Pit Stop (2013) User Reviews

Do not dismiss this film.

[hoovertac · 7/10 · 19 May 2014]

***This review may contain spoilers***

Had it not been for Heck and DeAnda's acting in the first few minutes of this film, I would have dismissed it as another poignant movie that associates same sex relationships with failure, death, grief & loss, loneliness etc. And I'm glad I didn't. To do this would have been very unfair and disrespectful to the writers, director and actors who all crafted something else that is very humanizing. The characters and events in this film are very relatable and not contrived. The subject matter is treated honestly and respectfully. Themes of gay life are portrayed in a thoughtful and mature way that evoke compassion instead of shame. The movie also took time to focus on the lives around the central characters as well, which was refreshing. Plus, our collective intelligence isn't insulted by a Hollywood ending either.

A very different love story!

[abraxas1122 · 7/10 · 17 March 2014]

I thought it was extremely refreshing to see a movie where the love protagonists meet towards the end of the piece. It had beautiful shots, great music, strong performances and memorable moments. In addition, it's universal, and speaks to all kinds of love.

However, I do agree some parts required necessary trimming.

There are scenes where time is needed and welcomed, where the subtleties of the performance flourish and the power of the moment requires it. To mind come the dance between Gabe and Shannon, the adoration and contemplation during Gabe's and Ernie's first night together, the awkwardness of Shannon's date, Ernie's longing for love and a way out while staring in the kitchen.

But there are other scenes - especially some that were there exclusively for poetic beauty and others where the characters are not going through any particular emotional moment - that could have been trimmed to a third or fourth of their duration. Doing so would have provided a good balance and showcased the higher points better.

I could appreciate the movie greatly, but the rest of my party was unfortunately waiting for it to be over. There was no way I could convince them of the movie's merits due to their relentless - but fair - impatience.

A Slow Burn Portrait That Works

[adamsandel · 7/10 · 10 November 2022]

This film throws traditional screenplay structure out the window which at first makes one wait for major plot developments, but in the process it draws you into the lives of many different characters who are just trying to get by in their unsatisfying small town lives.

That in itself becomes compelling in its own compassionate, poetic way. The performances are all outstanding and one really feels for each of the leading and supporting characters as their stories unfold.

There's a sad kindness in the way the stories unfold, and the film becomes a broad portrait of gay life in small town Texas. If you take the film on its own terms, it blossoms in a way that you seldom see in most movies, gay or otherwise.

The best gay movie yet

[jm10701 · 19 February 2014]

Pit Stop is the story of two working-class gay men in their thirties - Gabe, a building contractor (played by Bill Heck), and Ernie, a lumber-yard worker (played by Marcus DeAnda) - in a small town in Texas.

Gabe is divorced but still close to his ex-wife and daughter; the man he loved and left them for has dumped him and moved far away. Ernie is breaking free of his latest failed relationship with a man. Their paths almost cross a few times, but they don't actually meet until fairly late in the movie. Because of its unconventional structure and slow pace, it has been widely criticized by amateur reviewers of gay movies.

But this is by far the best gay movie I have ever seen, and I've seen hundreds - all the ones that are worth seeing and many more that aren't. Everything about it is perfect.

It doesn't need editing or any of the other fixes even favorable reviews say it needs. They're looking for a different kind of movie - in which the lovers meet early and we see all that happens afterwards - and they won't have any trouble finding it, because it's all we've gotten until now. But I THANK GOD that Yen Tan didn't hear their whining, and that he made this movie EXACTLY as he did. Not in any universe could it be any better than it is.

Every character (including the ex-wife and her new boyfriend) and every scene is essential, exactly as it is. If I listed everything about Pit Stop that's perfect I'd list everything (well, maybe not the title), but I must single out the writing, direction and acting.

The characters have time to develop fully and richly, each within the context of his own life, every tiny detail of which is perfect. Their brief almost-meetings (at least three times) earlier in the movie help tie their stories together even though they're deliciously subtle and easy to miss; and the pacing of the whole movie is as graceful and lovely as a ballet, but more natural. Action lovers will definitely be bored, but who cares? When the two men finally meet, it's the sweetest, hottest stuff ever shown on any kind of screen anywhere on earth.

