While it is wonderful to see a film in which the gay characters' sexuality is merely incidental to the story (in other words, a "regular movie" in which the characters just happen to be gay), this aspect is about the only redeeming feature of the film. (The only other highlights are the incredibly realistic and effective special effects involving gunshot wounds). Otherwise, the acting is rather wooden and formulaic; the cinematography is somewhat amateurish (although there are a few creative and ambitious shots); and the lighting are sound are just plain awful. Moreover, the screenplay is not especially creative, even somewhat trite, and contains a number of hard-to-believe plot elements. All in all, the film is a great idea but a poor execution.
4 Reviews
Low budget but a nice try.
paulclaassen1 November 2022
'Raising Heroes' is 'BearCity' creator Douglas Langway's first film. The film revolves around gay couple Paul and John fighting a legal battle over custody of a young boy, Nicki. Nicki's mom, Susan - Paul's best friend - died from leukemia and gave custody of Nicki to Paul and John, but Nicki's Grandmother is taking them to court over this custody agreement.
Everything seemed to go well until John witnessed a brutal crime just three days before the court hearing. In an instant their lives are turned upside down. The criminals who noticed John witnessing the crime are doing everything in their power to eliminate him. I enjoyed the film's premise and the main characters, but the camera work, editing and sound were not all that great. The villains also could have been more fleshed out. Some of the characters were one-dimensional.
I also didn't like the fact John was narrating the movie. This approach removed much of the suspense and told me the film was set in the past, and that John was ok. I would have preferred the film without this narration.
Nevertheless, 'Raising Heroes' was still entertaining and worth the watch. There's a few twists here as well, and a good ending.
Everything seemed to go well until John witnessed a brutal crime just three days before the court hearing. In an instant their lives are turned upside down. The criminals who noticed John witnessing the crime are doing everything in their power to eliminate him. I enjoyed the film's premise and the main characters, but the camera work, editing and sound were not all that great. The villains also could have been more fleshed out. Some of the characters were one-dimensional.
I also didn't like the fact John was narrating the movie. This approach removed much of the suspense and told me the film was set in the past, and that John was ok. I would have preferred the film without this narration.
Nevertheless, 'Raising Heroes' was still entertaining and worth the watch. There's a few twists here as well, and a good ending.
A very fine and exciting change-of-pace action winner
Woodyanders19 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Josh (an outstanding performance by Troy Sostillio) and Paul (affable Henry White) are a loving, affluent, five years going strong homosexual couple who are on the verge of adopting a child. On the day of the big event Josh stops off at a grocery store and witnesses a mob hit (Edmond Sorel as the brutal, taciturn hit-man Victor brings a ferocious, blistering intensity to the role that's pretty hard to shake). Afraid to tell Paul about what he saw (he doesn't want to ruin their chances of gaining custody of a kid a meddlesome third party wants to take away from them), Josh, who's been running away from confrontation his entire life, does his best to forget about the whole incident. Naturally, things don't go as planned. The mobsters go after Josh; they kidnap Paul so they can get to him. So Josh, aided by closeted gay undercover cop Steve (a superbly anguished Stewart Groves), finally takes a stand for the first time in his life, facing up to the fearsome gangsters in a harrowing do-or-die final.
More than just some dreaded cheesy gimmick affair (y'know, the first real gay independent action picture), "Raising Heroes" gains considerable strength from the fact that the protagonists' homosexuality is treated in a refreshingly candid, nonjudgmental, matter-of-fact manner. Still, the film doesn't take place in a sugarcoated fantasy world. Society's bigotry towards and inability to accept homosexual couples as feasible parents is confronted head on, although the movie thankfully never becomes bogged down in this pertinent social issue to the point where it degenerates into some preachy heavy-handed pro-gay tract. The gay angle is instead organically woven into the story and remains a small, yet relevant part of the narrative. What really gives the film its distinctive edge is the remarkable warmth and affection displayed by the leads: Sostillio's playful, rather indecisive Josh and White's solemn, more adamant Paul come across as a touchingly credible and appealing couple, thereby adding a sweet, delicate poignancy to the movie that's all too lacking in most mainstream action efforts.
Douglas Langway directs with crisp, breakneck style and elicits fine, convincing performances from his able cast. Stephen Schlueter's lively hand-held cinematography is likewise impressive (the scene where the camera goes flying out a window and nearly hits a trash can is especially striking). Langway's tight, snappy editing and Fractured Cylinder's driving industrial score also hit the bull's eye. The sharp, intricately written script ensures that the story stays believable and engrossing throughout, smartly adhering to the foolproof concept of placing ordinary characters in an extraordinary situation where the only choice they have is to fight back or die. Only the somewhat erratic pacing leaves something to be desired: The movie starts out strongly, sags a bit in the middle, then kicks back into powerhouse high gear for an explosively violent and exhilarating climactic 20-minute shoot-out that's sure to knock the wind out of your sails. All in all, this very solid and satisfying debut feature is well worth checking out.
More than just some dreaded cheesy gimmick affair (y'know, the first real gay independent action picture), "Raising Heroes" gains considerable strength from the fact that the protagonists' homosexuality is treated in a refreshingly candid, nonjudgmental, matter-of-fact manner. Still, the film doesn't take place in a sugarcoated fantasy world. Society's bigotry towards and inability to accept homosexual couples as feasible parents is confronted head on, although the movie thankfully never becomes bogged down in this pertinent social issue to the point where it degenerates into some preachy heavy-handed pro-gay tract. The gay angle is instead organically woven into the story and remains a small, yet relevant part of the narrative. What really gives the film its distinctive edge is the remarkable warmth and affection displayed by the leads: Sostillio's playful, rather indecisive Josh and White's solemn, more adamant Paul come across as a touchingly credible and appealing couple, thereby adding a sweet, delicate poignancy to the movie that's all too lacking in most mainstream action efforts.
Douglas Langway directs with crisp, breakneck style and elicits fine, convincing performances from his able cast. Stephen Schlueter's lively hand-held cinematography is likewise impressive (the scene where the camera goes flying out a window and nearly hits a trash can is especially striking). Langway's tight, snappy editing and Fractured Cylinder's driving industrial score also hit the bull's eye. The sharp, intricately written script ensures that the story stays believable and engrossing throughout, smartly adhering to the foolproof concept of placing ordinary characters in an extraordinary situation where the only choice they have is to fight back or die. Only the somewhat erratic pacing leaves something to be desired: The movie starts out strongly, sags a bit in the middle, then kicks back into powerhouse high gear for an explosively violent and exhilarating climactic 20-minute shoot-out that's sure to knock the wind out of your sails. All in all, this very solid and satisfying debut feature is well worth checking out.
People are crazy to rate this so low. Please don't let the score deter you from seeing this film.
inmemoryofdivine17 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Maybe it isn't worth a 10 but that is in retaliation for all the absurdly low votes it has received. This is a very well written and acted suspense film. If the main leads were a straight couple instead of two men this would easily rate a seven or eight. It creates a very compelling drama and, as far as I know, is the first time gay men have kicked serious butt in a film. Thankfully we are living in a time where a movie like this can be made.
Does it stand up to the mega blockbusters out there? Not really. It is a quiet, low budget film. But what it lacks in bombast it more than makes up for in clever plot twists and great writing.
Hopefully, with the popularity of "Brokeback Mountain" people will be more open to seek out films like these. Only time will tell.
Does it stand up to the mega blockbusters out there? Not really. It is a quiet, low budget film. But what it lacks in bombast it more than makes up for in clever plot twists and great writing.
Hopefully, with the popularity of "Brokeback Mountain" people will be more open to seek out films like these. Only time will tell.
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