Adapted from Eric Orner's comic strip of the same name, THE MOSTLY UNFABULOUS SOCIAL LIFE OF ETHAN GREEN was one of the better feature films on tap at NewFest 2006. It's an amusing story about a 26-year old professional "assistant" who spends his life looking for love in all the wrong places. As the film opens, Ethan (Daniel Letterle of CAMP) has found what he feels is true love with Kyle Underhill (Diego Serrano), a formerly married, professional baseball player who has recently come out and written a book about it. Ethan's family and friends -- his gay wedding planner mom (Meredith Baxter), his lesbian roommate Charlotte (Shanola Hampton), the Hat Sisters (Joel Brooks and Richard Riehle) and his ex-boyfriend Leo Worth (David Monahan) -- are sceptical, to say the least. They know Ethan's track record isn't the best. In fact, when Leo decides to sell the house that Ethan and Charlotte are living in, problems ensue Ethan feels it's time he and Kyle take their relationship to another level (i.e., live together) but he's unsure of how Kyle feels. Add to the mix a depressed realtor with the ironic name of Sunny Deal (Rebecca Lowman), a Log Cabin Republican courting Leo (Scott Atkinson) and a horny teenage real estate assistant named Punch (Dean Shelton) and things become very confused and confusing, with Ethan concocting tall tales that soon involve all of his pals. The film proves to be enjoyable without being overbearing. It is structured like a farcical romantic comedy and director George Bamber keeps the material flowing. The actors all do fine in their roles with Letterle anchoring the film with charm and Baxter offering a surprisingly amusing turn as Ethan's mother. After the big success of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, audiences both gay and straight should enjoy the comical and romantic hijinks. Rating: B |
| © 2006 by C. E. Murphy. All Rights Reserved. |
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| The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green |
