless romantic wannabe actor Peter (Jeffrey Christopher Todd), nellie flamboyant one night stander Luke (Jesse Archer) and the obnoxious manager Kevin (Lance Werth). Through a lot of visits to bars and hangouts the crew try to soften Markus' hurt and in doing so open Markus' eyes (indeed, everyone's eyes) to the significance of relationships in the flippant world of gay Manhattan.

Yes, the story has been done before but life keeps repeating the same stories, too, and it is fine to have a different take on same sex ways of life and philosophy in the big city. For a film shot in 14 days there is a fine amount of attention paid to small details of conversations. Markus proves an economical director. The cast of mostly inexperienced actors does well, and even if they do seem to be parodies of stereotypes, they do establish understandable characters. For a first film this is a pretty successful outing. With different packaging perhaps it could have had a better chance in the theaters. Grady Harp

Blech!

[wantm0re74 · 2/10 · 13 August 2005]

This movie is abysmal! I'm a huge supporter of queer films, but even I have my limits... from the girl with the handbook for every date, to the boy that's certain he'll find love on the internet, to the sex-craved boy-toy that debates the difference between "having sex" and "sleeping together", this movie is a mishmash of tired, annoying sequences that'll make you squirm in your seat.

There is nothing interesting, funny, clever or sexy about this painful 85 minutes of cinema... ridiculous writing, terrible acting and embarrassing clichés thrown around as though pearls of wisdom. This movie wants to be a "feel good" film that tugs at the heartstrings, but ends up completely empty.

If you want a sweet, feel good gay film, rent "Big Eden". Cute and fluffy, but better done: see "Eating Out".

Some of the guys are cute, at least. Just watch it with the sound off.

Entertaining

[john-1587 · 7/10 · 6 September 2004]

I watched "Slutty Summer" at the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (AGLIFF) and was very entertained. The plot has a creative premise about a young guy named Marcus that comes out of a long term relationship and gets a summer job where he meets a very different group of guys. Along for the ride is the comical token fag hag, Marilyn. These new friends bring him to grips with being a single gay guy in the big city and together all go though trials of love, sex and attempts of monogamy. The scenes were tasteful and the light comedy is done very well. Most of the acting was excellent and you really get a chance to get to know and love the characters. The film was done on a bit of a low budget as to be expected with an independent film. The entire movie was actually shot in 14 days which does allows for mistakes. The editing was done well however, and all in all, I would recommend this film to a friend.

Dreadful waste of a Netflix choice...

[roofusdc · 2/10 · 30 June 2006]

Ugh. Ouch. Craptastic.

This is such a bad film it boggles the mind. I feel guilty that the postage for my netflix mailing was spent on this horrific piece of garbage. Stereotypical vapid garbage that is criminal in the way it took precious funding away from other potential film projects. Some of the actors are nice to look at but most of the time you wish there was a MUTE button on it.

I have to say one of the irritating things throughout the film was its inability to have good sound direction. I kept hearing the hum of outside traffic and the outside scenes were even worse. The friends/coworkers in the restaurant were such awful irritating characters that I wouldn't spend a few minutes with than a movie-length.

This is a darn good film! You'll feel like a fly on the wall.

[eslgr8 · 8/10 · 7 January 2006]

I'd read some mixed (to bad) reviews of Slutty Summer, so I was unprepared for what a really good film it is. Of the countless gay movies I've seen, this was the first that truly made me feel that I was observing the real lives of 20something gay guys in a big city. The characters are all three-dimensional, even slutty Luke, well played by Jesse Archer, who is allowed to reveal a deeper side to his seemingly shallow character. Out actor/director Casper Andreas is very real and believable and likable as recently dumped Markus (I liked the way no attempt was made to explain his Scandinavian accent), and his developing feelings for equally effective Jamie Hatchett (as Tyler) build slowly and believably. Jeffrey Christopher Todd is adorable as hopeless romantic Peter, and I appreciated the respect with which Andreas treated this character; it would have been so easy to make fun of Peter's sincere desire to wait for Mr. Right. Virginia Bryant has many good moments as slightly ditzy Marilyn, and again Andreas has made her much more than the usual "fag hag" without a life of her own. I suppose it's possible (though doubtful) that at least some of the actors were straight (only Andreas and Archer are openly gay, as far as I know), but if so, they'd have to be quite amazing actors, because unlike far too many films, I believed that I was seeing real gay men (even down to smaller roles such as cutiepie Lex Sosa as Steven). Reading several other reviews here, I truly wonder at the cynicism and negativity of some gay viewers. This is not a bad film at all. This is not a badly made film at all. The budget may have been low, but this is clearly the work of a talented man who has surrounded himself with a talented bunch of mostly new to the screen performers. And the New York locations add to the realism of the story, and are especially interesting for an Angelino like myself (who loves New York as well). Thumbs up for Slutty Summer.