Gabe and Ernie are the realest couple ever in any gay movie, and Bill Heck and Marcus DeAnda are the best actors who ever played gay characters. Every word, every sound, every movement, every gesture, every glance of an eye or lift of an eyebrow is perfect.

Movies of any kind - gay or straight - just don't get any better than this. It's fantastic.

Doc, it has a pulse, but barely

[rabbitfish63 · 6/10 · 26 September 2015]

I was kind of generous giving this movie 6 out of 10, but I at least admire it for never having a false moment. The actors and the director made everything believable, but it was such a set of dreary characters in undramatic scenes, that the movie was actually painful to watch. I think I mostly blame the script which failed to find a way to really make us care.

The ending seemed to be about some kind of redemption and finding love, but all it really was was a successful hookup. "Hey, call me," says Gabe. "Anytime," and they head off smiling, in the hope of another session of manly frottage. But given all the heartbreak and disappointment, there is nothing here that points to a great future.

Compare this to the date episode in the first season of the TV show, "Looking." Nothing but two guys almost just about to fall in love, spending the day together talking about their lives, their fears, their histories, sex. And it was totally engaging because there was a tentative fragility and joy to the whole thing. "Pit Stop" (why is it called this?) never found such lightness.

I really wanted to like it...

[omega-metim · 4/10 · 26 July 2014]

I made it all the way through it, though there were parts where I felt like dozing of (much like Les from the movie). I could've sworn the film that he fell asleep on was this one. I'm not going to give this film a 1, because part of the reason I was disinterested may have been from my own distraction. However, this film didn't help. It was slow. And very early on I was looking for the connection between the two male leads, but I never really got it. I thought maybe they were caught in a love triangle that would reveal itself near the end, but it never happened. This story was really just about two strangers in the night, and was truly nothing special. The stories of the two men weren't exactly unique, as they're things that normal coming of age gay men go through. So- in all, this was like watching two regular gay men, navigate themselves through life only to have a fling at the end of the movie. Nothing exciting happens.

Not bad, but the pace is glacial

[justahunch-70549 · 6/10 · 15 December 2022]

Odd review history here. First there are nothing but wonderful reviews followed by nothing but terrible reviews. Don't know what that means, but it seems peculiar. This is an intelligent, very slow moving film concentrating on the lives of two gay men, though one is obviously bi-sexual, that you know are going to come together for a love story, but it takes one hour for these two to meet in a one hour and twenty minute film. However, what saves it is that their individual stories are interesting and bit unusually similar. Both are nice guys still connected with their ex's. One with his ex-wife who still care and need each other as they were best friends prior to trying marriage and remain that way, along with together raising a young daughter. And the other with his ex-boyfriend who wants to get out of a small town in Texas, which I would think understandable, but the other doesn't. For a film with so many nice people, not many seem very happy with their lives. The acting is good by the four principles (I particularly liked Bill Heck & Bailey Bass) and it's a decent film, but you have to like film as even at this short a length there are many scenes in which nothing of significance occurs.

Meh!

[rfhurley-73686 · 3/10 · 21 December 2018]

I really wanted to like this movie - really! I just couldn't, though. It took me the first 30 minutes of an 80-minute movie to figure out who the main characters were and which storyline was the main thread. To me there was too much time and effort spent on tangental characters and events. About halfway through I checked the runtime to see how much more I was going to have to sit through then, just when Gabe & Ernesto finally get together and the movie gets interesting, it ends with absolutely nothing resolved.

I wish I could give a more positive review but the whole experience seemed rather pointless and disappointing.

Deep in the Lonely Heart of Texas

[Spectator88 · 10/10 · 22 February 2014]

Pit Stop is a wonderful new film from director Yen Tan. It is the story of two mid-thirtyish gay men, Gabe and Ernesto, living separate but not totally dissimilar low key working class lives in the same Texan small town. Separately each man is yearning for love and emotional fulfillment while respectively struggling with his daily life and relationships. The focus is on Gabe and Ernesto but everyone in the film is a real person with a story to tell. All are portrayed in a thoughtful and empathetic way with no one casually discarded for the sake of storytelling expediency. This is a true character study of people finding their way in life and love and one cares about what will happen to them.

