Chasing Pavement (2015)

Simply A Masterpiece

One of my all time favorites.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

This held my interest, despite its many flaws. I found the storyline original and engaging, though the execution is sometimes both amateurish and pretentious. Often simultaneously.The story did not go quite where I thought it would, so for that achievement alone it deserves some respect. The dialogue sometimes rings hollow (inauthentic) but it isn't predictable. It might not always be well written dialogue but it isn't trite.More than one reviewer here has observed that the lead actor is too old and shopworn to play a character who promotes himself as young and desirable. I think that's unfair-real life hustlers often misrepresent themselves. We're talking about people working in an industry that lost its moral compass eons ago.Yes, there are cringeworthy scenes. Yes, the acting will disappoint. We all know there are plenty of gay movies with similar defects. At least here there's the kernel of a profound theme. You might get glimpses of it if you can overlook the flaws.

I found this little gem of a movie on Vimeo last week and thought I'd give it a whirl. I'm so glad I did!Chasing Pavement is a serious drama about identity and the dichotomy of who we really are and who we portray ourselves to be online and on phone apps like Grindr, Adam4Adam et al. For most gay men, this is a new reality that few of us choose to discuss openly in a time when queer culture is being pushed underground in favor of assimilationist, heteronormative lifestyles. A low-budget effort, Chasing Pavement starts out feeling a bit too 'indie' (the actors' line readings are a bit flat), but the last 40 minutes are truly world class. At a time when most American gay-themed films are campy comedies or third-rate psychological thrillers, Chasing Pavement is truly a refreshing reminder of what serious gay cinema should be.

A porn star leads multiple lives--Rashawn, the young actor he aspired to be but now he's Elijah, the hot porn star and escort who still struggles to pay the rent. I found this independent effort to be a subtle, intelligent view at the complicated life of an adult star and the accidental relationships he finds himself in. 'Chasing Pavement' is a quiet character study of a young black porn star, Elijah Young , who has created walls around his life to keep his livelihood discrete but also to keep his own desires trapped within. He has an 'escort affair' with a troubled Latin man, Bryson, played by real adult star Antonio Biaggi, then, he develops a random friendship with a young Asian, Takeshi, which ultimately takes a dramatic turn. The film is quite literary and intimate in its look at the randomness and disappointments of modern gay life and it's refreshing that the filmmaker opted to cast real-life adult stars in dramatic acting roles. Although the performances are somewhat amateurish, there's a certain legitimacy of casting here and an interesting exploration of a diverse cast of characters confronting each other. The themes of emotional disconnect within cycles of intimacy and abandonment are very truthful. A serious gay independent film effort for those looking to deal with more 'real' in their films than the usual happy-go-lucky standard gay film fare.

The protagonist, Elias, defines himself as a "hot twink super bottom porn star." Well, then you better apply a bit more concealer to those those crowfeet, girl. Because if black don't crack, you sure do. He's at least 40, or looks hell old for his age. At some point we see him mince about naked in the bedroom; those ass cheeks sure are saggy for "best paid bottom in porn." Saggy ass hoisted up in fancy underwear doesn't make for firm buttocks, dearie. Elias is an uppity queen who thinks he may be seen as "cultured," if he dispenses a smart sounding reference here and there about classical music or literary authors - so try hard, it has the opposite effect. In one sentence he claims to have a pediatrician mother and lawyer father, and in the next he pronounces "asked" as axed; a bit of a thinly disguised ghetto queen, if you ask me. He even admits himself that it is all about bravado, not what you really are. He does reveal at some point that he is a trained actor, hereby giving away vital clues to those who are getting to know him, and who may get caught in his web of lies. The awful monotonous way of speaking, and the deadpan delivery of his numerous snide remarks, should be enough of a clue to realize that Elias is a bit of a fraud, and he is a rather loathsome person. That is what this film is all about. It's about the show that some people put on, and if it is convincing enough for long enough to keep other people interested. Unfortunately it is endemic to the modern day gay scene with its puerile glorification of people "working" in the adult entertainment industry (who hasn't?) and the marketing-like profiling on Grindr. It's bound to result in disillusion when the illusion hits upon reality. This film is a good study of that topic.