2006 NEWFEST-Coffee Date

          Based on a short film of the same name by writer-director Stewart
  Wade, COFFEE DATE is an amusing twist on the somewhat tired
  genre of romantic comedy, although it really is more of a buddy movie.

          Todd (Peter Bray in his first major leading role) is a computer
  programmer going through a bad patch. His two-year marriage has
  recently ended and he's still struggling with its after-effects. Although
  he harbors a crush on fellow office worker Melissa (Deborah Gibson),
  his social life is in a slump. So when his freeloading brother Barry
  (Jonathan Silverman) creates an online dating profile for him, Todd
  goes along with it. As the film opens, he's struck up an email relationship
  with Kelly and looks forward to meeting her.

          Arriving at a local coffee shop, Todd doesn't quite realize that
  something is amiss: the place is predominantly patronized by gays
  and lesbians. While waiting, he strikes up a conversation with a guy who
  is also waiting for his date to arrive, and they discover a mutual affinity
  for movies, among other things in common. It soon dawns on them
  that they are waiting for one another. While Todd expected Kelly to be
  a female, in fact, Kelly is a man (played by Wilson Cruz). Despite their
  disappointment, but because there is common ground, the two strike
  up a friendship. Deciding to play a joke on his brother, Todd brings
  Kelly home. The next morning Barry flees in a panic and calls their
  mother (Sally Kirkland) who arrives to take charge of the problem.

          Through a series of coincidences, Todd and Kelly are spotted
  out together by the office gossip Clayton (Jason Stuart) and soon
  his co-workers as well as his family are convinced that Todd is gay.
  After a while, Todd himself starts to wonder if indeed he may be
  homosexual. And therein lie the major complications of this charming
  comedy.

          The actors work well together with Cruz delivering a nuanced turn
  as Kelly and Bray offering a strong turn as the confused Todd. The
  supporting cast from Kirkland to Silverman to Gibson all do yeoman
  work. Writer-director Stewart Wade has created three-dimensional
  characters, and spun an amusing and believable story. While the
  denouement may be a little disappointing to some, it makes perfect
  sense in the world of the film. Call a friend and make plans to see
  COFFEE DATE.

                                           Rating:        B +

Coffee Date