Interesting, if not good !

[fordtalent · 7/10 · 24 September 2005]

Although ambitious, this film doesn't quite pull it all together. Telling the tale of newly single, Markus complete with "homo-in-the-big-city" treatment. Every stereotype is represented, even the single and looking gal pal (played quite well by Virginia Bryan). Most scenes are acted as though everyone is aware they are making a movie rather than playing real-life characters. There are some stand-out moments where the characters come through, but overall the attempt seems self-serving. The worst acting performance hands down is Lance Werth as Kevin, the restaurant manager. I couldn't help but think how fitting this role would have been if it had been played by Mink Stole of John Waters fame. Although Werth gives it his best, it isn't enough and he embarrasses himself, and the rest of the cast with this lousy performance.

Amateur Hour

[Franco-LA · 3/10 · 21 July 2007]

This first time feature suffered from the 'too few cooks' end of the spectrum. The writer ended up rehashing many of the same plot points and jokes; much of the story can be found (and was often better told) in any number of movies released in the last two decades about gay romances) elsewhere and not so poorly rehashed as this; the direction was pretty stilted and the performances were, for the most part, bad, particularly that of the lead -- who, unfortunately, ended up wearing many of the hats responsible for making this a poor film.

There is the genesis of the possibility of some prospect here for better future work, but the director needs to learn the meaning of collaboration or needs to simply learn to improve his own techniques.

Very nice, contemporary drama/comedy - loved it!

[jjdominiecki · 8/10 · 15 January 2006]

This film took me a while to warm up to, but after the first 10-15min. I really began enjoying it. While others may carp about this or that; the writer/director/star's supposed self indulgence; lousy acting; etc., I found none of this to be true. I thought all of the acting was very good, even the over the top manager, who admits to just basically playing himself: "I didn't even have to audition". And listen up now children, there really are people in this world like our up-tight manager. And Luke. And Tyler. And Markus. And very, very cute Peter . . . who alone of these randy characters finds true love at the restaurant - via a 'posting' in mens room. (It's really pretty funny - see the movie.) Director Casper Andreas did a great job of fleshing these characters out and making us care about every single one of them. And I at least did not see the happy ending coming until it was already upon us, it happens so fast. But telling what that is would not be cool, so rent or buy the DVD. A very pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.

Slut or Not a Slut

[thebeardedlady-1 · 26 January 2007]

This film was shot in fourteen days. The actors are mostly friends (and the basis for the characters) of the writer/director/producer/editor/lead, Casper Andreas. This is an amateur film. Having said that, Slutty Summer is an enjoyable, cute film about five struggling (writer/model/actor) twenty-something waiters working together for the summer at an outdoor New York café. It's funny, cliché, romantic, and sexy. Yes, it's kitschy and camp, but we like that. Once you get in the rhythm (about five minutes in) you forget that the actors are still fresh. The sets are surprisingly believable. The cinematography and set design give you the feel of a bigger picture. Montages are cut and scored like any Hollywood film. The biggest surprise is the turn of the film when you realize that it's not just a romantic comedy or a gay trick film. I felt good about the way the film concluded, whether the hopeless romantic found love or the drunk found strength.

Fun, romantic with a universal message of love.

[kenanddat · 10/10 · 16 May 2005]

Great movie. Even though it is primarily for the gay audience, the message in this movie is universal. When I was first presented to this movie I thought that this would be a somewhat waste of time but what the heck, I could give it a chance. Well, big was my surprise, I found myself getting more and more absorbed by the movie. As I said earlier this movie is primarily for the gay audience, but I do believe that anyone can watch this movie. Don't go in and see it as a gay movie, but see it as the fun, romantic comedy it is. This movie is both funny, romantic and intellectual and has much to offer. Gay or not, this is a movie worth watching.

A funny independent comedy that is unique in its class!

[markus-163 · 10/10 · 8 December 2005]

The movie "Slutty Summer" is referred by critics as a gay version of "Sex and the City". This is only half-true because although it has similarities in content and structure the movie is so much more than that. First, there is the well crafted script. The basic elements of great comedic story-telling are well placed, the characters are (although for the sake of comedy exaggerated) believable, three-dimensional people right out of the real world and the story constantly moves forward from one hilarious moment to the next. This movie shows that it really does not need name actors and millions of dollars to create true entertainment. The actors are well cast and fit their parts perfectly (especially Virginia Bryan who is delightful to watch). This movie is a masterpiece in independent low-budget film-making as it never looks like a "cheap" movie and the story never feels like a low-budget story. I hope to see more of Casper's work in the future, he deserves a wonderful career.

