Red White and Royal Blue first look

ugh🙄

Ooof, that creature on the right!

What on earth am I looking at?

Apparently the book that this is based on was written by a woman, though she calls herself "they". The author of Heartstopper was also a woman calling herself "they" who had a creepy interest in gay men. We have a young woman like this here on DL too - you'll find her on any thread that discusses gay (male) sex.

It's weird and annoying.

Straight men love lesbian porn

This is the straight woman version of that impulse

I'll check it out, but only because I have Prime.

More photos

Cute. Streaming August 11th, in case it hasn't been mentioned yet.

*Never mind, I see the date is mentioned in OP's pic.

Looks just as cornball as any het love story on Hallmark, so... equality achieved, I guess?

[quote]Apparently the book that this is based on was written by a woman, though she calls herself "they". The author of Heartstopper was also a woman calling herself "they" who had a creepy interest in gay men.

The consumer of YA fiction, especially YA rom/com stuff, is women. One of the biggest consumers is women between 18-40, strangely enough.

The "romance" sensibility is clearly from a female perspective - gay men aren't as portrayed. Yet, at the same time, this same perspective is what makes it palatable for the majority of people to consumer. You're not going to get an audience watching gay teen dudes doing what gay teen dudes would do if given the chance.

I'll wait for the Sean Cody porn parody.

The guy on the right is cute.

True r10. These stories are written by women who write gay male characters as if they were women. It's completely lame but it sells.

Nick Galitzine is working on his 3rd gay project of the 2020s “Bottoms”, and they haven’t even released his first one. Impressive output from him and nice plump lips. I really want to see him in “Marry & George”; hopefully we get lots of royal sex in that one too.

I really liked the book, but then again I line Hallmark movies and Nicholas Sparks books.

Years ago, there was a lot of fan fiction on live journal generated by Brokeback Mountain, and most of it if not all of it was written by women.

The female dl'er is probably trying to get tips to keep her man.

[quote] Nick Galitzine is working on his 3rd gay project of the 2020s “Bottoms”

Casting politics has changed dramatically within the past few years and queer roles are expected to go to openly queer people. (Galitzine has not formally come out but its understood he will in the run up to this movie.)

This was an extremely shrewd move because he’s getting stuff he never would have been considered for a few years ago like Mary & George. And I guarantee he’s probably at the top of dozens of other casting lists as we speak.

I enjoyed the book (though I don't really remember anything about it). Two things that give me hope this won't be a Hallmark-esque romcom:

1. It's been adapted & directed by an openly gay man, playwright Matthew Lopez ([italic]The Inheritance[/italic]).

2. It's rated R

Gonna watch this when it gets down under, looks good. Real cute leads too

GQ feature

They were both hinting at big news today on social media. The GQ interview was nice, even if Nick comes off as a bit classless. I was half-hoping it was a platonic, but joint coming out. Taylor could’ve even shouted out his potato-looking IRL boyfriend. Sigh.

They may want a more serious tone for the coming outs like in the NY Times Magazine. The GQ feature was very frivolous. No one wants to come out in an insert.

I think the Brit was supposed to be bigger than the Yank.

It’s really not that important to the story.

Obviously they cast these two for the chemistry which appears to be phenomenal.

Given we’re still two months out from release and they’ve already started a PR offensive, I’m going to venture that they really struck gold with the casting and are expecting a lot of attention once it’s released.

Galitzine dancing badly at a Fendi event

Seems to be benefiting slightly more from the prerelease buzz than TZP

They don't look underage so I guess we won't have a shit ton of threads like for this heartstopper crap.

“Dance, fools, dance! Dance for your free clothes! Ah ah ah ah ah!”

These guys are handsome, hopefully the onscreen chemistry is good. The book was cute.

Never mind, Prada got TZP.

He exited his car shirtless

Is the book GAY?

I don’t want to watch queers or bisexuals.

R33 Not sure why you’re pressed? One main character is gay, the other is bi.

The characters are gay men, but this was written by a woman so the gay men behave like women instead of actual gay men.

Not watching if one is bisexual and wanting women. Not watching to see the bisexual torn between a man and women.

I shouldn’t have read that Glamour article. Reading the actor describe his character as “queer Latine” tells me all I need to know…it’s going to be a heavy-handed morality tale in which every gender, race, and sexuality holds hands and validates each other’s experiences and perspectives. 🙄

Don’t be ridiculous it’s just a frothy little romcom starring two men who look and act like they actually want to fuck each other

[quote] Rated R for some sexual content, partial nudity and language

Huh might actually be worth watching. I was expecting it'd be restricted to passionate hand holding and lustful eye contact during a polo game

I bet the Queer Latine has racy sex scenes with women, and tepid kissing with the gay character.

Pass.

R40 No. He is in love with the prince character. That’s the only person he’s interested in & has sex with during the course of this story. He does kiss his female friend but it’s just a NYE celebration kiss.

Yuck.

Cocky

R2 Don't you mean that young hottie in the pantsuit on the right?

Why has Amazon Studios now released a trailer yet? The premier is only about 45 days away.

R45: While you can’t polish a turd, the studio is trying their hardest to salvage this train wreck.

I feel so sorry for Uma Thurman. She hasn’t had a decent project in years.

[quote] The premier is only about 45 days away.

And it’s a TV movie. They don’t tend to get big advance promotional pushes.

For your consideration:

Taylor is very hot. That having been said I think he’s miscast in this role.

I hope the trailer shows more chemistry than the still pics, which didn’t get a good reaction online. The plot is fairly silly what-if-Prince Harry-was-gay fanfic so the movie is going to live & die on whether the leads have scorching chemistry or not.

Clip

R50, that's a scene from the beginning of the book when Henry and Alex are acting like best friends to repair the PR damage from the royal wedding cake disaster scene, and before the enemies to lovers trope kicks in.

Yes, I read the book, and enjoyed it.

Second teaser clip. This is after Henry and Alex had sex in the tack room at the polo field.

TZP looks good.

This looks fun. Boys-Love films/series/manga are huge in Asian countries. Hopefully this will start a similar trend in the West.

Trailer tomorrow

It’s here

I didn’t make it past the 2nd chapter.

Trailer released!

I cannot stand these books about gay men written by women. The Netflix one with the young boys is worse - but this book was equally awful.

Great if this bullshit makes people more accepting or if it comforts gay teenage boys (doubtful), but as an adult, they are completely absurd to read. Including that woman wrote “A Little Life.” More elevated writing, but same shit.

Because like everyone has said - the gay men are written as straight women.

If lesbian porn was actual lesbians, straight men wouldn’t watch. Similarly, if all these “gay male romances” were accurately written by gay men, the fraus and teen girls wouldn’t engage.

Promising they had Lopez work on it though.

I’m definitely watching it, although R58 isn’t wrong.

This movie is an abomination. In real life, the US will never elect a woman president with a homosexual child.

Uma's Texas accent is atrocious in that trailer.

Because it’s CAMP.

God you have to explain everything to some people.

For decades we've sat through Rom Coms about Hets. Now we are getting Rom Coms about Gays and people complain and I think I get why. At least I can explain what I find irritating. My complaint is that "They" think they can throw any old trite, mediocre bullshit out here and claim it's "gay-themed" and take advantage of emerging markets by peddling crap. Here's what I can't stand. I can't stand the self consciousness of them. I can't stand the formulaic nature of them. it seems like if you're going to make a movie the least you can do is try to avoid the more obvious cliche's. The trailer tells me they didn't. Whether this is about Gay or straight characters, they have trotted out every stupid stereotype known to man. No imagination. The Royal is stiff and sheltered. The American is wild and crude and silly. Here's a bit of slapstick. Here's a bit of that cute bickering. Then some tears and angst. I love Rom Coms that don't sink into the cliche swamp. I love Rom Coms that are smart. This looks like it's a mess and I will watch it only if I am in bed sick with a cold.

Uma is miscast in that role. Connie Britton would have been a better choice to play the President-Mom.

^ And I generally like Uma as an actress.

Yes, but Uma Thurman would be more likely to be elected president than Connie Britton

I haven't read the book. Is the President mom supposed to be based off a real life politician?

No.

Read the book. Think of the President-Mom character as a cross between the late Ann Richards and Gretchen Whitmer.

