Rating: 
Summary: An encouraging first film....
Review: I have to say that I did enjoy the film very much - despite some of the some of awkwardness. The lead characters are believable if not always realistic. Most of the technical aspects of the film show that the production team made an attempt to pay attention to detail. More so that some 80+ million dollar films that I've seen lately. The only real awkwardness of the film, for me, was that most of the college students were so insulated from any sort of gay community. Most schools today have some sort of gay outreach/organization. That's easy to forgive though since the location is never mentioned (even though some of Los Angeles landmarks show up). I think the director will get better with time - he learn little tricks of subtlety and suggestion. The same goes for the actors. There aren't a lot of hollywood actors that would take on parts in tiny films like this.
Rating: 
Summary: Two "Excellent" votes for Defying Gravity
Review: Griff is your typical (?) closeted college student. Rushing out of his non-boyfriend's place in the morning so his frat brothers won't suspect anything. Lying to his close friends (and himself)about where he's going and what he's doing. And trying to lead a "normal" life without going down that lonely and sometimes unforgiving road in order to just be who he really is. Problem is, he can't stay there forever. When an all too real and horrible event occurs, he is forced to finally deal with who he is, and who he cares about. In general, I loved the movie. Yes, sometimes the dialogue is a little strained, or it seems like the actors are "faking" it just to get by. But I tend to overlook those minor flaws and focus on the very realistic story line, relationships between good friends on a tough issue, and the support network that can arise when it's most needed. I own the VHS version, and loaned it to my sis who also loved the flick. She told me she cried some (but she always cries in movies), which is a good thing. So we've got at least two big EXCELLENTs for the movie.
Rating:
Summary: A pleasant ¿ if flawed ¿ surprise
Review: A friend of mine made me watch this and I wasn't expecting much. I've found most gay-themed movies to be fairly trite and burdened by poor acting and low production quality. "Defying Gravity" suffers from some subpar performances and, cinematically speaking, it's not much. (It sort of looks like an "Afterschool Special.") But its heart is in the right place, and it remains surprising throughout. There are also some wonderful touches. My favorite is when Griff and Pete, who are secret lovers, are hiking with their oblivious straight friend, Todd. The two lovers fall back a moment to check out their friend's butt. It's a quiet, funny moment. Also be sure to catch a bittersweet interlude in a tree and a great joke about boxer shorts. If you look past its flaws, you'll see that "Defying Gravity" is a sweet, big-hearted movie.
Rating: 
Summary: A realistic gay story
Review: I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought the movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, this is a low-budget movie, but I really enjoyed the fact that it tells the story of so many people around the world. Someone, in college, is starting to come to terms with being gay. Every expression, every comment that Griff makes, when he turns away from his best friend and his girlfriend when they kiss, I can relate. Not everyone here is out and loud and waiting to sleep with everyone else. The movie shows the many stages of coming out, with Pete much more comfortable of himself than Griff. I was a bit disappointed that some of the scenes were predictable and the gay-bashing to get Griff out of the closet was not necessarily needed, although it did show how homophobic some of the frat brothers were (and not just the ones who were responsible). Maybe this film will help other college students face their being gay.
Rating: 
Summary: Stupid Movie
Review: I've never seen such bad writing and acting in a movie until I saw "Defying Gravity." It was slow from beginning to end and the ending was way too cliche. Probably the worst gay themed movie I've ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Movie
Review: I absolutely love this movie. It is a very realistic depiction of how gays and lesbians deal with coming out of the closet in college. Griff and Pete met and fell in love in a fraternity house. Pete moves out of the house and starts living a semi-open gay lifestyle. Griff is still living in the house and is still completely closeted. The relationship between Griff and Pete quickly disintegrates because Pete is getting tired of Griff's refusal to quit living a lie--Pete gets really upset when Griff starts flirting with this girl right in front of him. Their relationship is basically over--in that they have had a big fight--so they go their separate ways and Pete is immediately gay bashed and spends most of the remainder of the movie in a coma. Griff's life is immediately thrown into turmoil as he starts to come to terms with the guilt he feels over the fact that he was not there for Pete when he needed him most--Griff had seen the truck following Pete down the street and he had this feeling that something was not right but he ignored it and drove off. As Griff's life starts to come apart he meets this girl who is a lesbian and is also firmly in the closet--they become friends of sorts and offer some emotional support for each other as they deal with the issue of coming out. Griff also has problems with his best friend in the house because he is grieving for Pete and trying to figure out what he is going to do, and he cannot tell his friend any of this because he is not out--When Griff and his friend first find out that Pete is in the hospital they go and there is police detective there that asks them questions and Griff completely denies having been with Pete right before he is attacked. However, Griff comes to realize that he loves Pete enough to come out of the closet, and he eventually tells his friend, who urges him to go to the police, and does not act at all negatively to the news that his best friend is gay. There is one really poignant moment where Griff's best friend and girl friend are displaying affection in public and Griff and Pete are standing right next to each other, watching this going on, with looks of such envy on their faces that it breaks my heart that there are so many people out there who react so negatively to homosexual relationships.