Gabe is divorced but trying to sustain his family for the sake of his young daughter. He has recently been rejected by a male lover who is married and now moved away. Ernesto is trying to end a two year relationship that has fallen apart and has no future. At the same time he is dutifully visiting a previous lover who lies comatose in a convalescent home following a car accident. Both men want more but their personal situations and the small town environment constrain them from being who they are and achieving the love and intimacy they long for and deserve. Both men still want to be wanted.

The film is beautifully made and the ensemble cast, led by Bill Heck as Gabe and Marcus DeAnda as Ernesto, is top notch. Pit Stop is a moving film that deserves a wide audience. Fans of Tan's earlier film, Ciao, will particularly like Pit Stop.

Painful

[generalgeneral-13-754670 · 1/10 · 29 May 2014]

The film is predictable, slow, badly written, and really pointless. It has nothing original to say and most of the plot is either unbelievable or contrived. It contains many v e r y long silences and the action could have been speeded along in many easy ways. It is a very unprofessional effort that won't go down in any history of LGBT movie-making. I spent the whole film waiting for something dramatic to happen, or at least to get painlessly to the next scene. I have the impression that the writers just had no idea where they were going - as if their premise was 'two lonely guys find love'. That's just not enough. Everything, even the movements, are slow. They could easily have edited out over half the film and the essential storyline would remain intact. A film like this can only win prizes if there the competition is even worse... which just makes you feel sorry for LGBT juries everywhere.

Sensitively made film about gay blue collar workers getting over failed relationships, hits the mark

[Turfseer · 8/10 · 20 January 2014]

Recent Spirit Award nominees have cropped up in the past few years including 'Keep the Lights On' and 'In the Family', sensitively-made films on a gay theme. Now in 2014, we have 'Pit Stop', which is also as good as these fine predecessors.

'Pit Stop' focuses on two blue collar workers from Texas, Gabe and Ernesto (played by an excellent Bill Heck and Marcus DeAnda, respectively). We see each of their stories for most of the film separately, and note that both are getting over failed relationships.

In the case of Ernesto, his ex-boyfriend, Luis, is still living with him. He initially tells Luis he can take as much time as he wants to move out but changes his mind when the ex-boyfriend starts dating other men and keeps him up, while watching late night TV. Ernesto also visits another ex-boyfriend, who's in a coma, after being critically hurt in a car accident.

Gabe's situation is different. He's still living with his wife and young daughter but no longer sleeps with her. He recently broke up with a man and now is dating again. In a notable scene, Gabe goes out on a date with a teacher—who falls asleep on their date watching a foreign film in a movie theater. Gabe drives the date home, who apologizes for not wanting to see him again, as he makes it clear that he hasn't gotten over his last relationship.

There's also a sub-plot involving Gabe's wife, Shannon, who goes out with a co-worker, Winston, on a date. Shannon, desperate for physical companionship, gets drunk and puts the moves on Winston, who isn't ready to get physical on a first date. Sure it's possible that Gabe's sexual rejection of his wife would lead her to want to have sexual contact with a man she's probably not that attracted to (Gabe tells Winston at one point that Shannon isn't attracted to heavy set men). But usually, the roles are reversed: women are wary of having sex on a first date, especially when it involves a man they don't find that attractive.

While the pacing of the film is fairly slow, the interactions between the characters ring true. Another excellent scene is when Luis has left and calls Ernesto on the phone, from New Mexico. Luis feels he's lost but Ernesto tries to convince him that he'll eventually get it together, if he just applies himself (like going back to school). At the same time, Ernesto makes it clear that he doesn't want Luis to return.