When I watched the trailer, I thought of Ann Richards when the President Mom was on screen talking with that accent. Gretchen Whitmer has a lesbian daughter and I still wonder how the far right wing loons haven't gone after the daughter.

The author of the book said in an interview that the president character was inspired by Wendy Davis. Poor Wendy has pretty much forgotten in the past few years.

Hallmark for gays?

I think the trailer looks great - can’t wait to see it.

TZP and NG look good together. From the trailer.

Trying that link again …

I've read some yaoi before as I'm a manga fan. I find I enjoyed the more BL-oriented stuff that focused on the romance and had a general plot to it. The writing and art style is less stereotypical there because the manga artist was invested and did their research. The ones that tried to be sexual were too cringey and unrealistic to even a gay virgin. Absolutely female perspective that follows badly written shoujo hetero tropes. The worst was that crap Junjou Romantica, so repetitive and I hated how the would make one character look like a man and be the dominant one and the other character look like a teenage girl and be passive. So heteronormative and a turnoff.

That said, this movie looks good, the guys are hot and evenly matched and I would have watched the hell out of it if I was still a teen. I think many millennial gay men will watch this because it reminds us of those late 2000s/early 2010s teen flicks like John Tucker Must Die, She's The Man and Scott Pilgrim. Imagined if they filmed a sexy gay teen flick with Tom Welling, Chad Michael Murray or Zac Efron with a decent budget and typical whacky coming-of-age story. Not the shitty low-budget "gay guy dies tragically" or homoerotic supernatural shit that was the only option in the 2000s.

[quote] I think many millennial gay men will watch this because it reminds us of those late 2000s/early 2010s teen flicks like John Tucker Must Die, She's The Man and Scott Pilgrim.

Did we watch the same trailer?

This is a Nancy Meyers/Charles Shyer movie directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Do they show dick?

Ass?

Connie Britton can play Katie Hobbs in the inevitable Kari Lake biopic or miniseries.

This looks like a fucking train wreck.

I actually think it looks pretty cute. The guys are hot and have chemistry. That’s about all you can ask out of a cheesy romcom.

I'm looking forward to it. I love Rom Coms.

Will there be an ass fucking scene?

I agree it’s annoying to try to read these books where “they” women write about gay men. On the other hand it’s not true that *all* young gay men can’t be romantic and not all of us jumped on each other immediately. Some of us had romantic personalities and were somewhat shy.

R83, there was anal sex in the book, so will see.

Is this a thing where one guy is Gay and one is in the closet in denial?

This book is terrible, btw. I picked it up at the library and got through two pages before feeling ill.

I skimmed it at the bookstore and put it right back down on the table.

I skimmed it at the bookstore and asked if there was a fireplace I could throw it in (there wasn’t).

What's weird is that there are several YA books with the similar premise of a Britsh prince hooking up with an American dude.

There's also a gay YA version of Notting Hill about a gay bookstore owner who falls for a closeted American actor.

I'm wondering whether there's a market to rewrite several classics into YA gay male stories or whether you have to be a woman "they" author to be successful doing it to hit the right marketing/PR notes.

I wanted to see the uncensored version of the Minx clip, but apparently HBO Max cancelled it and removed it. Now, it's on Starz.

I wish that Hulu would just merge with DisneyPlus.

[quote]I wish that Hulu would just merge with DisneyPlus.

I live in Europe and they ARE merged. All Hulu content is on Disney+.

They can’t merge for legal reasons until April of next year.

April Disney has to buy out Comcast’s 1/3 share for at least $27 billion. (Comcast then uses this to help buy Warner Bros.)

The book was okay, a light fluffy read. Not as bad as R87, R88 and R89 claim.

Why is Uma talking like she’s wearing dentures?

Well, if she’s as big of a druggie as suspected, she’s probably down to her last few natural teeth.

That trailer gave me a new appreciation for Candice Bergen in Sweet Home Alabama, Christine Ebersole in Black Sheep, and other respected actresses who managed to give life to throwaway roles as powerful politicians. Uma comes across as ridiculous—and not in a fun or endearing way.

[quote]Rated R for some sexual content, partial nudity and language

Only 'partial nudity'? Why couldn't they go for full nudity?

Wouldn't mind full frontal nudity for TZP and NG, R97.

Frau at r94.

Proud to be Frau, R99.

See I don’t buy that the stuffy Prince character would wear trunks with little colorful sea turtles on it.

R101, those are Vilebrequin swim trunks at $310 each.

r102

Are there any naked pics of these boys anywhere on the internet? Together or separately?

[quote]Are there any naked pics of these boys anywhere on the internet? Together or separately?

There must be of TZP since the Minx clip seems to show a full frontal with a censored coverup.

and walla, all of a sudden.

But, who knows if that's a prosthetic since that seems to be the way most actors are going these days.

TZP is saving his goods for his potato-head boyfriend Garett.

Banal

I am currently reading this book and have gotten to the part where the English Prince kisses this boy, and the boy loves it. Oddly enough, the boy spends a whole chapter wondering if he is gay and if all those times in high school meant he was queer.

Jeez. This is how I can tell it was written by a woman. Even if deluded myself I was straight and a Prince kissed me and knocked me off my feet, we'd be in the bushes fucking before you can blink an eye.

This does read like a Hallmark movie. I cannot wait for the sex scenes. I already am turned on for hours.

I have to admit that some of these movies, like The Kissing Booth and To All the Boys, were cute. Not quite the fun teen movies that John Hughes movies were or movies like She's all that or Ten Things I Hate about You. But, pleasant bits of fluff.

What I am interested in seeing is how well a gay version will do. While the original book is not a series, unlike Kissing Booth, Ten Things, or The Summer I Turned Pretty, if this gets a sequel, it would be nice to see that a gay film can hit well in the mainstream.

Why are all these gay male romcoms written by nonbinary women, anyway?

Because women just can’t accept they like looking at two men going at it. No fan of straight men, but they flat out have no problem enjoying girl on girl.

[quote]Why are all these gay male romcoms written by nonbinary women, anyway?

A lot of it is marketing to the YA audience. John Green used to be king of the YA novels about teens with things like The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns. However, a straight white guy has a tough road to climb among the target age group (as well as the aforementioned fact that women from 18-40 are probably the largest market for YA novels). As a practical matter, successful YA novels are probably comparable to many "romance" novels in terms of quality of writing.

Adam Silvera is a relatively successful YA author who frequently has gay male romances in his novels.

R113 Thanks for the answer but my problem was when I asked the question. I asked it wrong. I meant to phrase it as: Why do nonbinary women write gay male romcoms? What draws them to the subject? These women are, I suspect, not only nonbinary but probably lesbian.

There are other successful male YA writers, like the authors of 13 Reasons Why, and he Perks Of Being A Wallflower. The Gravity Of Us (Paul Stamper) is a gay romantic novel.

One of my problems with some gay male A novels is they don’t deal with regular everyday life of average gay teens. There’s usually some story about a kid of 16 who is already getting ahead in some career, or getting recognition for something, conquering life and confident in their identity.

I suspect there’s pressure to make everything positive and not depict kids struggling to accept being gay or going through a period of depression, or whatever. If they face pressure it’s from bullying or from authority figures. You’re not supposed to depict how hard it may be for some kids.

I remember reading some fan fiction about the high school Gay series on Hulu Love, Victor a couple years ago? . And there was this one story that had them having sex. Several times. And it was well done. Graphic. Like a Gay person actually wrote it and understood what it was like to be 17 and hot for someone. And some of the comments were ridiculous. They were upset with"too much sex." I had to leave it, man.

Most romance novels are written by women. It’s not a genre male authors are encouraged to enter. There’s really not much more to it than that. Also this book is pretty clearly “what if Prince Harry was gay” fanfic and fanfic is also mostly written by women.

Yes, but the consumers ofi t, a lot of them are nuts.I have to wonder if they have ever had sex or been in any kind of relationship. and forget relationships, just sex. They treat it as if it's gross or bad. Which tells me the consumers have to be women too. Ugh. And these movies and TV series, seem so sugar coated and romanticized, sanitized too. So we know the target audiences have to be predominantly women.

I never heard of this book but everybody seems to l ove it.

