Rating: 
Summary: A First Film's Imbalances, but Most Romantic Kiss Ever
Review: This is Purvis's first film, and it benefits and suffers from typical first-film issues: great attention to cinematography, colors, scenery, etc., some difficulty in plot and character development and pacing. This is an indie in the truest sense. I think, however, it merrits viewing.The story focuses on a young man and his female cousin, both the last two of their generation stuck in a small, rural Southern town. The red dirt of the title is a prominent thematic in both the soil of the land and even the tint to the cousin's hair. Out of pure drugery and directionlessness, the two cousins engage in a sexual relationship devoid of any passion--a metaphor for their entire condition in this small town. The young man lives with his aunt who has suffered from mental illness ever since the death of his parents, and an important side story examines the aunt's emergence from mental illness to greater participation in the world. Eventually, an attractive stranger shows up to rent the cottage in back of the house, played by very attractive Walt Goggins. The stranger and the young man become fast friends, having much in common and sharing a need for "direction." The development of this relationship should have been the focus of the plot, but Purvis glosses over how and why the friendship takes on the intensity that it is. In short, the two men are falling in love--but it takes a while to get to the point where they are clear that that is happening to them. When it finally does--watch out! Their kiss is the most romantic kiss in cinema I have seen, gay or straight. it is not a sloppy, sexual kiss at all--it is a meaningful, sensual kiss that is at once an act of coming-out, an act of defiance, and act of self-preservation, and an act of intense love. I have to say that the sloth of the rest of the movie was truly worth it to appreciate this particular moment. This is a fine first showing from Purvis, and I would welcome a remake of this particular film one day (with the same cast) with greater attention to pacing and focused, salient plot and character development. The movie is worth seeing especially if you are a film buff or are interested in watching the evolution of a director's career. I expect Purvis will blossom into a major player.
Rating: 
Summary: REALLY strange, oddly seductive
Review: At first you wonder what kind of wierd, slow-motion, Gothic pastoral you've wandered into here: Karen Black WAY over the top as a crazy old southern lady languishing in a backwoods Mississippi victorian house; out front incestuous cousins are lolling in the frog pond; the actors, with abominable southern accents are reading from an overblown script, pondering life's mysteries, dreamily muttering profundities like coffee house intellectuals in a Swedish art movie. But in spite of everything the damn thing sucks you in, Karen Black turns out to be amazing, and when the male love interest shows up, hubba hubba. It all somehow works, till the ending (which is long overdue), where they totally cop out and Gay love dare not consumate itself on the aforementioned Red Dirt. No one gets what they want, and everything just kind of sinks back down beneath the lily pads....
Rating:
Summary: Ultimately Satisfying
Review: I won't bore you with a synopsis of this film - too many others have already done that. I will simply say that although it has some pacing and plot problems, and more than a few transitional issues where characters suddenly change their attitiudes and/or demeanors regarding complicated matters, "Red Dirt" is ultimately a very satisfying viewing experience. What saves it is the very beautiful and believable ending (about the last 30 minutes of the film). I tend to be somewhat cynical to the point of favoring dark, harsh realism to sappy sentimentality, but I loved "Red Dirt's" wonderfully emotional and slightly sad ending. The last quarter of this film is well worth your investment in the first three-quarters.
Rating:
Summary: A Well Done Gay-Themed Film
Review: You have to have a bit of patience with the actors. They seem to be thinking a little too much and communicating a bit too little. But it is well done and certainly a cut above most gay-themed movies available. The video quality and production is of good quality, but the audio could have been given some attention to get better balance. Trust me, you'll enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacks credibility
Review: Rich cinematography, artistic direction and an effective setting help "Red Dirt" convey a mood of sweltering Southern gothic decadance but it is unfortunatelly not enough to recommend this film. The film, concerning a young man coming to grips with life in a small Mississippi town while caring for his mentally unstable aunt and eventual coming out, is slow to develop and the weak script fails to ignite any credibility. The revelation that there is a romantic attraction between the two male actors is as unconvincing as the kiss between them in the final scene. Basically, the actors are fine except that they try to speak in a ridiculous Southern aristocratic accent which, news flash!, no longer exists in the contemporary South. Karen Black, always an interesting and talented actress, seems to have watched too many Tennessee Williams plays for her character. And, on another ludicrous note, gardeners in the South begin to harvest their tomatoes in June, not begin to plant them!