We see the connection between Gabe and Ernesto at film's end, as they meet through online dating. They're basically instantly attracted to one another as they recognize that they have both been trying to fill a similar void, in their lives. 'Pit Stop' is a low key drama which, as I pointed out above, proceeds rather lugubriously. Nonetheless, for the patient film-goer, you will be rewarded by excellent acting, direction and characters that seem to jump off the page, of real life.

To many story lines.

[stuartho-67386 · 4/10 · 9 October 2021]

This was an interesting film with too many story lines of supporting characters. Throughout the film one questions the point of the two leads, how are they going to connect. It does give a decent sense of small town Texas. The film reveals who the two main characters are but their development seem to lead to nowhere until the last 15min when they actually meet. Not much substance between the two which I guess makes the title of the film appropriate. It wasn't a complete bore as I did not fast forward. As someone else noted, foreign films would do much better with this subject matter. American film throw everything into the stock pot and expect a great film.

Oddly disjointed.

[wisewebwoman · 3/10 · 30 May 2015]

I liked the two leads, genuine, warm performances, especially the dad.

It was poorly filmed, very dark and shadowy at times, I so hate squinting at the screen.

And the two leads with beards didn't help matters.

BUT, the film took a long time to get to where it was going.

Which was literally nowhere but a one night stand.

Yes, it was tender. But there was absolutely no development of the characters' relationship. Unless you include that old cliché of the bad script shortfall featuring a couple silently laughing and laughing together over stuff the audience is never privy to.

Odd unsatisfying effort. Like a sundae full of imitation ingredients.

3 out of 10

It was boring right through the end.....

[Irishchatter · 2/10 · 12 June 2016]

I was kinda disappointed with this movie because I thought it concentrated too much on the other characters, like Gabes ex wife with this other fella who looks like that beardy guy from The Hangover movies. I mean they should just concentrate more on Gabe and Ernesto but no one else. Actually, they should've just got rid of the other characters because it just doesn't match the story here. It would be best if it was just the two of them in the movie, full stop.

I had to skip to the end as the scenes dragged on and when I get to see the two boys finally making out, it was only 10 minutes. Seriously I wouldn't call this a proper gay romantic movie. I've seen better movies in which had sex scenes longer, not shorter like this one. Thank god I didn't watch the whole hour of the movie but, I certainly wasted a bit of my time looking at it. It's honestly not the best I've seen, I give this a 2/10. Awful....

A Fantastic Film about individuals that are gay, no stereotypes

[solarprestige · 9/10 · 8 May 2015]

Small quiet film about a few gay men in a small town in Texas. Each of their stories, some totally unrelated, until Gabe and Ernesto meet. Excellent quiet plain talk movie. Real people problems and lives all at the same time, but overwhelming, a few stories that end in one.

If you want 'young' gays from big cities, big gay communities, stereotypes, lots or any sex scenes = ACTION, clichés, hot handsome 'model's, then this is not a film for you.

If you want real people out there in the small towns that live real lives in a different place, real REAL conversations, situations, relationships, etc., Not a soundtrack from beginning to end of House Beat "Gay" music, then you could consider trying this movie.

The director, Yen Tan, should be a giveaway to a style of film. NOT Hollywood, Not gay films for the young and horny, but a film about real people, other people, etc.

For this type or style of movie, this one is great!

A disjointed mess

[qui_j · 1/10 · 5 November 2021]

This film seems to have had no script, but instead, was made up as it being filmed! The actors mumble a lot, the dialog is sparse and the editing has no continuity whatsoever. Basically, it's unwatchable!

A beautiful movie about mismatches and mending broken hearts

[rmmr111 · 8/10 · 12 February 2014]

You follow th life of two broken hearted men, Gabe and Ernesto, who live in the same town, go to the same places and work 100 ft away without even knowing each other.

It may seem a little still at the beginning and by the trailer you might expect it to progress into a much more sexualized interaction between characters, but it turns out to be a nice romantic drama, which was a nice surprise.

It's not one of those "instant love" movies in which two people meet, fall madly in love and ride in a white horse to the horizon, it's a bit deeper than that, showing you about how you can "move on" how and when you least expect it.