R118 I don’t think it’s women not wanting sex in romance novels. In fact the biggest complaint I see about mlm fiction written by women is that they always want to make the sex “spontaneous” so there’s never any discussion of douching and rarely any lube even though the couple is invariably going many multiple rounds in a night.

Anyway there is sex in this particular book. And even lube! So I don’t think that’s an issue with this one.

[quote] Anyway there is sex in this particular book. And even lube! So I don’t think that’s an issue with this one.

Yes, that true. He brings out the lube and they get in the position... then cut to the after glow. No deep plunging of throbbing cock, no descriptive cock gobbling. Hence, written by a woman who has no clue about men's gay sex.

I read this book and wondered if this could have been the life story of Prince Edward, especially when he was employed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and was around all the theatrical types. There were many rumors of him having an affair with Michael Ball.

He was, presumably, instructed at some point to find a decent wife and toe the party line by producing the expected children.

Before Prince Edward was married, when he worked for Andrew Lloyd-Webber's "Really Useful" company he used to be a regular visitor to the building in Soho (London) where the company I worked for at the time also had office space. It wasn't unusual to encounter him in the lift (elevator to US readers) and so on. Sometimes he would be accompanied by personable-looking young men. Nothing openly untoward was ever observed by anyone, but let's just say body language alone made it quite clear that these men were not colleagues, bodyguards or platonic friends. No-one cared much, but it was the topic of occasional office gossip when a new… companion… was observed.

It looks like Nicholas Fairford or whatever he’s called! On the right. Is he still a DL fave?

There's enough gay male romance novels written by gay men to keep me entertained. It's really not hard to find. The main complaint I have about straight female authors of gay male romance is the poorly written sex and the use of heteronormativity in some instances where one character is the "male" and the other is "female." But overall I much prefer straight female writers in regards to gay characters than straight male writers. Straight men typically suck at writing women and gay men. At least straight women don't write gay men in a degrading manner.

Imagine promoting this is going to be difficult because of the Strike

Can cast members promote the movie through live streams on youtube or similar sites?

No.

I pity these guys. They won't be able to do the usual social media promotion which will likely leave them floundering when the show premieres.

Amazon probably doesn't care. They probably figure the teen girls and fraus who are fans of the book will watch the movie once or twice.

Unfortunately the cancellation of industry events will also hurt these guys’s chance to get photographed out and about. Really unfortunate they chose this release date.

Has anyone read COlm Toibin? He's a Gay author but he's high end. Literature not bodice rippers or the Gay equivalent.

The boys can’t even promote it on social media. I feel so bad for them.

Some more footage from the movie.

The American is the ugly one this time. I'm surprised they did that.

Imagine calling the beautiful Nicholas Galitzine ugly.

R136 Sorry I thought my sarcasm was obvious.

On DL you never know.

Nothing Wong with Tyler Z Perez and this still from the movie.

[quote]Imagine calling the beautiful Nicholas Galitzine ugly.

I have never found him particularly handsome. He's model ugly, not actually unattractive.

I just got the book from Amazon....want to read it first.

We have few really good movies and I hope this has a happy ending. It seems to me that we don't have enough of those...

^^^it's a light read it took an afternoon - I decided to read it after this thread started to see what the hubbub was about.

If you bought it, apparently a newer addition also has a epilogue or some sort that wasn't in the original publication.

Not stellar prose or good writing, but cute enough for what it is.

Who’s the bottom? The blond one I hope.

^ clearly

R143 there are no tops and bottoms in this!

R145 oh no, the old chaste kiss and then cut to them sleeping trick

One of them absolutely is the bottom in the books.

Is Nicholas Galitzine gay?

[quote]Is Nicholas Galitzine gay?

He's done multiple gay roles, but has never commented and there is no real evidence either way.

In the book, Henry, the prince, is 100 percent the bottom.

R150 Seems right - every blondie I’ve ever slept with has been a bottom. It seems to be a thing.

r150 Really? The twitter fandom seem very into the latino getting horsewhipped after the polo match.

The scene in the book in the room, R152:

“What in the rich-white-people-sex-dungeon hell?” Alex wonders aloud as Henry crosses behind him. He whips a thick leather strap off a hook on the wall, and Alex almost blacks out. “What?” Henry says offhandedly, bypassing him to bind the doors shut. He turns around, sweet-faced and unbelievable. “It’s called a tack room.” Alex drops his coat and takes three swift steps toward him. “I don’t actually care,” he says, and grabs Henry by the stupid collar of his stupid polo and kisses his stupid mouth. It’s a good kiss, solid and hot, and Alex can’t decide where to put his hands because he wants to put them everywhere at once. “Ugh,” he groans in exasperation, shoving Henry backward by the shoulders and making a disgusted show of looking him up and down. “You look ridiculous.” “Should I—” He steps back and puts a foot up on a nearby bench, moving to undo his kneepads. “What? No, of course not, keep them on,” Alex says. Henry freezes, standing there all artistically posed with his thighs apart and one knee up, the fabric straining. “Oh my God, what are you doing? I can’t even look at you.” Henry frowns. “No, Jesus, I just meant—I’m so mad at you.” Henry gingerly puts his boot back on the floor. Alex wants to die. “Just, come here. Fuck.” “I’m quite confused.” “Me fucking too,” Alex says, profoundly suffering for something he must have done in a previous life. “Listen, I don’t know why, but this whole thing”—he gestures at Henry’s entire physical presence—“is … really doing it for me, so, I just need to.” Without any further ceremony, he drops to his knees and starts undoing Henry’s belt, tugging at the fastenings of his pants. “Oh, God,” Henry says. “Yeah,” Alex agrees, and he gets Henry’s boxers down. “Oh, God,” Henry repeats, this time with feeling. It’s all still so new to Alex, but it’s not difficult to follow through on what’s been playing out in elaborate detail in his head for the past hour. When he looks up, Henry’s face is flushed and transfixed, his lips parted. It almost hurts to look at him—the athlete’s focus, all the dressings of aristocracy laid wide open for him. He’s watching Alex, eyes blown dark and hazy, and Alex is watching him right back, every nerve in both bodies narrowed down to a single point. It’s fast and dirty and Henry is swearing up a storm, which is still disarmingly sexy, but this time it’s punctuated by the occasional word of praise, and somehow that’s even hotter. Alex isn’t prepared for the way “that’s good” sounds in Henry’s rounded Buckingham vowels, or for how luxury leather feels when it strokes approvingly down his cheek, a gloved thumb brushing the corner of his mouth. As soon as Henry’s finished, he’s got Alex on the bench and is putting his kneepads to use. “I’m still fucking mad at you,” Alex says, destroyed, slumped forward with his forehead resting on Henry’s shoulder. “Of course you are,” Henry says vaguely. Alex completely undermines his point by pulling Henry into a deep and lingering kiss, and another, and they kiss for an amount of time he decides not to count or think about.

Pity the author never learned the value of paragraphs.

[quote] Henry’s rounded Buckingham vowels

Well now that's just a ridiculous sentence. Not the worst blowjob scene I've ever read though.

I don’t think either character is meant to be strictly a top or bottom in the book. They seem like they’re both down for whatever. Henry just happens to be the one who bottoms first because he’s done it before and Alex hasn’t.

[quote]I don’t think either character is meant to be strictly a top or bottom in the book. They seem like they’re both down for whatever. Henry just happens to be the one who bottoms first because he’s done it before and Alex hasn’t.

While that's probably true, in encounters that are described, wasn't Henry the bottom in each instance?

R157 yeah, but that doesn’t mean Alex was never going to bottom? He didn’t even realize he was bi until he met Henry. But his character is adventurous and very horny so I assumed he’d get around to trying bottoming eventually

I just found the epilogue that came out in the "Collector's Edition" online.

Geez, it makes Henry into such a simpering pansy - and not in the good way.

There's a good way to be a simpering pansy?

R18, no, the vast majority of gay roles are still played by straight actors

Henry is a simp in the original book too though. It’s just not quite as obvious since it’s from Alex’s POV and he is clueless about Henry simping for him even though Henry practically weeps with joy every time they hook up

R162 I thought he was just supposed to be lonely - not a “simp” lol

R163 He literally serenades Alex with Elton John’s “Your Song”. If that ain’t simping then what is? Ha

Alright, fair point

I hope they actually show them fucking and don’t just fade to black like every other gay movie does

r8 why can't women write gay stories? Do you know how many men have written about female characters? Love is love, and these are just love stories. A good writer doesn't need to have lived an experience to write about it.

