Rating: 
Summary: NICE FILM
Review: This is a delightful movie. All roles are taken by good American character actors. I know that the writter of the play and of the script plays the lead (Eli). He is believable and very likeable.
What I enjoyed, the most, about this film, is that the gay charcters are just part of the whole fabric of the film. Their "gayness" is not the issue. As (most of the time) in real life, the film shows that gay people have the same problems, joys, hopes, and romantic dreams as anyone else does. The movie is simply about two guys that are the opposite of each other and about how they try to workout their differences due to the fact that they are falling in love with each other--both characters bring to the the relationship a lot of psychological garbage mainly stemming from childhood and/or dysfunctional parents. The flash backs are hysterical especially the ones about the psychologist parents.
One of my favorite actresses, Doris Roberts, has a small role that she makes simply wonderful by acting everyone else under the table.
Tom would be a character that I normally would not care too much for (my affections and sympathies being more with Eli); however, due to the skill of the actor portraying Tom, I really grew to understand, appreciate and sympathize with him. The actor is "butcher than thou" but still likeable.
In closing, if you desire a nice romantic movie to curl-up to--with or without someone, buy this film.
Rating: 
Summary: Was this a pilot for a sitcom or a soap opera?
Review: All Over the Guy is a welcome addition to the genre which omits any homophobia or the angst of coming out and instead deals with a relationship between a couple of twenty-somethings.
The film tells two love stories that are variations on the theme of 'opposites attract.' A straight love story, which is more entertaining because it's characters are less inhibited, proceeds to marriage at several times the speed of light for reasons which are not apparent to me, unless a 10% discount on home furnishings is a much bigger factor in straight marriages than I had ever imagined. All the better to contrast, however, with all the obstacles the two gay guys keep throwing in each other's way.Dan Bucatinsky is Eli and Richard Ruccolo is Tom in the gay love story; between them they bring enough baggage to their prospective relationship to sink the Titanic on a warm, sunny day in the Tropics. Ruccolo is not the actor from 'Two Guys a Girl and A Pizza Place' I would have expected to show up in a gay love story and I did not care for him at first but nuances of his performance have impressed me on subsequent viewings. Still, he is not very
convincing either as an alcoholic or recovering alcoholic or even as a drunk (btdt). As Tom, a Special Ed teacher, he is very involved with his kids but judgmental and unapproachable to he rest of the world, unless you have a drink in your hand. Screenwriter and producer Bucatinsky plays the choice role of Eli well. He is a manipulator, a little nerdy, a little nellie, a bit of a voyeur and an exhibitionist. He has eyes that make him look like he's the one with the problem with the bottle. Raised on the psychobabble of est, Eli has an addiction, like Tom, but not to the bottle: he's desperate for a man, and willing to put up with anything to get one. What he see's in Tom is never very apparent to me.
The supporting roles are all well played. Sasha Alexander and Adam Goldberg as the straight couple are cute and entertaining even if their supposed attraction is incomprehensible to me. The roles of the parents of Tom and Eli are very well acted also. I shudder at every scene with Eli's creepy-feely parents. Doris Roberts of 'Everybody Loves Raymond' is excellent as the gosspy receptionist at the AIDS clinic, but the role is a lame story-telling device. But for all it's plusses the film gives me no great satisfaction. It seems shot for the small screen, not the big one, entertainingly cute and not so offensive or passionate or probing of the issues or larger than life that it couldn't slip into your living room once a week, same time, same channel, for a couple of years and not really make much difference whether you missed an episode or two now and then, like most sitcoms or TV melodramas.
The characters mouth platitudes about relationships and cliched lines - Tom's 'You do the math' is particularly overworked and not very applicable to some of the situations in which he tosses it out - and a few truly horrible ones. Tom says to an acquaintance at an AA meeting "and then we went where two men have never gone before," Oh yeah? I kinda doubt it. Eli says to Tom on their second time in bed together "do you have a thingy?" It's not really much of a love story, when you get down to it. The characters have too many annoying character defects and seem too ill-suited to each other for me to really care much whether they ever get around to admitting they care about each other at all and I don't feel much of a sense of jubilation at the end when they finally do. I give 'em about 6 months. I give the straight couple a couple of years before she wants some new furniture. I give the movie 3 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding, more true-to-life than anything I've seen ...
Review: What a story! What dialogue! What a cast! Certainly there is a bit of cliché, but for the most part this smacks of realism in a way too infrequently encountered in film, especially in this genre (and clichés, like it or not, do exist in real life!). The storyline is engaging, the actors are so well-cast I felt like I was observing friends in their daily lives. Being that realistic, some people will love this film and some will loathe it, and many will find a happy in-between place in their hearts for this film, which runs the emotional gamut and pushes most of your buttons. Bravo to Dan Bucatinsky and his vision, and bravo to the people who saw the same vision clearly enough to bring it to the screen.