I recommend it.

nothing happens and then it ends

[king_slakker · 4/10 · 15 September 2020]

Plodding and dull. Just when the movie begins to gain momentum and an actual story begins, the credits roll. The film feels like a prequel or a prologue to the intended movie.

Do The 9 & 10 Star Reviews Come From People Who Have Never Seen a Gay Film Before?

[Lorenz1060 · 3/10 · 10 January 2020]

This is just another example of why America is light-years behind other countries when it comes to queer cinema.

I am (almost) at a loss for words when I see all the high score reviews here, and agree much more with my companions in the one-to-five star category. Have these people rating it with nine or 10 stars not seen a gay-themed movie before?

I coughed up three stars as I did enjoy the performances of the two male leads in what little was thrown to them (and please don't accuse me of not being familiar with the scenario and territory, as my work did take me to Texas for a while in the late-1980s).

I am currently putting together a small library of queer cinema for a young friend. Of the eight titles I've gotten for him to date only one is American ("Shelter"). The others are from Brazil, Argentina, France, and the UK.

I live in Central Europe and perhaps have access to a wider selection of the latest, and am pleased to see that gay films are now coming from rather unexpected countries such as Poland, Hungary, and Denmark. What I've seen of them so far, they uniformly have better screen plays, actors, and production values than most of what comes out of the USA, even the rare occasions when big name Hollywood actors and directors take a stab at playing gay for pay.

As good as "Brokeback Mountain" is, it is far surpassed by the glorious "God's Own Country" from the UK (where it was nominated for BAFTA awards for Best Picture and Best Actor), and even "Call Me By Your Name" almost takes its inspiration from Marco Berger's 2013 "Hawaii," perhaps the most lushly romantic, breathtaking gay film ever made. (Berger is a genius and his entire oeuvre deserves to be seen.)

Finally, can someone explain the title to me? To the best of my knowledge, a pit stop is a term in auto racing when a driver leaves the track for quick repairs (such as a change of tyres) and technical assessment. It is also, I believe, an American euphemism for using the toilet.

I find the latter use of the term more applicable for this sad, lacklustre affair.

kind of a sleeper

[devilbitez · 3/10 · 13 July 2021]

I don't know... this film wasn't for me. Nothing really that substantial happened, practically at all. It just seemed a little too bland. In a weird way it felt like it was trying to be another Brokeback Mountain, but it was just missing far too much for it to become anything.

Definitely worth your time

[lasttimeisaw · 8/10 · 12 April 2016]

Director/writer Yen Tan, born in Malaysia, but has based his films firmly in the US queer cinema soil, PIT STOP is his third feature, surprisingly nabbed a nomination for John Cassavetes Award in 2014 Independent Spirt Awards, which on a bright side, bespeaks that it is not an usual homo-erotic fare cranked out to gratifying its niche demography.

There are two paralleled stories take place in a small town called Dodge, Texas, about two gay men, Gabe (Heck) and Ernesto (DeAnda), they are strangers in the beginning and destined to meet, but Tan patiently spends three-quarters of the time deconstructing their respective relationship snags, then consummates their encounter with an intimate and romantic finish touch to imply that a brand new start is beckoning.

It is refreshing to find out that our protagonists are not stereotyped urban hipsters this time, their blue-collar background may suggest that they are more prone to homophobic hostility within their social circles, so thanks God that Tan wisely leaves enough lacunae to that front, since it is too stale and insignificant compared with what he intends to explore, the inner states which mostly reflects from their relations with the closest ones.

Gabe is a construction work contractor, he was married before, and is recently dumped by his partner, a closeted family man, who backtracks on their decision to start a new life together. Gabe is still in good term with his ex-wife Shannon (Seimetz), and after the break-up he decides to raise their 6-year-old daughter together. Both him and Shannon need to move forward, but it is easier said than done, Shannon wants to go back to the familiar more-than-friends status, but the reality proves that it is a convenient option but not a sensible one.

Ernesto, a Mexican immigrant, is in another paradox, he breaks up with his young boyfriend Luis (Maduro) but the latter still lives in his apartment, he asserts to move out but procrastinates. Meanwhile Ernesto is taking care of another ex, who is unconscious in a coma, and has no one else. So, for Ernesto, it is time to clear his mind and stop dithering about responsibilities which overstay their welcome, just because he has a kind heart.

