Rating: 
Summary: Uneven Examination
Review: "Eban and Charley" is what it is: a film that honestly explores the ramifications of an adult's choice to have a relationship with a teenage boy. It seems that recently, a spate of gay movies are dealing with more controversial topics, for example, this movie and L.I.E. However, to just push the envelope does not a good movie make, and that unfortunately is the fate of "Eban and Charley".When watching an independent film, you should remember this film comes to us without all of the Hollywood backing and slickness that makes for a major motion picture. "Eban and Charley" is a prime example of that, with very simple sets, acting, and filming techniques. The look of this movie is very amateur, digitial camera, but in a way, that lends itself to the honesty of the film. The quietness of the script is exemplified in the filming. However, one cannot look past some major flaws. This movie is slow, and just continues to get slower as it goes on, due to some ineffective editing. In fact, I began to entertain myself trying to see if I could spot boom mikes and camera reflections in windows during the lag. Some of the acting is subpar, and often unbelievable. I didn't buy the attraction between the two leads at all, and if that doesn't work, the film doesn't work. The parents in the movie were rehashed stereotypes, with the exception of one. The story of the film works, especially the ending, but when you are not buying the picture, the story doesn't matter. Sadly, what could have been interesting ends up mildly mediocre, and a film that's going to be most likely forgotten five minutes after you view it. Or don't even view it, and go rent "Big Eden" right away!
Rating: 
Summary: forbidden love
Review: " I dont think age should matter if your love "; says Charley 15 to his lover Eban age 29.
The film starts off with Eban comming home to his parents house in Seaside Oregon during the Christmas holiday ( I thought something was up with this scene); while visiting a record store ( do we still call them that ?)he spys a young man Charley,who is purchasing a CD. The next scene has Eban going into a resturant to order a latte; " we only have coffee ". Eban see Charley at at table and ask if he can join him; soon one of Charley's friends, Kevin ( whos deaf ) enters and the two leave. Next we see Eban riding his bike thru town and joins Charlie near the boardwalk which afterwile Eban asks for a date and Charlie agrees, and watches Eban ride away on his bike ( is there some mutal intrest here ?). On there date they walk on the beach and return to Charlie's room were they undress down to there underwear to let them dry. On the second date they both go bicycling and return again to undress to let their clothes dry but Charlie sits next to Eban and........... sorry can't explain more or I will spoil the movie. I can tell you that a relationship is growing between the two and both parents find out. Charlie's dad is an ex-airforce officer and a real jerk. "take off that s--t" referring to Charlie's fingernail polish and dad holds back money for the mothers insurance, that was meant for his son (she was killed by a drunk driver the previous year). With tensions growing between father and son, Charlie seeks comfort in the arms of Eban all the while avoiding either parent(s). Forced to make a decision, the movies climatic ending is worth seeing. although the the film is not up to hollywoods standards, this doesn't distract from its touching and tender moments. Editing is a bit choppy but I loved this film all the same. Though the subject matter is controversial at best, it shows the flip side of a boy in love with an older man and wanting his company. I suggest you purchase this and view this as an alternative love story
Rating:
Summary: Good Gay Cinema!
Review: A lot of people may have issue with this movie because of it's content (an adult begins a relationship with a minor), but you really shouldn't let the actual story dictate your opinion of how good the movie is. To do that would be like saying that "Silence Of The Lambs" is a horrible movie because Hannibal Lechter kills people! That's not a good way to review a movie. This movie tells the story of an immature young man who returns to his parents house under some mysterious circumstances. Soon after arriving, he befriends a teen whose mother has recently passed away. The teen lives with his unloving, cruel father. It's obvious how the story ultimately unfolds: the teen falls in love with the young man and trouble begins when their respective families find out what's going on. However, this rather predictable story takes an unpredictable turn. You don't really want the couple to continue with their relationship because you know it's wrong, yet you sort of do (but with extreme reservations!) This low budget affair seemed like a foreign movie when I first turned it on, but alas, it's not. No subtitles! It's in English! The acting, direction, and writing is all top notch. The movie looks like it was shot directly on to videotape, yet the cinematographer (if there even was one) still manages to convey enough imagery through cold, rainy weather to give you the sort of feeling you need to have when watching a movie like this. The director tells the story concisely, and wisely avoids any meandering, boring added details that would have just detracted from what is here. There are too many movies made these days that are just unnecessarily way too long. There are a lot of good gay independent features, and there are a lot of bad ones. This is one of the good ones, and if you are a fan of gay cinema, you'll probably think it's good. I do hesitate to say that "you'll enjoy it"... it's not that kind of movie! But it is well done.