This gatekeeping is as annoying as the people saying only gay actors can play gay roles.

[quote][R8] why can't women write gay stories? Do you know how many men have written about female characters? Love is love, and these are just love stories. A good writer doesn't need to have lived an experience to write about it.

Obligatory not r8.

However, to answer your question, it's not that women cannot write gay stories, it's that you have to be a good writer to write outside your personal experience - which means being able to put aside your view of the world in favor of the view of the world of your characters. Sure, many men have written about female characters, some well, most not done well.

Authorial viewpoint is critical. A story writtern by a male vs. female writer will, of necessity, have a different viewpoint, even if the characters are done well. If this were not the case, the entire current discussion about diversity would be moot. It's because you have a different authorial viewpoint that it makes a differenc.

You mean someone actually wrote that and people bought it?? Shit. I need to get busy.

R111, they're not

[quote]I hope they actually show them fucking and don’t just fade to black like every other gay movie does

You need to see more gay movies. I suggest you start with [bold]Paris 05:59 Théo & Hugo[/bold].

R171 The fading to black is more of a thing with American/English gay movies, maybe

Way to move the goalposts R172.

Well then, you need to watch [bold]Looking[/bold] or [bold]Man in an Orange Shirt[/bold] or [bold]Weekend[/bold] or [bold]God's Own Country[/bold] or [bold]In From the Side[/bold] or [bold]Lonesome[/bold] or...

Or maybe you should just admit you don't know WTF you're talking about.

This post made me realize how little we care about First Children in the US…yet a lot of people obsess over the British Royals.

R153 I read to the seventh or eighth line and gave up.

Setting aside that r153's paste isn't how the paragraphs are setup in the book, it is a very good example of how little control a poor author has in using paragraphs, sentence length, word length, rhythym, syntax and a plethora of other techniques to control pacing, tempo, and manipulate the emotions of the reader.

The writing in the sex scene is flabby and lacks the frenzied excitement that a real moment like that have. It lacks the danger and thrill that tighter writing would have provided.

There’s so much overwritten or badly written prose these days. It’s as if they leaned how to write from fan fiction (I think some of them did, actually). The humor is, for lack of a better word, very nerdy. I don’t believe a lot of them are writing from life experience. It’s just based on other bad writing.

*learned

When does this air?

R168 I think you're right. I don't really see how a straight woman can write about a gay male relationship convincingly to be honest, considering she has no experience of it.

It airs in a week, on August 11.

Why can't we get a good Gay RomCom where they actually fuck. Well, not in real life, but the scene SHOWS them fucking. I remember in that Hulu series Love, Victor, in Season 2 it was the closest I've seen to actual fucking in Episode 8 Season 2. Very hot. And cute little Michael Cimino looked like he was having a great time.

I found this Australian movie Holding the Man. Just started watching Looks good.

[quote]Why can't we get a good Gay RomCom where they actually fuck.

Straight romcoms don't really have steamy sex scenes, do they? A few might, but the majority of them - stuff like Notting Hill, Sleepless in Seattle, Love Actually, or even one whose lead character is a hooker, Pretty Woman - don't have particularly passionate sex scenes.

It's the genre, not the sexual orientation of the lead characters which drives the lack of sex scenes.

It’s a young adult novel I don’t know why some of you expect it (or the adaptation) to contain hardcore erotica. Take it for what it is.

Here's an extended clip of a scene covered a bit in the trailer. It has the look and feel of Hallmark, even if the content would be challenging for them.

R183 a sad true story based on an autobiography.

R186 looks awful.

TZP's torso, though, R188. That's worth watching.

I bet the leads are secretly glad for the strike. No press means they don’t have to do interviews using “they” pronouns or dance around the gay stuff.

I best most male leads of gay films wish a strike happened during promotion

Oh Lord, they have a Huma Abedin character. Does her husband send the First Son dick picks?

So in real life one of these guys is Gay ?

Both lead actors are straight guys r192. Which will probably help the movie. God knows gay guys like fawning over straight guys more than actual gay ones.

[quote]Because like everyone has said - the gay men are written as straight women.

There seems to be a consistent thing male/male fiction written woman fails at....that guys are often horny bastards. Women often just don't capture that primal horniness, their gay characters can feel oddly neutered.

And I've read a lot of gay stories written by women.

R193 I’ve heard that Galitzine is gay. Not sure if anything is proven, though

Nicholas Galitzine has called himself straight in interviews r195.

[Quote]As a straight guy, it was an honor to play.

I mean god knows people on the internet will believe what they want to, but officially this movie stars two straight dudes playing gay.

Summer I Turned Pretty has two incredibly hot guys as leads. Early in season one I thought they were going for a Bi storyline, but then they backed away from that and both were straight. But I thought in real life one of them was definitely Gay.

R193 that will come as a surprise to Taylor Zakhar Perez boyfriend..

Please point to any interview or social media post of Taylor Zakhar Perez saying he is gay or bisexual r198.

I hope you are right, but "officially" they are going to be considered straight until they have the balls to say otherwise.

Straight guys kissing.

Why the film got an "R" rating:

[quote] Another facet that makes McQuiston’s book what it is, is the amount of sex. From the tennis clubhouse at Wimbledon to the tack room at Henry’s polo game, nowhere is off-limits for this hot-blooded duo. In López’s (the director's) version, it’s refreshing to see how the film preserves the horniness. Red, White & Royal Blue is like Heartstopper or Love, Simon with a bare-bummed, penis-joke-laden twist.

[quote] “I don’t think you can tell the story of Alex and Henry without talking about their very enjoyable sex life,” he says.

[quote] Because of the nudity and sex scenes, the film was given an “R” rating, meaning those under age 17 need to be accompanied by an adult to watch it in the US. The rating surprised López, with the director recently telling People: “I do question whether, if it had been a man and a woman, we’d still have gotten an R.”

R201 that does explain it

That director Matthew Lopez is extremely cute himself, would have been nice to see him in front of the camera too, preferably naked. I'd definitely do him

Matthew Lopez was on Mrs Gio Benetiz podcast talking about the movie.

With the strike the guy has to single-handley try to promote this movie without his himbos.

Here's another 40 second clip that allows you to judge the chemistry between the two leads. (After the clip, the trailer for the show plays again.)

I haven’t seen that much chemistry between two actors since Richard Gere and Jodie Foster in Sommersby.

^^^I love you bitches.

Galitzine was pretty good in handsome devil so I think he’ll be fine in this. The other guy, though… yikes.

[quote]Galitzine was pretty good in handsome devil so I think he’ll be fine in this. The other guy, though… yikes.

Perez was fine in The Kissing Booth movies - he's not going to win an Oscar, but standard teen movie rom/com serviceable.

I'm just glad they didn't go with the guy from Love, Victor for the role - who interestingly enough better fits the book description of the character.

R208 I know he’s not, but that kid looks about 15. I think the characters in this are supposed to be post-college, right?

In the book Alex is in his senior year at Georgetown, around 21.

Of course these actors look older so I don't know if the movie aged up the characters.

R208, which Kid, Michael Cimino, the Latino orGeroge Sears the Brit? Sears definitely looks mid teens even though he is mid 20's. Michael is younger but looks older. Also neither one can act. Barely serviceable.

Michael Cimino in the Alex role was what I was objecting to although he fits the book description better than Perez - at least physically. He's also closer to the character's age who is supposed to be a senior in university, so 21 or 22. Cimino is 23 and Perez is 31.

.

I don’t think Michael Cimino could believably top Galitzine, but Perez can

YOu know now that you mention it, I am sort of noticing the similarities between the couples. Love, Victor's Cimino and Sears, and these two. I thought Sears was hot as Benji. They were both hot, and they had good chemistry with one another, but the scripts were shit.

[quote]I don’t think Michael Cimino could believably top Galitzine, but Perez can

Yeah, this was a flaw in the books also.

The author makes it a point to describe Henry as tall (6') and muscular, your standard Prince Charming, while Alex is 5'9". Perez is listed at 6'1" and there is a video of the two of them measuring which one is taller - Perez is.