Rating:
Summary: Games people play in relationships
Review: The basic premise of the film (Straight friends of gay men play matchmaker) didn't have me expecting much of this, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it goes way beyond that, more of a comment on "relationships" in general.
The guy and gal who played "matchmaker" are developing their own relationship at the same time as the gay male couple they introduced, and the ongoing comparison/contrast is quite entertaining and enlightening. Those who dislike "formula" gay-themed films (In my opinion, "In & Out" is rightly attacked in this film as unrealistic and contrived) will especially like this fresh approach, fleshed out with vivid characterizations that make it impossible not to "take sides" in the arguments that develop between the two sets of couples. It stays enjoyable and realistic up until the end of the film.
Rating:
Summary: Dysfunctionality never was so sweet or funny
Review: This sometimes intense and often realistic view of gay culture and how parents influence our lives, as much as we resist. Surprisingly a cast of recognizeable stars- which is refreshing. The main characters are thrown together and resist demons from their past as they try to find love. We are provided a contrast between straight and gay relationships and the mixture of their friendships. The humor is quick and breaks up the emotions of Tom trying to overcome alcholic tendancies and images of a broken and drunk home as he tries to find love with Eli. Ultimately, fighting these demons and allowing love to take wings is a re-assuring message. Positive images of gays and straights from the twenty-some-thing group, who are obviously well-off (this may make it seem too idealistic), is also a nice change.
Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: I thought this was a cute movie. The characters are lovable and well acted. It's interesting when two guys from two different worlds meet and fall in love. Richard Ruccolo has a cute and wonderful personality when he's not so grumpy. It's good to see a movie with gay people who don't do drugs. Well...one is an alcoholic but he quits. To me that earns this movie 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: It was sweet really---but call a spade a spade
Review: I tend to think the majority of "our people" are so desperate to see gay movies that anything that shows two men kissing or hugging is automatically "incredible". Odd, since we're suppossed to be so creative. OK- that being said, it really is just an ok movie. It's about as real and fun as America's Sweethearts. It's silly, it's highon one liners and low on logical devleopment and in general some things feel like they are thrown in just so a star can make an appearance. But there is something about the goofy, hopeless romantic message that makes you watch it more than once. Another point in its favor--it is surprisigly "non-stereotypical" (for a gay film anyway). You might actually know people somewhat like the characters. The truth is, you can't help feeling a little bit happy over the whole tale. As unbeleivable as they gayleads are as a couple--and as cartoonish and predictable their personalities ("Oh an alcoholic", "OH my, a love sick boy" etc etc) you have to smile when it all works out in the end. Probably because deep down, I think everyone wishes for a happy ending. I bought the movie -- I'm glad I did. I show it to people sometime for fun. It's not a regular Saturday night feature---but it has its place. You should definetly buy it.
Rating:
Summary: A Gay movie with substance, thank god!
Review: I love Trick, Birdcage, and all the other gay films that are out there--but very few lack true substance. This movie has substance. Two relatively normal guys, who don't go clubbing every night or dub as drag queens on the weekend, meet and slowly fall in love. I thought it was beautiful...and the AIDS receptionist was splendidly funny!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best gay films I've seen
Review: I know many will disagree with me when I say this is one of the best gay films out there. I'll be the first to admit that I'm difficult to please when it comes to gay films: ... So when I saw this movie, I must admit my hopes weren't that high. But this movie did more than pass that meager bar. Bucatinsky and Ruccolo put forth great performances as the lead (gay) couple, neither of them camping it up or relying on overblown stereotypes (with the exception of a few "all gay men like xyz" type jokes). At the same time, neither man's straight-acting character comes anywhere near the closet either: there is little indication of either character being anything other than who they *are*. The love story is tortuous, but then I guess that's the point. Ruccolo's character is flawed and has a difficult time allowing himself to fall in love. Bucatinsky's character -- well, maybe he's a little too much of a pushover, but it made for a great ending. I like how the movie shied away from the typical "riding off into the sunset" ending in favor of a simply, slightly optimistic (but no promises) fade-off. I'm glad I own this DVD -- it will likely be one of my more-used gay-themed DVDs.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad...
Review: I admit it I bought this movie because I think Richard Ruccolo is adorable. And he definitely is in this movie. That alone is reason enough to view. And the movie isn't bad; however, it's no When Harry Met Sally either. The love tiffs between Ruccolo and Bucatinsky are cute, but maybe a little over the top. The mood just doesn't seem to be there for me. This movie is still an important addition to the gay repertoire, but only gets three stars from me.
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