Rating:
Summary: Not For Everyone
Review: A remarkable film, especially in the current environment of sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. Both actors are extremely naturalistic and most convincing. Eban is not especially attractive, but he obviously is attractive psychologically to teen-age boys. This is not pedophilia, however, as Eban's father mistakenly calls him. The film may be too much for many, too harrowing for some. But it is riveting.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit out of whack
Review: Brent Fellows proformance as Eban ( a 29 year old )was good and I was able to believe he didn't see anything wrong with dating a 15 year old boy. The 15 year old boy "Charley" was played very well and I could almost feel his depth of feeling for Eban, I was able to believe that Charley was feeling close ( Romanticly ) for the first time. The production quality was poor and the camera work was distracting. A fair bit of hand held scenes, shakey. I would try to not place moral judgement on the film however feel this film would be a good tool for mental health professionals to use in addressing sexual preditors. Eban had some issues:)
Rating:
Summary: Save your money and buy something else!!
Review: Cinematography: This movie looks like it was shot on a home video camera. Acting: I've seen better acting in a 1st grade play. Story: With more work and effort the concept may have worked but as it stands, poor at best. I pruchased this video because I made the mistake of only reading 1 review... which happens to have been the only person who liked this movie. I disliked this movie so much that I actually logged on after watching about 3/4 of the movie to write this review. Save your money for something else.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Touchy Subject
Review: Having bought this movie on the advice of others i felt it a good chance for me to offer the same advice.
Buy or hire this movie. It is an interesting topic this film covers, that of relationships between two guys of vastly differnt ages, including 1 15 year old.
The director has approached this topic with a deal of grace second to none. The story is a little slow but it really tugs at the heart strings. I reccomend it to anyone gay or straight, it proves that love does really counquer all.
Rating:
Summary: Nasty
Review: I bought this movie because I'm a fan of the Magnetic Fields and Stephin Merritt did the soundtrack. Unfortunately, I didn't read the reviews because I would have had the sense to at least rent it first. This is a pederast's fantasy; not one of the reviews mentions statutory rape, or the fact that Eban is a repeat pedophiliac sex-offender. The weird creepiness starts right away in the beginning of the movie, as the perpetrator stalks his next victim - a very young boy. Unfortunately, Charley has no viable parental guidance available on which to depend and thereby falls victim to the pederast's lascivious plans to molest him. One commentator noted that this movie is "not for everyone;" I'd say it's not for anyone. Passing as a "gay" flick, with the pretense of an intense "love" between these two people, it's really about a 14 year old boy who is seduced by a man twice his age, who should be vilified and in jail for molestation; instead, he's free but out of a job. I'm disappointed that this story was made into a movie. It's a tired story of a developmentally arrested creepy-guy Eban setting his sights on a child with the intent of taking advantage of Charley's emotional neediness, evident immaturity and orientation complications. Unless one is a practicing pederast in desperate need of validation for the relentless pursuit of lost innocence, don't bother to see this film.
Rating:
Summary: WORST MOVIE EVER![...]
Review: I have NEVER seen a movie so poorly written, so basic in it's storyline, and with such hideous acting. If I actually believed that the actors could read I would say that someone was holding up que cards for them throughout the entire movie, that's how poor their "acting" was. I read somewhere that the creator of this piece of trash found one of the main "actors" sitting on a park bench and offered him the part. I think that it may be the only way that the creator of this movie can get dates; 'hey guy wanna be in a movie, I'll make you a STAR!'. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone that will watch this movie so I won't mention any scenes but I do suggest that someone, if only one person, trust my opinion and not bother to waste their time with this movie. I almost forgot to mention that after watching this movie, waiting for it to get better (it did when it was finally over), I took the case and dvd and threw it into the fireplace. Burning this movie gave me much enjoyment!
Rating:
Summary: Highly risky storyline but done w/sensitivity and tastefully
Review: I have to say, I was very hesitant to watch this movie, just because of the subject matter. No, I am not referring to the 'Gay' story line, I am referring to the Pedi file implications.
However, tackling a very touchy subject with sensitivity and tact, Bolton's low-budget film gives us plenty to think about. Eban (Fellows) returns to his Pacific Northwest hometown under some sort of cloud; the 29-year-old school teacher is suddenly living with his parents again, and no one's talking about what happened. Soon Eban befriends the 15-year-old Charley (Andrade), and people are starting to get worried. Is he having an inappropriate (not to mention illegal) relationship with this boy? Bolton wisely never gets into the specifics of their relationship, leaving sexual contact off screen, but we do know that Eban and Charley have fallen deeply in love with each other, and when confronted with the problems in the situation their reactions are hardly surprising. Neither are the reactions of their parents! Filmed on digital video with a slow, meandering style, the film avoids clichés at every turn, and it never preaches as it simply tells its story and presents all the arguments. It's a very difficult story to tell with such understanding, so it's high praise to Bolton and his cast for pulling it off so well, without even hinting at easy solutions or obvious moralizing. It's beautifully understated in every way, and deserves to be seen if only to raise the issue for discussion ... even though most people probably believe there's no discussion needed. Be careful with the audience for this movie, it is obviously not for everyone... but this very low-budget movie is worth watching.
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