Yeah Alex in the book is more of this pretty twink and not this statuesque hunk of a man.

R216 is describing George Sear. Definitely a pretty twink, and short.

Alex is the Mexican character r217 lol, don't think George Sears would play Mexican well.

It's the British character, Henry, that is described as more of a hunk.

Oops, my bad. When he said "pretty twink" I thought of Sear.

Currently there are 2 reviews of this movie on Rottentomatoes.

One of them addresses a point of DL interest:

[quote] Taylor (Zakhar Perez) and Nicholas (Galitzine) quickly squash any online rumors that they lacked chemistry well before their first kiss. They are every bit a fairy tale couple, equal parts romantic, teasing, and sexy.

Anticipated DL response: [cough] paid review [cough]

Release time is set or 8 pm est tonight.

Another short clip, this time with Uma.

So this son of the American President was in the closet before Henry? Thanks for the video R222.

R221 - it starts tomorrow night not tonight

Nag r224, r221 is correct. The movie release at 12 a.m. GMT on the morning of Friday, August 11. Which translates to 8pm tonight if you are on EST.

[quote]So this son of the American President was in the closet before Henry? Thanks for the video [R222].

No. He had dated women for years with no homo action. It's only later in the story where he realizes he had had a crush on Henry since he was a young teen.

It smacks of "fluid" and "love the person, not the gender" and other "non-binary" nonsense.

R199 Taylor is glass closeted, he's never officially come out but it's pretty obvious if you look at his social media. His boyfriend is called Garrett and they've been dating for several years at least.

Nicholas has certainly played a lot of gay roles for a straight actor and he pings a bit to me, but not sure there's any evidence to suggest he's actually gay/bi

anyway, the movie is currently at 84% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes - much better than I was expecting!

Another chemistry comment from a review at r227

[quote] ... a cheeky and romantic love story. Galitzine and Perez are the perfect leading men with off the charts chemistry.

The BBC was not a fan

[Quote]Red, White & Royal Blue is 'a royal disappointment'

Were they expecting it to not be predictable and cliched?

Uma‘s southern accent is as loose as her pussy.

The BBC does not appreciate them having a prince named Henry and him being GAY and flirting with a LATINO lover. I mean, is there no end to it????

I wonder how much Rachel Maddow was given for her little cameo.

Loved the Rachel Maddow cameos.

Overall, it was cute enough. But, the pacing was monotonous.

Beats>Scenes>Sequences>Acts

The beats all droned on at the same tempo. They never accelerated or slowed down. Scenes weren't given time to breathe - the movie just moved from one scene to the next. The sequences were not organized in a fashion that allowed for the build-up of tension. The scenes which were the ends of acts didn't have sufficient buildup or payoff to hit hard.

Books should never be adapted scene for scene. A movie has different requirements. They needed to add scenes, reorder scenes, and remove scenes to create a better flow to the sequences.

It was cute but desperately needed more nudity.

Overall it was fine, but it did start to drag in the third act for me. Once the movie decides it needs conflict so they have to start fighting. Also man, some of the dialogue was very clunky. I felt bad for Nicholas Galitzine, Prince Henry is saddled with some absurd lines...no one talks like that, not even a Prince.

I can't believe they had the black girl from Love Victor again playing the bff to a gay Mexican guy.

And that electoral map? I mean it's obvious they were going to have the flipping Texas be the thing that wins them the White House, but I did laugh at the map it took to get there.

It's live on Amazon Prime now (U.S. time).

It was better than I expected. I wonder how Joy Reid weaseled her way into a cameo. They should have just let Rachel Maddow have the cameos.

I actually didn't mind Uma Thurman as the female POTUS. But, Clifton Collins Jr as the first gentleman looked awkward. Clifton hasn't aged well.

I just finished watching and I really thought it was great. I loved the book and was really not confident of a movie adaptation but it was well above what I was expecting. A healthy budget for sure. The two leads were perfectly cast - both very appealing and talented. I guess an obvious comparison would be to a Hallmark movie, lots of structural parallels but it made the film more relatable and appealing. The sex scenes definitely went further than I was expecting and those guys kissed like they meant it. Definitely watch it before judging it negatively. And if you don’t like it after watching it, that’s fine, I think it’s going to be very well-received.

OK. I just put it on and the damned dialogue, the audio is in Dutch! I went to the languages setting and it had one choice:Netherlands. I am in the American South. Thank god for the English subtitles. But HJow the hell can I get this fixed?

[quote]I actually didn't mind Uma Thurman as the female POTUS. But, Clifton Collins Jr as the first gentleman looked awkward. Clifton hasn't aged well.

In the books, it's a fairly big point that they're actually divorced.

The movie adaptation dropped the stepdad and sister from the book.

[quote]The movie adaptation dropped the stepdad and sister from the book.

A smart move. Nora should have been a bigger part to cover both Nora and the sister's stuff.

I did like how they showed them texting by putting them together and speaking the texts, rather than just having split screen with text bubbles going back and forth with a voiceover.

R241, Clifton was miscast. That hair. Jeezuz. His hair was all wrong. Length, color,style, terrible. And I really like him as an actor. Wrong part. I think the dialogue is cheesey at times, but the chemistry is great and that Taylor/ Zachar Perez is gorgeous. I am completely hooked on him. He is my new crush.

[quote] I did like how they showed them texting by putting them together and speaking the texts, rather than just having split screen with text bubbles going back and forth with a voiceover.

I also liked that. That along with dropping some characters from the book were smart moves.

I also liked the Perfume Genius Can't Help Falling in Love With You - nice cover.

The movie also dropped the Richards campaign being the one who leaked the emails, Nora figuring that out, Sen. Luna, Liam, Henry's mother (who would actually be the 1st in line to the throne), and Bea being a recovering addict.

Also, in the book, part of Alex's charm is that he was cocky and brash in public but kind of an OCD-like mess behind the scenes.

Overall, it looked and felt like a slightly-bigger-budget version of a Hallmark movie. Cute enough, but lacking in so many areas...

Here's another clip (especially for people who don't have Amazon Prime and may not ever see the movie.)

I hate to say this, but Nicholas Galitzine reminds me of McCauley Culkins. I can't say exactly why. Maybe his red lips or his eyes? I think the director did him wrong by making him look so sad and weepy. I did like him. Funny how the wrote Stephen Frye's character isn't it.

I just finished watching it and I really liked it; it’s a cute movie. The guys are hot and definitely had chemistry; their romance seemed entirely believable. And, those kisses came across as very genuine. I’d say that they definitely got it right. I’d watch it again.

Not all of the comedy landed, but it’s was cute. The scene where they rush to each other on the KP stairs may be the most comically over the top moment in all of gay cinema. Uma’s accent was…interesting.

*it was

How exactly was Henry's brother, Phillip, the heir to the throne?

Their father was an actor, so wouldn't that make their mother the next Queen? How are they skipping her in favor of his brother?

The succession seems off.

Their mother is the heir to the throne r255. There was a joke in the movie about I hope she doesn't abdicate.

His brother is just the heir of their generation.

What I thought was odd is the movie seems to really go hard into saying Alex's life was normal before his Mom became President...as if people wake up and our President.

His mom spent years as Congressman traveling to DC, and in the book I remember Alex has resentments about how little time he spent with his mother growing up.

[quote]Their mother is the heir to the throne [R255]. There was a joke in the movie about I hope she doesn't abdicate.

If his mother were the current heir, she wouldn't be off galavanting around the world. Also, she certainly would have been at her son's wedding. Since the whole plot of the book/movie is that Henry is constrained from being himself because of duty and his role - he's only the spare - how much less would the mother actually be allowed to run off and do whatever.

^^^yes, I get it's a fluff movie/book and the author is some random frau who was just making crap up.

I

[quote]Straight people, he thinks, probably don't spend this much time convincing themselves that they're straight

I guess they didn't want to make it a coming out story. But when Alex makes out with Henry it really causes hin to start questioning his sexuality and it's a process of him finally coming to terms that he is bi.

The movie doesn't dwell on him coming to terms of his sexuality at all. Which felt a little disingenuous to me.

[quote]it's a process of him finally coming to terms that he is bi.