Gabe has a dog and Ernesto has a cat, through their interactions with pets, their personalities are artfully displayed, the entire film is meandering in an unhurried pace, and renders a minute dedication to every set piece without any whiff of pretentiousness and self-indulgence. The two leads are pretty awesome in their inward struggle, Bill Heck, is particularly touching in bringing about Gabe's frame of mind.

The titular pit stop, is a gas station where both Gabe and Ernesto constantly stop by but never linger longer enough to be acquainted with, that is why their eventual meet is so rewarding because audience has been watching closely to those two lonely souls fumble through their disoriented life and try to get on the right orbit. To sum up, PIT STOP is an unostentatiously heart- warming romance with both sincerity and affection, it is definitely worth your time.

Dreary film about dreary people

[etiennestories · 1/10 · 15 June 2020]

The only thing one can say about this movie is WHY? What a waste of time and film. We see several dreary people and get a glimpse into a tiny slice of their dreary little lives. Most of the men in the film are too lazy to shave, and there are absolutely NO attractive people at all.

One of the best gay themed films ever

[lusciousmuffins · 10/10 · 1 November 2015]

This film is an excellent example of great storytelling. It's a simple film that relies on subtly to tell a deeply human tale, instead of gratuitous sex, massive explosions or over the top violence. In short, if you enjoy films that explore real life, then this film is for you.

Pit Stop succeeds in delivering a very authentic depiction of a part of American life that doesn't get a lot of unbiased coverage. Another aspect of this film which is refreshing when compared with other LGBT films is that it has what I would consider to be an overall positive message. That does not mean it is devoid of angst and conflict; however, this film does a better than average job of balancing the very real challenges many gay men face with a thread of hope and an emphasis on personal fulfillment.

Speaking as a straight woman, I also found this film to be one which has value that extends beyond the LGBT community. Put another way, it really is a film for everyone. It does not depict gay people as living in a bubble, nor does it use straight people as mere props. The straight characters have depth and are portrayed sympathetically, which are things I find many LGBT themed films lack. I highly recommend Pit Stop to anyone who enjoys movies about everyday people and think it would be an especially worthwhile movie to watch for anyone with a gay family member or friend.

Slow Slice of Life Drama Meanders to a Climax (sort of literally)

[bravesguy · 4/10 · 8 April 2020]

This film is one of the most unevenly paced films I've ever seen. The first 60 minutes are a glacially-paced drama involving two lonely men with complex relationships. They spend that entire time apart, and the actual romance between them only occurs in the final fifteen minutes and is rushed and incomplete. The first part could have been trimmed down enormously but instead meanders through the relationships of the supporting characters for far too long. At one point I was genuinely wondering if the film was about Gabe and Ernesto or about Gabe's wife and her date. Far too many shots linger over the characters, while driving and singing and while sitting petting cats, etc. I think the loneliness can be sold quicker than that.

I could easily re-envision this film as a taut 30 minutes setting up the two main characters' lonely lives followed by a final hour dealing with a fully fledged romance. Instead, we got an 80 minute film of mostly unfocused fluff.

It's an intimate portrait, sure, but it could have been so much more with a script overhaul and a better editor.

Boring And Did Not Catched My Eye!

[javierubio · 5/10 · 16 April 2020]

I started to read the other rating from other people in here and i am extremely surprised some of them gave 10/10. i am not agree with that at all. First of all the story about these 2 gay man is terribly confusing and with different stories all mixed in a slow boring set of scenes and the acting was really poor specially Luis , Ernesto's ex boyfriend. i am not agree either this is one of the best romantic movies in gay film! Even the movie was focused on Ernesto And Gabe as the center of the drama, there were many scenes were I really got lost because i think is was not about them but about the people around them and that did not work as a romantic movie! Only because sounded as real life drama saved it from thinking it was a horrible film, but the stillness with not a real topic to hold from made it very boring!