Sugar (Rated)

I was lucky enough to be able to catch this one on the big screen before I picked it up on DVD. There's been a lot said about Sugar, both good and bad. It's not an easy movie to watch - nothing is romanticized or sugar-coated (no pun intended). Director John Palmer has a way of prefacing difficult scenarios with scenes full of humor, leaving the audience emotionally off-balance for most of the film, fluctuating between highly amused and a little horrified. One thing that's constant, however, is the collective opinion of Brendan Fehr's mind-blowing performance. Most people know him from "Roswell", or from the bit parts and ensemble roles he's had in would-be blockbusters ("Biker Boyz") and forgettable thrillers and horror flicks ("The Forsaken", "Christina's House"). Clearly, not the best vehicles to showcase any hidden chops. His work on Roswell often overshadowed leading man Jason Behr, and he has done some little-seen projects that really hinted at a bright future - "Edge of Madness," while not a great movie by any means, made you sit up and watch him. "Sugar" makes it impossible for you to ignore him. It's well-casted in general. The late Andre Noble is charming, convincingly wide-eyed and earnest. Maury Chaykin and Sarah Polley have memorable cameos. Haylee Wanstall is a natural. But it's Fehr's film, from beginning to end. The movie isn't dialogue-heavy. It lets pointed looks and charged silences do a lot of the talking. And it takes an actor with a certain strength, a tangible presence, to pull off, without crossing the line into smarmy or just plain ridiculous. It's one of those roles that teeters on a razor's edge - the balance is so delicate, any wrong move could make the whole thing crash and burn. What's impressive, and ultimately heart-breaking to watch, is that he's able to portray such a flawed character so flawlessly. Every note is pitch-perfect. The easy, cocky control Butch exudes in the beginning, that morphs into a downward spiral of self-destruction, could have been easily mishandled in the hands of another actor. But Fehr slides from one end of the spectrum to the other, seemingly effortlessly, grabbing the audience and yanking them along for the painful ride. The tenderness in his scenes with Noble, the determination in his encounters with clients, the easy comic timing, even the genuine kinship in his onscreen moments with Wanstall... none of that can be taught. By the time the film reaches its conclusion, he's taken you from Butch's early, confident smirk to a lost soul's broken tears and haunted eyes, and you're not watching Brendan Fehr, actor. He's become this character, and given us a glimpse at this kid's tragic life. Perhaps therein lies the flaw in "Sugar." Once Butch fades to black, you're no longer engrossed. While I'm sure the ending was meant to illustrate how he'd influenced this suburban teenager's life, perhaps changed it for the better... Butch is one of those characters, and performances, that lingers, and stays with you long after the running time is over. And as the ending unfolded, all it did was anger me on behalf of the character I'd spent the entire movie watching, discarded and forgotten too soon.

I wish I could give this movie a bad review, but I can't. I disagree with the grim picture it paints of gay culture, however, the story was entertaining and I imagine somewhere the events in the movie may be plausible. The storyline was not excellent, but it wasen't bad. The acting was great also. If you do buy it, buy something to balance it out afterwards, like Trick or Beautiful Thing.

Although retired, among my professional colleagues concerns were expressed how to approach the subject of LGBTQthat involves any young 17 year-0ld who is inexperienced with street life and the matters involved for puberty? How often it is overlooked that puberty for a boy will begin ca. 12-14 years old and does not end until the age of 25. Here is an excellent DVD presentation about the adventures - and hazards - in the episodes of 17 year-old-Cliff. From suburban living into the urban streets, Cliff experienced downtown with a Street Hustler. Cliff is a victim of drug rape, first encounters with gay sex as well as alcohol and even prostitution. The realities really hit home when his street hustling lover disappears, returns. overdoses on drugs and dies. Definitely for Cliff his experiments with sugar go very bittersweet at the funeral of his lover. At the end of the DVD, it was very symbolic as Cliff threw his skateboard in the trash and walked away. The viewer is left to wonder. The young will experiment with sexual, bisexual and other ways in LGBTG as part of coming of age. I know some of my professional associates have to deal with or know some parents or guardians who have to engage a 17 year old about "coming of age" incidents. I have recommended - and allowed the use of my DVD of Sugar to be used by an Adult Guardian to use in discussions with another 17 year old sybling on these matters. This DVD is worthy of a 5-Star-Gold-Rating to illustrate the contemporary scene. Here is a DVD that presents life as it is and does not always have a happy ending.

While this movie wasn't really great, it was better than most gay themed movies which are mostly pretty awful. The movie production was pretty bad. The screenplay, though not the best kind of story, was about two teen guys, one a prostitute, the other just coming of age, and knowing nothing about sex or life on the streets and drugs experiences it all. While the hustler shows the younger guy what life is like as a prostitute, and getting high, the two teens grow closer together forming a kind of relationship. The acting for the most part is pretty good, but the best thing about this movie is Brenden Fehr. He's really a great actor. I really enjoyed his acting in the Roswell series. It's too bad he didn't portray a gay character in that however, it would have made that series even better. All in all this movie was ok, even though the subject matter of prostitution and drugs gives the story a real negative feel. It's too bad there aren't many good let alone great gay themed movies out there. We need more movies like "Shelter", which was one of the best gay themed movies I've ever seen.

I like this Gay themed movie because of its production quality, the writing, the directing, and especially the actor's performances, also it has quite interesting twists that gives it that interesting spectrum for which we all look in any movies, enjoy viewing!

All the scenes has trimmed.

This movie was a bit more sexual than I anticipated, but was still a genuinely good movie. Brendan Fehr is a believable gay junkie - not an easy role to take on, let alone portray well. I was skeptical at first, since I am a huge Brendan fan (watch CSI: Miami this season...he has a recurring role!), but the movie won me over. My hat's off to Brendan's acting ability. Bravo. ~S

If the "truth will out," this is a realistic view of an average suburban teens coming of age. The film has it's sweet moments that may seem uncomprehensible in the rough/tough world of young hustlers, but having lived that type of sexual awakening myself, know how accurately the storyline and emblishing details are represented. I would love seeing the next five years of life for all the main characters. Good stuff!!!