NEWFEST-Long-Term Relationship

      Making a good, never mind great, romantic comedy in contemporary
times is like trying to bottle lightening. For some reason, writers cannot
seem to capture the style and grace of the classics of the genre, although
there are yearly attempts. If one is trying to make a romantic comedy
for the gay and/or lesbian audience, the results are even more fraught with
problems. So it perhaps comes as something of a surprise that debut
writer-director Rob Williams almost manages to pull off this seemingly
impossible and improbable feat. LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP is a
low-budget affair, but Williams imbues it with some wit, although to be
honest, he manages to achieve the romance part more successfully than
the comedy part.

      The premise of the movie is that serial dater Glenn (Matthew
Montgomery, who also served as one of the film's co-producers)
is tiring of the one-night stand scene. He longs to settle down with
Mr. Right. One day while out with his pals Eli (Artie O'Daly) and Vincent
(Jeremy Lucas), he spots a personal ad that haunts him. On a whim,
he decides to answer it and meets the very proper Southerner Adam
(Windham Beacham) who seems almost too good to be true. And
of course, he is. As they date and become better acquainted, there's
something about Adam that makes him Mr. Wrong ... at least at first.

      Williams employs the classic genre archetype of boy meets boy,
boy loses boy, boy ends up with boy. The central part -- the issues that
drive the characters apart form the crux of the film and provide the
conflict. Spurred on by his heterosexual friends, Glenn decides to make
a leap -- until yet another snag arises.

      The main cast is attractive and they acquit themselves well.
Montgomery and Beacham share a pleasant chemistry with O'Daly
providing the wacky comic support and Lucas providing the necessary
dark character. Newcomer Rob Williams makes an auspicious debut
with LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP.

                             Rating:           B

Long-Term Relationship