Cast: Sean P. Hayes, Brad Rowe, Richard Ganoung, Meredith Scott Lynn, Matthew Ashford, Armando
Valdes-Kennedy, Paul Bartel
Director: Tommy O'Haver
Producer: David Moseley
Screenplay: Tommy O'Haver
Cinematography: Mark Mervis
Music: Alan Ari Lazar
U.S. Distributor: Trimark Pictures
Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss, Tommy O'Haver's entry into the gay romantic comedy genre, is an affable but uninspired re-working of traditional formulas. Although the storyline is diverting, O'Haver's movie rarely attempts anything ambitious, and stays in territory that rigorously avoids offending the audience (keeping in mind that those who find a male/male lip lock offensive aren't likely to attend a screening of this picture in the first place). Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss was well-received at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival, where it debuted, but, considering the dubious quality of many of the festival's highlights, plaudits from Park City can hardly be regarded as high praise.
Billy Collier (Sean P. Hayes), our narrator and the movie's protagonist, is, by his own admission, "A homosexual, a photographer, a film buff, and an all-around nice guy." Born in Indiana, he moved to L.A. to be around others will similar sexual proclivities. His best friend, Perry (Richard Ganoung), is gay, but his roommate, Georgiana (Meredith Scott Lynn), is undeniably hetero. Billy is having romantic problems because, "contrary to popular belief, all homosexuals don't get laid all the time," and he's looking for Mr. Right. That person is not his current lover, Fernando (Armando Valdes-Kennedy), who is keeping Billy around for the occasional quickie. But it might be Gabriel (Brad Rowe), a model Billy has recruited for an upcoming photo shoot re- creating classic screen kisses (i.e., From Here to Eternity's famous beach scene) with men playing both the male and (in drag) female roles. However, there is a basic problem Gabriel has a girlfriend.
Considering the constraints placed upon the film by its genre, the screenplay for Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss is actually well-constructed, offering various tangled romantic couplings and decouplings (both gay and straight), a fair amount of sly humor, and an unexpected twist or two. The problem is that the characters are boring. None of them, not even the likable Billy, has the ability to consistently grab our attention or hold our sympathy.
Although Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss is short on memorable moments, there is at least one a sweetly funny, slightly poignant scene where gay Billy and straight Gabriel share a bed. The interaction between these two flesh "accidentally" touching as the two engage in a psychological game that means something different to each of them is perfectly filmed, effectively capturing the essence of Billy's dilemma about the situation. After all, unrequited love is bad enough, but what if he ruins a friendship by mistaking an innocent touch for something else? Had more of the movie attained this level of empathy with the characters, watching Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss would have been a more satisfying experience. Instead, we get dream- like interludes (with lip synching drag queens) that aren't nearly as original or endearing as O'Haver thinks they are.
One of Billy's plot elements, that of a "romance" between individuals of different sexual orientations, has received a fair amount of screen exposure in the last couple of years. Although both Chasing Amy and The Object of My Affection have tackled the issue, Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss offers the gay perspective. It's a tricky subject to handle, since there are so many obvious pitfalls (if or when a gay character "turns straight" or vice versa, there's bound to be controversy), but this is one mine field that O'Haver navigates skillfully.
The acting, although done by relative unknowns, is solid. As Billy, Sean P. Hayes is effective at being self-deprecating, although the role doesn't give him much opportunity to display his range. Brad Rowe, who's a dead ringer for Brad Pitt, has a certain charisma, but not a lot is required of him other than to look handsome, flex his muscles, and flash his eyes. Meredith Scott Lynn, who has the only significant female part, applies a broadly comic interpretation to her character that, while refreshing at the outset, eventually grows tiresome.
Do I recommend Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss? That depends largely on the viewer. Although the film was made with the hope that it would appeal equally to gay and straight audiences, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the movie will play better to a homosexual crowd than a heterosexual group. So, while not occupying a creative pinnacle, Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss still offers 90 minutes of competent entertainment, and those in search of a breezy gay romantic comedy will probably enjoy themselves.
© 1998 James Berardinelli