Fantastic!

Admirable film.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Why have I never heard of this film? This is stupid! I'm sort of a gay film buff right now, since I'm researching a novel - and I only recently came across this gem. I'm laughing out loud at almost every scene - this film is fantastic! In your face and subtle at the same time, attention to detail and a clean write.Why was this not the next Birdcage? This is so hilarious! People are missing out! Fire some executive, goddamn it!Sharp and sensitive writing, and playful directing, inspired acting and very, very good music. Clever, silly, sensual, serious, gross - all my fave ingredients!What went wrong? Somebody should be kicking themselves in the balls for not pushing this film harder.Thank you for creating this beautiful comedy and funny drama! My kind of thing. I offer my creative embrace, but it feels it's too little.

This is the first gay romantic comedy movie to truly be all three of those things. It is more truthfully romantic, more warm than Jeffrey, as touching as Torch Song Trilogy, as funny as the Carol Burnett show. Bravo to Craig Chester, who out-writes Paul Rudnick, out-acts Dan Futterman, and is cuter than either of them. Really. (Will this get me a date with him?) And how sweet to finally see Malcolm Gets in an out role, acting his heart out, and his butt off. Don't miss the gag reel. How many movies have a gag reel that is even funnier than the movie? Shortbus eat your heart out, whatever that director's name is. Now I'm just padding so they'll print this. What casting! What a treat to finally see Paul Sand again, not to mention Sally Kirkland and Julie Hagerty.

I hate to say it, but in this case, the old adage is true: No actor should write and direct himself and throw stones in a glasshouse with the last laugh...eh...whatever.What I'm trying to say is, that as funny as I can sense Craig being naturally at times, as little funny it is when he tries so hard to get his 'cute' lines across.Either Adam or Steve was miscast. Their attraction to each other didn't work, and that is essentially what the entire movie hinges upon. Craig Chester should have cast Steve as a lesser physically attractive man, someone with a big personality, to match Adam more evenly. OR cast Adam with a more attractive actor to match Steve. Craig/Adam's charms didn't compensate enough for the difference...OUCH, I know, but hey, I'm critical of myself too(its just this review is not, alas, about me).I love the idea of acting, producing, writing, directing oneself, but it rarely works (read: Ed Burns). So big kudos to Craig Chester for getting his film made, just a shame it was unwatchable.

ADAM AND STEVE is a movie you want to succeed: the idea of an honest gay relationship developing between two guys with a weird history and subsequent difficulties forming meaningful intimacy, the presence of four fine actors, and a film that seems to take itself not too seriously. The problem is that writer/director/star Craig Chester just seems to have put too much into his bag for one film and in doing so he diluted the strength it could have had.Adam (Craig Chester) first met Steve (Malcolm Gets) in a dance bar in 1987 where Adam (accompanied by his grossly obese friend Rhonda - Parker Posey in a fat suit) is dazzled by Steve's good looks and on a bet from Rhonda ends up on the date from hell: after snorting coke cut with baby laxative the two men become amorous with some rather embarrassing consequences. 17 years later Adam is a bird watcher guide while his friend Rhonda, now without a single pound of fat, is a sadly unsuccessful stand up comic. Adam inadvertently injures his beloved dog and in trying to get help at a human hospital encounters psychiatrist Steve and the two begin a courtship.Neither man is able to cope with the idea of monogamous intimacy yet they develop a solid relationship, despite visits with dysfunctional families (Adam's Jewish family are ridiculously accident prone while Steve's Texas redneck parents are coldly homophobic). Steve has a straight roommate Michael (Chris Kattan) who plays into Steve's life the way Rhonda plays into Adam's life. Eventually memory recovers the past, it is dealt with and the ending is very predictable - as well as bit sappy.Each of the main characters does a fine job with their respective roles. It is the sidebar diversions that mess up the storyline rather than enhancing it. Yes, much of the nonsense can be forgiven because the film's heart is in the right place, but why this talented group could not have inserted a little restraint here and there is a frustrating question with which we are left. It is an entertaining film that errs on over the top asides to the point of distraction.