The way it was done, coming out as "bi" to his mother and Nora seemed like the first stop on the road to gayville for someone who cannot accept he's gay.

Also, without the storyline of the other campaign hacking and leaking Alex's emails, how were the emails leaked. It's implied that the horny reporter trying to hookup with Alex again leaked them, but how would some random two-bit reporter access the emails of the son of the President of the US? I'm also iffy on the leak being a jilted, horny ex who was bitter about not getting any more of that hot Alex dick.

[quote] seemed like the first stop on the road to gayville for someone who cannot accept he's gay.

When Alex was telling his mother, I wondered if that’s what Uma was going to say to him: “Yeah, right, ‘bi.’ The first stop on the road to gayville, sweetheart.”

Anyone know why Polo Morín was recast after filming?

He spoke about his role in an interview last year.

He was supposed to play the journalist, which Juan Castano ended up playing. Sadly they probably didn't think he worked for the role, so had to replace him with another actor.

[quote]What I thought was odd is the movie seems to really go hard into saying Alex's life was normal before his Mom became President...as if people wake up and our President.

[quote] His mom spent years as Congressman traveling to DC, and in the book I remember Alex has resentments about how little time he spent with his mother growing up.

That part of the movie was a head scratcher and that line should have dropped from the final draft. The author of the book has gotten some hate, but in the book some things were explained better.

In the movie it seems like Alex and his mother are on the same page and he loves politics, he's in law school, etc. IMO their problem or at least the problem highlighted in the movie is that in her eyes, and in the eyes of the President's staff, he was still just the hell raising young son who threw fabulous parties, and he wanted them to take him seriously. He wrote that campaign memo and kept pushing them to read it.

I have to say, that while I enjoyed it, the movie could have been a lot better. Yes, it was cute and entertaining, but I didn't care for the slapstick moments like the one with the wedding cake. That was some unnecessary slapstick, and it need not have been. I get it Alex is awkward and uninhibited, not polished and formal, and he was drunk, but that was over the top. Maybe I wanted it to be even more sentimental and angsty. I think the actors deserved a better script. All of them were good. Just because a movie is for YA, doesn't mean it can't be smart. BTW: Stephen Frye. How old is he?

First off, Lesbian here - and I know we are weirdly obsessed with gay men and I don't know why it is. Can you just feel the love and not condemn us for it? I found this site looking for a general queer chat site and it took me a while to realise that it's mostly the domain of gay men. Anyway, RWRB is obviously targeted at us (the frau, gay obsessed lesbians). I listened to the audio book and really enjoyed it but the film is terrible. Nobody can act, it leaves out all the things that made the book enjoyable and is just a total waste of time. I wish they could make a genuine films for gay men (that aren't R rated - hard to do if they're going to be authentic). I just wish everyone was equally represented in TV/Movies without it being a big deal, so even if this movie is terrible at least it's a step in the right direction as it's at least normalising that queer exists and should just be represented by the mainstream without it having to be the token gay guy in a minor role. I just wish they'd done it better.

That one particular love scene was really hot. Really hot.

Nicholas Galitzine is beautiful. I hope he does more gay movies.

I wonder whether it will do well enough to get a sequel - the usual for these types of YA novel adaptions - or whether it was always intended as a one-and-done.

If there is a sequel we absolutely must see Nicholas’s ass.

[quote]I wish they could make a genuine films for gay men (that aren't R rated - hard to do if they're going to be authentic).

If they're going to mine gay YA novels for streaming adaptations, they should really be looking at Adam Silvera books.

You'll get a much more genuine story from both a higher quality author AND one who is a gay man.

I’m sure there will be a sequel, it’s a great story with a lot of speculation of the future and how the two men will form a life together and how that will work.

[quote]I’m sure there will be a sequel, it’s a great story with a lot of speculation of the future and how the two men will form a life together and how that will work.

Since they won't be constrained by a novel, it'll either be much better or fall apart like GoT when they ran out of source material.

The epilogue chapter in the rerelease of the novel suggests that Henry does a Megxit and moves the Brooklyn while Alex goes to law school, then they move to Texas.

People begged Andre Aciman to write a sequel to CMBYN, and when he finally did they hated it

[quote]People begged Andre Aciman to write a sequel to CMBYN, and when he finally did they hated it

Some things should leave well enough alone.

Can you imagine Brokeback II: Electric Bugaloo?

In order to work it has to be believable and there's no way Uma and Clifton Collins made a baby looking like Alex. OMG he is so gorgeous.

The film is incredibly fluffy and upbeat, even through the bad stuff. They could do with a tiny bit more grit, if they do a sequel. I'd want more of a Devil Wears Prada vibe with biting wit, a little bit of seriousness, and hopefully crisper delivery from the lovely Nicholas Galatzine.

Enjoyed it. The leads were hot and the chemistry was chemistrying. I am too old to enjoy the high school stories like heartstopper and young royals so this was fun.

It was smart move not to release it in theaters

20 years ago this tripe would have starred Hilary Duff and Zac Efron

I agree R278.Grit is what was missing and I like the idea of a more biting wit.

The whole thing seems a tad light in the loafers

Here's a sweet slow-dancing at the museum scene that belonged in a much better movie.

Jesus Uma Thurman was awful in this. What was that accent???

Uma Thurman sounded like a throat injury patient with a bad Texan accent.

It was CAMP! Don't gay guys understand camp these days.

You know Taylor is 32. He needs to stop making silly YA movies and get into some action adventure thrillers. Preferably with his shirt off. A few nude scenes would work too. HE should be the next James Bond. Yeah.

Good lord, he has got you dickmatized good if you think his American ass should somehow be James Bond r288.

The thing about an actor like Taylor is realistically what an actor like him is good for in modern Hollywood is some sort of superhero/comic book IP. There aren't a lot of action movies made outside of IP stuff anymore.

Well Matthew Lopez is making it very clear he would like to do sequel movie if Amazon would greenlight if.

[Quote]"Even if Casey never wrote a book, I would if there was demand for it," director Matthew Lopez told HELLO!, adding: "And if Casey and Taylor [Zahkar Perez] and Nick [Galitzine] wanna work on it, then who am I to say no?"

I am totally crushing on Taylor Zakhar Perez. Totally. He is beautiful. He needs to get more product out here and I repeat, something better than insipid Rom Com B.S. Although I did enjoy RWRB. I've watched it twice........I know.

Am I the only one totally not attracted to Taylor? He looks awful next to Nick. But maybe I just like twinky (is he too old to be a twink?) bottoms

There were a couple of scenes : the one where they are hooking up, I think in Alex's bedroom, for the first time, and Alex has his shirt unbuttoned to his navel, laying back on the sofa, and the other scene is when they were making love Alex topped. That scene was seriously hot. And in general I love Alex had a strut. I love the way he walked.I like Nicholas Galatzine. I wouldn't kick him out of bed. I like him a lot. But Taylor is on another level, IMO.

I started out thinking it was an especially inept, badly made Hallmark-type romance, but in time it completely won me over. It becomes genuinely emotional and very romantic. The two actors were good, very committed to the material and they have great chemistry. I’m really into WASPy men so Galitzine, who is new to me, really sent me ‘round the bend. I thought the scene where he gets fucked was terrific — no nudity yet explicit about what is happening, with the focus on the emotional and sexual connection between them. I’m a fan.

[quote]I thought the scene where he gets fucked was terrific — no nudity yet explicit about what is happening, with the focus on the emotional and sexual connection between them.

I really credit the director (and maybe the actor?) for this scene. The expressions on Prince Henry's face were SO believable. (I'm sure I looked exactly like that on many occasions.)

It was an incredibly hot scene.

[quote] I looked exactly like that on many occasions

Pics please.

Uma's wig seemed cheap.

She got the accent right. Texan ladies do sound stupid, always have.

The evil reporter seemed so familiar I was like, "Did I have sex with this guy?" The l ook on his face was so familiar....

It was a fluffy, feel-good fantasy, nothing more, and that’s fine.. I’ve seen countless examples of film and tv straight versions of this, so it was nice to have a bone thrown our way for once. I especially enjoyed the American guy’s ample package at the beginning of the polo scene, so you know the Prince is a size queen. Happily ever after I’m sure.