Rating:
Summary: FINALLY!
Review: It is so pleasent to once in a while have a movie that does NOT hand us the same old tired routine. The gay guy with the crush on his "Open Minded Friend" the Wise Cracking (...) Hag, the Brave in the face of tragedy Drag queen, or the sassy queen. Sheesh. This film is about a realtionship where one guy has come to grips with being gay and for a while the other is still scared and trying to keep one foot in both worlds. I found this story a nice surprise and was so glad I rented it I bought the DVD. The actors reminded me of people I knew in school and it is nice to watch a film that you identify with. I recomend this to all you guys looking for time off from depressing preachy gay movies so curl up on the couch with the guy in your life and watch.....Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Defying Gravity
Review: Wolfe DVD's have excellent picture quality, but the sound does leave something to be desired. I have purchased many of their DVD's and most of them have extremely poor sound quality.
Rating:
Summary: Moving and Thought-Provoking Gay Love Story
Review: "Defying Gravity" is a touching and honest story about peer pressure and coming out on campus. Griff and Pete are both at very different places emotionally. Pete is comfortable being gay and he is ready to start living his life to the fullest. Ironically and tragically, just as Pete makes this life-affirming decision, he receives an unexpected blow. So it's up to the closeted Griff to re-evaluate his priorities and his assumptions about gay people and gay life. In the process, he realizes just how much he loves Pete. Daniel Chilson gives an effective performance as the struggling Griff. He's good at conveying the nervous energy of a closeted gay man. He goes from being the consummate frat jock to revealing the big heart underneath without altering his personality. Chilson is an actor who says a lot with his eyes (one scene, where the fraternity brothers are dissing Pete while watching the story of his gay-bashing on the news, is especially moving... you can see Griff's eyes burning with resentment towards his brothers, shame at his own closeted self, and anger and determination to make a change... all without Chilson saying a word). Nicklaus Lange's performance is a nice surprise as the fraternity brother who accepts Griff and sticks by him during his coming out process. And Don Handfield is appealing as Pete, and you wish he had more screen time. The scenes with Pete and Griff together are the sweetest moments in the film... too bad there couldn't have been a few more of those. Speaking of the scenes with Griff and Pete... after the closing credits, keep watching... or else you'll miss the cutest and most romantic moment.
Rating:
Summary: Easy to relate to, even if the performances sucked!
Review: Oftentimes, a movie will try to get a point across through its plot, but will not have enough issues or occurrences for the audience to relate to in order for them to fully experience the message hoping to be conveyed. "Defying Gravity" is not one of them. The plot deals with real issues that an occur to anyone on a daily basis. It also teaches a lesson in the end, a lesson in tolerance and equality. It is one of the best gay-themed films ever made. Griff is your average, everyday, boy-next-door kind of guy, who enjoys going to college and being part of a fraternity of close-knit jocks. Or so we think. The opening of the film shows him leaving someone's house, hurrying to dress and running out the door and back to his sorority house. He seems distanced from the other guys, though he tries to hide it from them. That morning, he and his buddy give their friend Pete a ride to classes, and there seems to be tension between Pete and Griff in the car. Throughout the day, Griff goes out of his way to ignore Pete, and at the end of the day, they finally confront one another, and we learn that Griff and Pete have been fooling around for a while. They decide to meet the next night to talk things over, and Griff realizes that Pete wants more from their being together than he can handle at the moment. They leave the bar in an argument, and Pete goes off by himself down an alley, where he is followed by a strange truck. The next day, Griff is confronted by his fraternity as to his whereabouts the previous night, when a newscast appears showing Pete's face, and a story about his brutal beating and hospitalization. This sends Griff into a whirlpool of emotion, as he begins to analyze his feelings for Pete, his homosexuality, and how he is going to begin to deal with coming out. The best thing about this film is that it does not have the regular, big-budget movie look to it, which makes it all the more believable and realistic. The story and dialogue all sound very natural, and they all work together in conveying the emotions and actions that are felt and taken by the characters. Griff is the emotional core of the film, as he reminisces back to his good times with Pete, and as he tries to comprehend what he is feeling and what he will do about it. John Kietel is perfect in his direction of the actors and the filming of the movie. Unlike some movies with homosexual storylines and themes, this one chooses to focus more on the monogamous side of same-sex relationships, rather than use it to exploit the sexual side of gay living. The actors for this film do such a great job in making each character articulate and real. Daniel Chilson portrays Griff, and does so with a great deal of powerful, moving emotion. His performance will evoke tears in those who can relate to what he is going through, not to mention that his good looks will keep all viewers awake and attentive. Niklaus Lange plays Pete, and while he has his time onscreen, he makes us believe in what he feels for Griff, that he wants something more than just one-nighters and pleasurable thrills. Not to be taken lightly, but ultimately enjoyable and moving, "Defying Gravity" is one of the finest films for the gay genre, telling a haunting story that has become a painful reality for many in this world. Watch it with someone you love; you will not be disappointed.
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