An intelligent, funny film!

[Creedsm · 10/10 · 19 March 2006]

Slutty Summer is an extraordinary movie that will keep you entertained all year long! The cast members were clearly dedicated and obviously very talented and attractive. Their characters have personalities that differ from each other but come together to make the film what it is. Each character has his or her own views, from Luke (Jesse Archer), who thinks sleeping around is the best medicine for any relationship problem, to Peter (Jeffrey Christopher Todd), who believes the right man is still out there somewhere. Casper Andreas (Markus) wrote, directed, and acted in the film. It was filmed in only 14 days. His work far exceeded my expectations for a low-budget movie. It is set to a great soundtrack with a variety of musical styles. Women and men, both gay and straight, should be able to relate to it because it covers relationship issues that everybody deals with. Slutty Summer is the perfect blend of comedy and drama. I highly recommend it to anyone!

A little underdeveloped but full of good lines and hot guys!

[preppy-3 · 8/10 · 16 July 2011]

Marcus (writer/director Casper Andreas) comes home to find his lover Julian having sex with another man. Julian moves out and Marcus gets a job as a waiter. He works in a restaurant with all gay men who help him get over Julian and find someone else. There's Luke (Jesse Archer) who sleeps around and is proud of it. Then there's Peter (Jeffrey Christopher Todd) who is afraid of meeting any guy. Also there is Tyler (Jamie Hatchett) a model who falls for Marcus. There's also Marilyn (Virginia Bryan) who has trouble keeping a man. We follow these characters and their romances (and sexual encounters)over the course of one summer.

OK--this is not a deep movie. There are plenty of discussions on sex and relationships that are pretty obvious but they're full of funny one-liners pulled off by the cast (especially Archer). Also some story lines are never fully developed (especially Marilyn's and Peter's) and seem to come out of nowhere. I didn't buy the way over the top happy ending either. Also some of the cast is guilty of REALLY overacting--Lance Werth in his mercifully brief role as Kevin especially. Todd overdoes it too at times. Still I liked the movie a lot. It moves along quickly and the cast is attractive and in good shape (we see every one of them with their shirts off multiple times). There's also some very hot guy on guy kissing and simulated sex. Heck--within the first 2 minutes you see two attractive nude men in a sexual situation! The acting is good for the most part and it looks very good considering it was shot in 2 weeks on a low budget. This is not a deep film--it's a fun, fast-moving sex comedy/drama aimed at the gay crowd. Perfect for a fun summer movie. I give it an 8.

Surprising Summer Hit!

[David_Alexander_L · 8/10 · 31 August 2007]

I saw this film only 3 years after its release because I have never heard of it before; still, It was really worth seeing, and a sweet surprise. When it started I said to myself "Oh God, not another badly-acted-independent-low-budget-camp movie.." - but as I got into the plot the storyline became more and more interesting.

I have to say that Casper Andreas is a real revelation in this feature; He not only wrote & produced the thing, but as an actor he was very convincing, endearing & totally sweet - all the ingredients to make the viewer care for him, which is the main goal of any film. He is also not too beautiful - which, believes it or not - gives yet another layer of perspective and creditability to his character.

I was especially drawn - I must confess - to Jamie Hatchett, who plays Tyler, Markus (Casper Andreas) main attraction. The relationship was built very slowly and very beautifully, and in a captivating and impressing way; Again, I really cared to see what will happen to Tyler & Markus..

I will make an effort to follow Caspers films from now on; And I would have hoped to find more info about Jamie Hatchett anywhere - but a simple Google search brings nothing much! shame, because I thought he played very well in this film.

If you haven't seen this film try to watch as it is surprisingly good.

Great cinematography with a snapshot of American reality

[tmn-83613 · 10/10 · 2 April 2016]

I usually review movies unofficially based on three general criteria: educational value, artistic quality, and representation of reality.

This movie received highest rating because it portrays life in America at a particular point in time in a particular micro-culture as it exists today. The film teaches about not just diversity of various cultures, but also teaches on human interactions, relationships in LGBT micro- cultures. It also displays the human aspects of relationships that are so therapeutic to someone who has no background about this culture, or I should say, cultures.

Artistic quality is simply beautiful, acting is unassuming, the movie was entirely based on sincere attempt by actors to portray their culture for the benefit of the audience. From humor to tragedy, from friendships to love, the acting is simply beautiful.

Representation of reality is probably the category that receives the highest ranking: many times we all strive to present our cultures in glamour, in positive terms: the best thing about this movie is presenting to us a portion of reality that is just the way it is, without more, without less. That made this movie a wonderful movie. Representation of true reality in cinematography would probably be a very difficult task. I applaud the producers and all who made this movie. The film is a valuable addition to human culture.