Treading Water

Rating:
Summary: Worth seeing.
Review: This film didn't really live up to my expectations. It's low budget and that's obvious. The quality of acting isn't quite up to par, but the characters are genuine. As far as the plot, it's a little too anticlimactic. You keep waiting for something significant to happen, and nothing does. What is supposed to be a major event isn't.
Despite all my criticism, it IS worth viewing, maybe not buying. You do empathise with the characters, and the journey to that anit-climax is an interesting one. The mother is someone every out gay person has dealt with at one time or another, and it's both comforting and painful to see her and her daughter interact.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful love story between beautiful women.
Review: This is good film based primarily on the two main actresses. While the storyline can be frustrating at times, it is revitalized each time beautiful Nina Landey (Alex) is on screen. The two women have great chemistry that makes you enjoy them without needing them to be explicitly sexual. The movie will not give you a nice Hollywood ending, but shows you that true love does not end because of a dissaproving family. This movie can be very true to life, and is best if the viewer focuses on the bond of the two main characters, not the problems of the family. Overall, a nice, realistic love story that I would recommend.

Rating:
Summary: Best Ever
Review: This is my most favorite film. I have owned it for not even a week now and probably have watched it around 10 times. I know that it sounds like obsession, but its not. I loved it, love it! I watched it with my girlfriend and the story plot is so much like our lives and situation. Im Casey and she is Alex. I have an upper-class dominating family that is awful towards my girlfriend, but yet I cant just kick them out of my life. I love the intimate realtionship that Casey and Alex have. I also love to watch this movie with the commentary: Lauren, Angie, and Nina are hilarious but I love it. Angela Redman is now my favorite actress. Im ready to see more moivies from Lauren Trimmel.

Rating:
Summary: not bad, not bad at all...
Review: This movie was actually quite good, especially compared with the lesbian films out there. It had a plot (which always helps), pretty good acting, and characters that are easy to love. It will eventually be added to my collection.

Rating:
Summary: drown me now
Review: this was a plot-less film with zero experienced film makers and actresses...no style...just drown this film rent if you have to see it...remember curiosity killed the cat

Rating:
Summary: Good Commentary, Bad Movie
Review: Treading Water
Review by T.E.W. Wills ([e-mail])
(This review refers to the DVD)
Taken as a just a movie and not specifically of the lesbian/gay genre, my observations would be as follows.
The plot and theme is a well-worn one: a parent has objections to her child's choice of a lover and conflict ensues. Technically the film is competently and even creatively shot in a mainstream sort of way. There are a couple of striking outdoor set-ups that use the New England coast nicely. There did seem to be some awkward transitions between scenes and I was a bit confused from time to time during the first viewing. The scenes involving the family tread on the edge of soap opera dialogue at times and the tension between the mother and daughter is shown but isn't really explained. Little subplots like the death of her brother's friend don't really mesh well, resulting in a fragmented feel at times.
The acting itself was actually pretty good with no one seeming out of his or her element. So, I would have to say that the major problems came from the script or lack of it at times. Taken as just another movie it was a yawner, but for a first feature it showed promise.
As a lesbian genre movie it was better than average in quality and skill in production. It was a pretty good idea and a change of pace from all of the coming of age; my parents don't know I'm gay, and political gay movies. I like the idea that it was about people who just happened to be gay. It was more about family. But, and a big BUT, I wouldn't have been interested at all in this movie if it hadn't been billed as a lesbian movie. For an independent feature it is pretty average and takes no real chances and exhibits none of the feisty independent quirkiness that classic lesbian independent films such as Claire of the Moon, Go Fish, Bar Girls, or even Everything Relative have. A touch more original humor would have added a lot.
The best part of the DVD is the commentary by the director and the two lead actresses. As I listened to what all went on during the shooting I found my self being more sympathetic and even impressed that the technical aspects managed to come out so well with the limitations of time and budget.
I would suggest that this is worth renting just for the commentary, but this is not one of those movies that I will keep and watch over and over.
As a movie-movie - one star
As a lesbian film on DVD - two stars with three and half stars for the commentary. (T.E.W.W.)

