BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
Spoonatects
Am i the only one who thinks........Average?
Helloturia
I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.
Ricardo Daly
The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.
Franco-LA
The problem I had with this movie is that it's essentially a sitcom premise stretched out to 90 minutes, although fortunately, that spares us the set up/punch line every few minutes route and the laugh track. The story is also predictable and has been done before, at least several times in the last 10-15 years, usually guy pretends to be gay to get the girl, not for career advancement, but I assume this is a rip off, at least conceptually, from the 2001 French film, Le Placard, (aka The Closet).That's another problem with this film: there are some good concepts but they aren't well developed. They discuss how to make the Dave character pass for gay and its nice to see they don't make any effort to change his behavior (i.e. Victor/Victoria's "more shoulder, remember you're a drag queen" or similar from Mrs. Doubtfire) but since they don't develop his character very much, you don't understand why he's into Bette Davis movies and it seems strange he would have a good friend who's gay and would move in with him, but not have any clue about some basics such as what a top or bottom is.The performances were adequate to fine, with some excellent work by a few people. Reichen Lehmkuhl really needs to get a new agent who will get him some bit work where he can keep his shirt on. I also agree that the "gay guys" don't do a good job. Micheal Ian Blank's gay friends at "brunch" (Sean McGowan and Bru Miller) in particular, shouldn't have been mouthing some of their lines based on what they wore and looked like. I kept thinking that the sub-plot with the two make co-workers (roommates themselves) of Dave's would be resolved with one or both of them turning out to be gay, which may have more sense, otherwise I would agree that the time spent on them was excessive after a point.Some good ideas and the execution was technically fine, but it feels unfinished, unpolished and like a first draft, not a feature film.
gradyharp
'Partner(s)' turns out to be a far better little film than expected. Not that there is anything original about this oft told variation of posing to be something you're not in order to take advantage of career development only to have that posing backfire. But Dave Diamond's script and direction and the presence of an attractive, bubbly and capable cast make this little piece of fluff float.Tables are turned in a competitive law firm where an important case is to be assigned, a case involving sex discrimination over a gay employee. Dave (Jay Harrington) and Katherine (Julie Bowen), lovers in the past, vie for the assignment that will most assuredly result in being granted full partner ship in the firm. The company involved happens to include a cute young lass Lucy (Brooke Langton) who lives in the same apartment with Dave (Dave happens to room with a gay guy Christopher - Michael Ian Black - but Dave is straight). Lucy eyes Dave but mistakenly thinks Dave is gay, a fact that she feels will help her father's company in the lawsuit if they are represented by a gay lawyer (politics, you know...). Dave goes along with the charade, tells his company he is gay, wins the assignment leaving Katherine jealous, knowing that Dave is NOT gay. The remainder of the story revolves around the cat and mouse game between Dave and Katherine and Dave and Lucy's mutual attraction that interferes with his job. There are many funny side characters who constantly comment on what the gay mind is like. But the story ends well, with the film being a vaguely funny if very superficial view of what being gay is all about.Not a great film but certainly an entertaining one. Sort of an extended au courant soap opera, it works fairly well on the big screen, largely due to the sustained light touch with which it is delivered. Grady Harp, December 05
NJMoon
PARTNER(S) is an extremely watchable film. The story centers on a young lawyer looking to be made partner in his law firm so he allows a client to think he's gay. Although he lives with a gay friend, he's anything but. Convincing everyone is the film's main comic thrust. Complications ensue, but (naturally) none that can't be overcome neatly in 90 minutes. This film has an upbeat and polished feeling that helps compensate for it's minor shortcomings. The acting is good, the writing is competent and the soundtrack and photography are slick. Our hero is cut straight (pardon the pun) from the "Will & Grace" mold, complete with funky hair (he never really looks quite professional enough, even dressed to the nines). In fact, this could easily be a less manic episode of "Ally McBeel". If there's anything this light comedy lacks it is bite. Everything's a bit too easy to digest but for those looking for a light snack, it's a pleasant enough diversion.
drsunshine2
I originally tuned in to watch this film purely to see Brooke Langton (Lucy in the film) but was actually pretty entertained by the film. Jay Harrington did a great job and Julie Bowen played a great bitch. Ian Michael Black also did a great job as Jay Harrington's "gay partner."The story was fairly predictable, but there were a couple of little twists that made it amusing. The acting was easy going and not over the top.Of course, the star of the film, in my opinion, was Brooke Langton. She is, by far, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I wish she was in more films.