I gotta be honest. Everyone in this movie talks like they are in a bad production of Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. Uma also spoke like her dentures didn’t fit.

Maybe they don't.

Maybe they don't.

Taylor has beautiful skin.

It was cute. The prince looks like a guy from my high school. The president’s son was HOT. I thought Uma was fine.

Did they swap out actresses? Bea at the end looks different from Bea at the beginning.

Liked this a lot.

I liked it a lot. I'd read the book, so I knew not to expect anything more than a frothy gay romance. I wasn't anticipating Citizen Kane or either of the first two Godfathers. The boys were both so handsome, and so into each other, I liked the movie more than what I remember of the book. I would watch a sequel, too. I wish movies and series featuring gay men in romantic situations were a regular part of network / streaming / cable TV viewing.

Short article on some of the changes from the book.

I’ve already posted my various thoughts in both threads, but I just want to thank the DL posters for the really good reviews. I really enjoy reading gay men’s opinions, especially pointing out things that I may have missed. ❤️

I've been checking out Taylor's instagram. (sigh.)

Citizen Kane stunk as a movie.

It was a cute little movie, I'm glad we now get to have fluff like this as well – would have killed for something like this as a teenager.

[quote]Am I the only one totally not attracted to Taylor? He looks awful next to Nick.

It's all subjective. I don't find Nick attractive at all.

Taylor’s thick hairy thighs in that bed scene was delicious. Hopefully there’s a sequel and they show hole and pole.

Yeah, that's what they'll do.

Yeah, that's what they'll do.

R315 Your comment is hilarious. Best of the thread. And yes, Taylor is sexy af.

I thought in the scene where they finally "make love" those were nick's thighs and Taylor was between them.

OK. I Want to know if either of them are Gay in real life. Personally I'd safely bet Taylor is Gay in RL. Not sure Nick is. But honestly Taylor played those scenes perfectly. And he is not a great actor. He's a good actor, but those scenes were very relaxed and natural for him.

I absolutely adored this movie. The two actors had such lovely chemistry together. I didn’t realize that I was such a mushy romantic until I watched a gay romance actually featuring two gorgeous charming leading men. I do hope there’s going to be a sequel.

I’m not familiar with the books but I’m going to read them now.

[quote]Am I the only one totally not attracted to Taylor? He looks awful next to Nick.

[quote]It's all subjective. I don't find Nick attractive at all.

Galitzine looks very handsome sometimes and looks awful at other times. He's a Seinfeld two-face.

Several people keep referring to "books". Isn't it just the one?

IndieWire talked to the intimacy coordinator on the film, and he talked about the Paris sex scene:

[quote] Definitely most proud of and spent the most time and creative energies and efforts on the Paris scene in bed, just because that is such a major moment for the characters and their journey. I’m a queer intimacy coordinator and working on queer intimacy onscreen is just really important to me. So any chance I get to work on a moment that feels new or a chance to show queer intimacy we haven’t seen before is exciting.

[quote] I think that scene does that, just by nature of what this moment is between characters. I don’t think we get a lot of good loving, detailed, dynamic character-driven moments of sex between men onscreen in big films like this. It was a real sense with everyone onboard of wanting to do it right and serve that moment well, which is so central for these two characters in different ways.

I think this is the scene (at link) he's talking about. And yeah, if this exact scene was between a man and a woman, it wouldn't have been rated R.

[quote] I’m a queer intimacy coordinator and working on queer intimacy onscreen is just really important to me.

🙄 Yeah, right. 🙄 They looked pretty damn gay to me.

The intimacy coordinator getting big interviews r324? Man the world of an actors strike is a strange place, guess they have to find someone to fill the void.

You know Taylor and Nick are going crazy that they can't do press.

Here's the queer intimacy coordinator interview.

I remember watching some interviews of the two actors from Love, Victor and they had the option of using an intimacy coordinator and said no. And the scene they had in Season 2 Episode 8 is very authentic. In fact those two guys had great chemistry. Funny, one was Latino and the other was a Brit.

If anyone wants to revisit Love Victors sex scenes.

It's funny to imagine this movie with Michael Cimino as the lead, he fits the physical description of the book character better. Though performance wise don't think he would have been right.

Forgot link

R329, I would have insisted on being the bottom.

R330 that scene was hot. And they knew the assignment.

[quote] Hopefully there’s a sequel and they show hole and pole.

Pornography is widely available online.

R323 Oh, it’s just one book? I figured this was an adaptation of one of the many gay romance series that Amazon keeps advertising to me.

Yes, just one book. (So far?)

Yeah there is just one book. It was written by a woman and most popular amount young female readers on TikTok. As a gay man it was a woman who recommended it to me which probably says a lot.

But still, was an enjoyable read. Definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the movie, more depth in a novel than you can get a movie.

Thanks! R335 and R336. I’ll check out the book.

I watched the film again yesterday. I never rematch movies but I think it’s going to become something I rewatch regularly whenever I need something to lift my spirits.

It’s getting a massively positive reception on tumblr. Practically every post in my feed atm is gif sets of the hottest and cutest scenes, and people quoting the script and the book. It warms my heart to see a gay romance getting such an enthusiastically positive reception.

It's #2 on Amazon right now behind The Summer I Turned Insipid.

What makes it interesting is that those rankings are based on number of hours streamed and #1 is a series with eight episodes vs. a 2-hour movie.

Has Meatball or Moms for Liberties or other busybody right-wing Karens come out and denounced the movie yet as "woke"? Is there a Ben Shapiro review lamenting that he was forced to watch it?

"The Summer I Turned Insipid"

I love it! Thanks for my first laugh out loud of the day, R338.

Look, this movie is a piece of fluff and I enjoyed it. It's not a big deal. But I watch this shit, just like I watched Love Victor and Young Royals because I want to support Gay themed work. HeartStopper one season was enough.

[quote] Has Meatball or Moms for Liberties or other busybody right-wing Karens come out and denounced the movie yet as "woke"? Is there a Ben Shapiro review lamenting that he was forced to watch it?

I bet Ben Shapiro will probably whine about it later on after someone tells him about it.Is he still whining about the Barbie movie?

Moms for Liberty groups are probably too busy with the fall school year and bitching about drag queens to know about an Amazon Prime video about a prince and first son having a relationship.

[quote]Look, this movie is a piece of fluff and I enjoyed it. It's not a big deal. But I watch this shit, just like I watched Love Victor and Young Royals because I want to support Gay themed work.

I am generally a cynic and believe the world is full of truly awful people.

I like stuff like this and Bridgerton because they're light and fun, not to be taken seriously. I concur with Heartstopper - the first season was fine, but I just don't find the characters fun enough to spend more time with them.

There is a place in this world for frothy fun entertainment - whether it's Star Wars, Marvel movies, or cute rom/coms.

I watched it last night and thought it was cute. It's a turn your brain off and just watch kind of movie and I personally need that kind of "escapism" kind of entertainment every now and then. Although, the director should've told Uma Thurman to drop that terrible accent and just speak normally.

[quote]the director should've told Uma Thurman to drop that terrible accent and just speak normally.

The movie needed a better director, not a gay one. He may (or may not) be a fine playwright, but this directorial debut was decidedly subpar. His medium is clearly stage and not tv or movies.

Now that I've read about his background, I understand the story and pacing failures (and some of the acting ones, too). He doesn't understand the differences between the two media and lacks sufficient experience to compensate for it.

R344 I am somewhat inclined to agree with you.

This movie may have been better as a limited series. It left a lot of stuff out that was in the book, such as the emails that were exchanged between Henry and Alex, which I thought were the best part of the book, and the reaction when they were leaked, which was the result of dirty tricks by Republican presidential candidate's campaign.

The movie also didn't address Alex's sexual identity crisis, which was a little more developed in the book in his discussions with Nora, his sister June (character not included in the movie), family friend Sen. Luna (character also not included in the movie), and the fact that his mom kicked him off the campaign once he revealed his relationship with Henry.

The movie also left out the scene at Wimbledon where we get more insight into Phillip being an ass, and Henry and Alex's first fuck in a storage closet. Phillip comes around a bit at the end of the book.

I think it was a big mistake in not including Henry's mom, Catherine. Part of the novel was her dealing with her grief with the loss of her husband, Henry's father, by coming to support Henry when he's confronted by the Queen (changed to the King in the movie).

