THE GAY ODD COUPLE:
Jason Flemyng (left) as Tonio
and Antony Sher as Jack.
Starring
Jason Flemyng and Antony Sher
Reviewed by Blase DiStefano
|
THE GAY ODD COUPLE: Jason Flemyng (left) as Tonio and Antony Sher as Jack. |
At the beginning of ALIVE & KICKING, you might get the impression that enduring pain is a necessary part of life. Trust your impression. But also trust that watching the film will not be a painful experience; it is, however, an emotional one.
ALIVE & KICKING, written by Martin Sherman (BENT), is set against the backdrop of dance, with the real focus being the relationship between Tonio, an HIV-positive ballet dancer, and Jack, an HIV-negative therapist. Odd coupling, you might say. You bet. But get ready for some interesting insights into gay relationships.
Why does an attractive and talented young dancer who could have his pick of almost any hunk, instead choose an aging man with a bit of a paunch and a bit of an alcohol problem? Is it really love? ALIVE & KICKING should keep you interested enough to care to find out.
ALIVE & KICKING won the audience prize at both the London and Hamptons film festivals, and Jason Flemyng was awarded Best Actor at the 1996 Geneva Film Festival for his performance as the cocky dancer.
["Alive & Kicking" played in September 1997
at Houston's Landmark Greenway Theatre.]
[This review ran in OutSmart magazine, September 1997.]
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