Rating:
Summary: Good Commentary, Bad Movie
Review: Treading Water
Review by T.E.W. Wills ([e-mail])
(This review refers to the DVD)
Taken as a just a movie and not specifically of the lesbian/gay genre, my observations would be as follows.
The plot and theme is a well-worn one: a parent has objections to her child's choice of a lover and conflict ensues. Technically the film is competently and even creatively shot in a mainstream sort of way. There are a couple of striking outdoor set-ups that use the New England coast nicely. There did seem to be some awkward transitions between scenes and I was a bit confused from time to time during the first viewing. The scenes involving the family tread on the edge of soap opera dialogue at times and the tension between the mother and daughter is shown but isn't really explained. Little subplots like the death of her brother's friend don't really mesh well, resulting in a fragmented feel at times.
The acting itself was actually pretty good with no one seeming out of his or her element. So, I would have to say that the major problems came from the script or lack of it at times. Taken as just another movie it was a yawner, but for a first feature it showed promise.
As a lesbian genre movie it was better than average in quality and skill in production. It was a pretty good idea and a change of pace from all of the coming of age; my parents don't know I'm gay, and political gay movies. I like the idea that it was about people who just happened to be gay. It was more about family. But, and a big BUT, I wouldn't have been interested at all in this movie if it hadn't been billed as a lesbian movie. For an independent feature it is pretty average and takes no real chances and exhibits none of the feisty independent quirkiness that classic lesbian independent films such as Claire of the Moon, Go Fish, Bar Girls, or even Everything Relative have. A touch more original humor would have added a lot.
The best part of the DVD is the commentary by the director and the two lead actresses. As I listened to what all went on during the shooting I found my self being more sympathetic and even impressed that the technical aspects managed to come out so well with the limitations of time and budget.
I would suggest that this is worth renting just for the commentary, but this is not one of those movies that I will keep and watch over and over.
As a movie-movie - one star
As a lesbian film on DVD - two stars with three and half stars for the commentary. (T.E.W.W.)

Rating:
Summary: The Tyranny of Family!
Review: What a long, stange trip it's been for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered characters in American cinema. Characters with any kind of "alternate" sexual identity or orientation were all but invisible for most of the history of the movies made in the U.S. When we finally did get "representation", it was usually in the form of stereotypes and images which were unrealistic and/or demeaning. With the advent of independent cinema and cable TV, now we have more options, and filmmakers are less restrained by the shackles of the big studios to express themselves. For the first time ever, in the early '90's, we started seeing stories about people that always existed, and seeing characters who lived in real life but not on film. In "Treading Water", director Lauren Himmel exposes the drama and family dynamics that lie below the surface of (what seems like) just another Christmas day gathering for an "ordinary" middle class American family. Movie-goers always had a thing for family drama, but in "Treading Water", we get to see it from the viewpoint of Casey, a young lesbian fisherwoman. Casey (Angela Redman) and her partner Alex (Nina Landy) are a committed couple-- they live together, make love, fight, and deal with the pressures of the outside world. Casey and Alex are in love, yet Casey's overly-controlling, ice queen of a mother (Annette Miller) shows unyieding disapproval of her daughter's looks, lifestyle, and relationship, mixing equal parts guilt with borderline cruelty. The mother uses Casey as something of a scapegoat, seeming to blame her daughter's "defiance" for the family's overall discontent. The matriarch gives Casey an ultimatum: she either comes over for the Christmas holiday without Alex, or she doesn't come at all. Casey refuses to give in. In the middle of the movie, Alex reveals a secret which threatens to affect the couple's relationship, and which forces Casey to analyze her family situation with a new sense of importance. "Treading Water" realistically depicts the plight that many lesbians and gay men face when it comes to family matters: Do we remain true to ourselves, or swallow our pride to "keep the peace"? Ironically, Casey's father is willing to let his daughter be herself, and other members of Casey's family are also accepting, including a little girl who knows that Casey is gay and in unblemished childlike simplicity, doesn't know what all the fuss is about. "Treading Water" is a provocative drama, with some comedic touches by a character named Carmen, Casey and Alex's Latina spitfire of a friend. The film shows that there are no easy answers, but it forces us to realize that sticking to what we know is right is much better than trying to please everyone