^^^I think if someone like Shonda Rhimes were behind the movie, it might have gotten an opportunity. But, with an unproven director and a gay story line that would make people nervous about reactions (and protests), a movie was probably a lot cheaper and smarter for Amazon.

Frankly, given how badly stuff like Rings of Power for which they spent $450MM, they're probably very hesitant and cautious about greenlighting anything requiring too big of a commitment - financial or otherwise.

^^^ Or if Aaron Sorkin had written the script, with a lot of sharp conversations among the characters while walking down hallways. A parody version of that below.

[quote]I think if someone like Shonda Rhimes were behind the movie, it might have gotten an opportunity.

To do what? Make no sense whatsoever?

Shonda Rhimes is an overrated hack closet case.

You think *the* Aaron Sorkin would have been interested in adapting some cute little romcom novel r348.....?

Fair point, R351.

[quote]I think if someone like Shonda Rhimes were behind the movie, it might have gotten an opportunity.

[quote]To do what? Make no sense whatsoever?

Sweetie, it's called context. I was directly replying to r346 who wrote: "This movie may have been better as a limited series. It left a lot of stuff out that was in the book, such as the emails that were exchanged between Henry and Alex..."

For those who have higher than 3rd grade reading comprehension, it's clear that the directly reply was to the movie as a limited series to which I noted that if Rhimes had been behind the production, it might have gotten such an opportunity. However, a movie is lower investment beyond just financial. Therefore, with an uproven director and clearly iffy writers, they went with the lower risk movie option.

Shonda woulda made everyone black

That would be a problem?

The lesbian and bisexual storylines on Grey's Anatomy were pure garbage. Sara Ramirez' bisexual character and Jessica Capshaw's lesbo characters on that show often came off bland and gross. Shonda Rhimes would have really fucked up on this movie. Matthew Lopez did a great job.

First, I was suggesting someone like Rhimes who has a track record for success. She keeps cranking out one hit after another - whether they're dreadful or not is somewhat irrelevant to whether a studio is going to trust her stewarding a project.

Second, the Bridgerton Story: Queen Charlotte does a great gay subplot, so who knows how a show would turn out if she were running the thing.

Lopez did a serviceable job, but it's clearly a first time director outing from someone who usually works in other media (stage).

R353 r357 = Rhonda Shimes

True re: Queen Charlotte, R357. I loved that subplot, especially down in the cellar when Brimsley was like “If you’ve found another rider…” lol

Taylor Zakhar Perez has amazing eyelashes.

Sure, it was Hallmark-y and predictable, but as a piece of escapism it was fine.

What took me out of it was some of the horrible CGI (Prince Henry and the royal family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace and the scene on the snowy front lawn of the White House where Henry kisses him).

They made the Chinese Dining Room/Centre Room behind the balcony the size of a football field 😂

SOme of the dialogue, tho was cheesy and awkward, and it was cringeworthy. . In that scene out in the snow on New Years Eve,

R334 I quite like the direction by Matthew Lopez. The scenes were snappy and quick with the camera always moving with the characters as they moved, and was rarely locked down. Lots of lovely wipes and scenic shots during scene transitions, and even when the two leads were just talking together in intimate moments the camera would gradually move closer to their faces to emphasize their intimacy.

Some of my favourite scenes that really struck me:

When Henry pushed Alex over the back of the couch and pounced on him. Damn that was hot!

The polo match/make out scene. Excellent use of the setting and the musical score to highlight their passion, without being particularly graphic.

The New Year’s party scene. Fantastic music and cinematography showing Alex’s and Henry’s very different experience of that night while partying together, as Alex’s fans/girlfriends keep pulling him away to dance while poor Harry grows increasingly jealous and uneasy about that jealousy, culminating in having to watch the man he’s falling in love with joyfully kissing girls at midnight when he himself wants to be the one sharing that celebratory kiss with him.

The director artfully and masterfully captured all of Henry’s conflicting emotions during that scene, with very little dialogue, just relying on the excellent work by he actors. It was so well done, and the slo mo moment when everyone dancing got down low, leaving our two leading men standing and locking eyes across the dance floor, as they both realized in that moment that they only had eyes for each other - that made me gasp out loud and start clapping. It was so beautiful.

I love this movie!

I tend to agree with The Hollywood Reporter review:

It’s a tangle of odd tones, roving direction and eccentric performances — a frenetic combo that makes it hard to buy the drama of this fantasy.

The leads have an endearing chemistry, but it’s not enough to make you believe the two are more than just good friends.

The movie’s problems indeed are amplified when the relationship between Alex and Henry gets steamier. There’s a studied quality to their intimacy, which doesn’t help ease the film’s internal tension between the Disney Channel tone of its screenplay and its aspirational eroticism.

I really enjoyed it, but I admit I didn't have the sound up.

R364, yeah, this review is pretty accurate for me, too.

Yeah, I'd go along with the review at r364.

However, I did enjoy it.

It’s currently the number 1 movie on Amazon worldwide. I

R364 I agree with the general outline of the article, but I disagree about their chemistry, I thought that was one of the best bits of the film and very believable.

Also, it was only rated 12 (basically PG13 equivalent) here in the UK so the sex scenes actually were racier than what I was expecting - it was very obvious who was doing what to who without explicitly showing anything.

It's very interesting that so many comments both here and in reviews all use the formula:

(insert criticisms), BUT (insert some version of fun or enjoyable) anyway and worth watching.

I don't think it's a PR schilling issue, but a deeper desire for this type of movie among people watching it. People are so starved for a movie that addresses these themes that they're willing to overlook flaws and just enjoy the experience.

It seems to be one of those movies that's doing well despite the reviews. Possibly because I don't think anyone who chooses to watch it is under any illusion that it'll be some amazing masterpiece. Obviously it helps that it's included with Amazon Prime Video.

It's a bit of mindless escapism and I enjoyed it for that.

I read a review that it was saying it was obviously copying the Harry and Meghan saga, but so much of it is to do with their sexuality and keeping it a secret that I didn't buy the Harry/Meghan comparisons at all.

[quote] It seems to be one of those movies that's doing well despite the reviews

A lot of the reviews are rather good. On Rottentomatoes, it has an 80% critics score and a 94% audience score. Many of the critics are apparently grading this on the curve since its aspirations are in line with a Hallmark-ish romantic comedy.

In comparison, the new Indiana Jones movie has a score of 69%, which reflects, in part, high expectations of a big budget movie that are not met.

Also, the sheer number of people watching it are surprising.

It moved from being #1 movie in the US on Amazon to #1 worldwide. The gay doesn't usually play well in other parts of the world.

R273 I think the royal aspect helps it, makes it seem more fairytale than just a gay movie

If you liked it, there is a ton of frau fanfic out there you'll enjoy. Just pick any TV show with two male characters and they'll have turned it into this for you over and over.

Yes, it's fluff, the lead actors are cute and the President's female assistant is a very good character, but all the soulful "Tonight, I think we should make love" stuff is very standard female fanfic -- as are the cutesy flirty lines and texting. Surprisingly, good fanfic does that sort of thing as well as most romcoms. The Mary Sues (Beatrice and the VP's daughter) who are the gay lead's best buddy are also standard fanfic: their purpose is to insert the author into the story. Most authors can confine themselves to only one of these.

I was very impatient with how it nodded to the present BRF, making the Henry character the "good one", having him still grieving for his dead parent years after the fact and having him date an American. That was irrelevant and distracting. Isn't The Crown bad enough?

[quote] Before Prince Edward was married, when he worked for Andrew Lloyd-Webber's "Really Useful" company he used to be a regular visitor to the building in Soho (London) where the company I worked for at the time also had office space. It wasn't unusual to encounter him in the lift (elevator to US readers) and so on

R123 Thanks but I think we all know what a lift is.

The movie is a hit! Number 1 for the weekend at Amazon, with people signing up to the service just to see it, and it beat both Barbie and Oppenheimer for views at Letterboxed.

Hopefully this means we will get a sequel. :)

I got around to seeing this over the weekend. It's a lightweight rom-com that is basically a gay Hallmark Channel movie. The two leads are great looking though and did a passable acting job with the material they had.