Rating:
Summary: okay, but frustrating
Review: This movie was a disappointment. It seems that the director is as afraid of homosexuality as the lead, Griffith, is. He has Lee and Griffith fall in love, and Lee realizes the depth to which their friendship has grown. But Griffith is terrified of loving another man, hits Lee, and ends their friendship. When Lee returns after several months, Griffith has accepted his feelings, and is very glad to see Lee return. They look at each other with hunger in their eyes, and embrace with a short, pure kiss, end of embrace. It's just not believable. Then Lee leaves for good. I'm sorry, but I want a happy ending. Maybe happy ending are not always real, but I watch movies for entertainment, not frustration. The movie is well done, and if the director had just allowed the leads to have some type of relationship, it could have been a good movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Eternally Appropriate
Review: I hope that out of all the terror that has confronted this country, we take time out to examine our lives and to take a hard look at the types of movies that clog our cineplexes. Red Dirt is a story of family and redemption, of the conquering power of goodness, without having to witness a blood bath in the process. The film is not even about acceptance, although certainly the director could have gone in that to be expected direction. Red Dirt is about being connected with people and place. In a word...belonging. It is about love, without having to define in narrow terms, exactly what love is.
Rating:
Summary: A DANGLING PARTICIPLE-SWEATY SOUTHERN STYLE!
Review: I really wanted to like this movie, and for the most part it was entertaining.
Tag purvis, whoever he is, captured the southern psyche in this semi-quasi-homo-erotic -incestuous-brooding-sweaty tale, of woe.
Purvis wanders around our characters as a 5 year old in a candy store. He just cannot seem to be able to pick the candy he wants, but,he has all these choices.
Unfortunatly for us he is like a southern honey-bee, trying to pollinate all, but, is unable to bring to fruit, (no pun tended) the essence of his characters.
There is a great scene of Palladino and Dan making love under a tree, and the way Dans' foot slips in and out of his pant-leg in rhythm , is very turn-on!!
Karen Black did a fair job of the southern stressed woman, and Palladino as the cousin and lover of Griffith (Dan Montgomery),does a great job.
Lee,(Walton Goggins)comes to town and rents a cottage that Griffith is fixing up to rent. There is an instant rapport between Lee and Griffith and they spend much time together, working on the cottage, (which I would die for) but, we cannot see this develope as the camera is focusing on Karen and Pallodino.
Things come to a head when Griffith tells his aunt Karen and cousin, that he is leaving with Lee. Lee is trying to get him to leave, as he can see the emptiness in Griffith and the total futility of staying in this hick town and the bad relationship with his cousin.They draw blood on their palms and make a vow to leave.
Pallidino accuses Griffith of being in love with Lee, and Griffith reacts violently to Pallidino, and tries to rape her to prove his manhood, she fights him off and he goes to find Lee. He confronts Lee, denies his feelings for him, hitting Lee and knocking Lee down.
Lee leaves town, going to Calif. as he and Griff had planned, Pallidino leaves town and Griffith is still there, now alone, as he had told Pallidino he did not love her and their affair was wrong.
Lee returns, as he cannot leave without saying how sorry he was for assuming Griffs' love. Griffith is very glad to see him. There is a scene of the two men looking longingly at each other, and saying how sorry they were to fight. They get closer together and finally kiss. Now this is where Purvis drops the ball. All this longing, pent-up emotion between these two great looking men and all Purvis does is let them have a 3 second kiss. Not even-opened-mouth. With that much virile emotion, and their lips touching, they would have been overwhelmed by passion and that kiss should have been as if they were devouring each other; and then gone off into the woods.
Some say they like that the movie did not go any further, but I say if you have two men, gay or straight acting like gay men, then they (Director) and actors should have enough guts to make it at least look as though they really meant it.
i.e. 'The Velocity of Gary', 'Urbania', to name a few. You never saw them in bed , but, their characters were loving to each other and their kiss's were believable. Red Dirt took the gay movie and sent it back to the darkness!!
I bought this DVD and will add it to my collection. But, I will think twice about buying another Tag Pervus and or Windstar video. Dont even look at the perk,"Peas and Corn". A side show by Pervus.ciao yaaah69
Rating:
Summary: RED DIRT ROCKS
Review: I was completely blown away by this movie. I don't think it is for everyone......true. But if you are into strong, independent films that don't need explosions and cookie cutter plots, you'll want to see this one. Not knowing anything about the movie, I was encouraged to get the film after reading some of the Amazon reviews. And I am really glad that I did as it is certainly one of my favorites.
It's not fair to call Red Dirt a gay film, as it is one of those rare films where a character just happens to be gay. That's the point. Too many films focus only on the homosexuality, here the director has wisely chosen to go beyond that. These are likeable characters that feel real in believable situations, regardless of your sexuality. It is well crafted, beautifully written and full of memorable performances that have a firm grasp on the complexity of the human condition.
Rating: 
Summary: Wow, this is bad
Review: I've never reviewed a movie here before, but I felt an obligation to the community. This is the worst movie I've ever seen. If it were just slightly worse it might be funny enough to redeem itself. But it's not. It's just bad. High school script writing, atrocious direction, nearly comical southern accents. I was embarrassed by watching it.
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