Urbania (2000)

A different way of telling a story

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

So I found the VHS tape of this film (with a discount sticker from Blockbuster on it) outside a dumpster with a bunch of other videos. Being up on my films and what is released, it caught my interest since I'd never recalled hearing about it.I watched it. Painful. Pretty much from the get-go. The primary thing that makes any film painful to sit through, whether it's a "realist" or "surrealist" drama, is the absence of anything that would resemble truthfulness (truthfulness in behavior, truthfulness in dialogue, etc.) A filmmaker can make the most bizarre, esoteric film ever, provided there's some kind of human truth in it. If there is, the audience will be drawn in. I could not find it here. It is reminiscent of another film dealing with the seamier side of the gay nightlife scene of NYC's Village, 1980's "Cruising", but at least that film had Pacino to liven it up, and more skilled direction by Exorcist & French Connection director, William Friedkin.This film is painfully vague and obtuse, making a David Lynch film seem like Sesame Street, and the dialogue is written in a way that is hard to imagine that anyone actually speaks. The actors struggle through a sub-par script, however the script may not appear so sub-par if it had better direction. But there is obvious miscasting, including the bartender and the homeless man. I've never encountered a NY bartender quite that timid or blundering, or a homeless guy that could've just as easily been cast in a Wendy's commercial (of course, he also has to stutter and be mentally challenged, though that is far from representative of a true NY homeless person). I would say if you're going to make something up, that doesn't reflect the reality of time & place, make it more interesting.I did notice that Alan Cumming was in the movie, so I waited for his (albeit brief) appearance, to see what a truly talented actor could do with a bad script. Though his scene was one of the few that was not badly written, it was still pleasantly surprising to see what a fine job he did with it. His behavior was completely believable and made for one of the few bright spots in the film.However, even though there's a painful pretentiousness to this film, (and very little honesty), I was quite surprised when I checked out rottentomatoes.com that it had gained some decent reviews, especially from Stephen Holden in the NY Times. He must've seen something I clearly missed.

I stumbled across this flick on late night TV while it was well into the movie and got intrigued by its tone and flavor. I later had to seek it out so I could see the entire thing. I found it a REALLY good watch. Some people will really hate it though. It isn't a movie for everyone. It is rather dark and brooding, and maybe even a little depressing. The humor is black and it deals with unclear emotions and psychology. Dan Futterman does a great job with his character and it was a pleasant surprise to learn that he had some real acting talent under his boyish looks. His character, Charlie, is suffering a kind of breakdown from grief, guilt and rage. The movie basically deals with how he functions daily and about the strangeness of the others and events of the city around him. Watching his personal journey and his transformation is certainly worth the time and money you will spend on the rental.

This is a complex, layered film that appeals most to those looking for something beyond mindless fluff. That having been said, by the time one reaches the film's conclusion, one feels exhausted, vindicated, furious, empowered, blown-away, or some combination thereof. But to fully appreciate the script and its many intricacies, a re-viewing is required -- it simply gets better the second go 'round. Director John Shear is to be applauded, as are so many of the supporting cast members. Dan Futterman's performance, however, is nothing short of superb. His character's range of emotions could easily be overplayed; Mr. Futterman's delivery is so dead-on that one easily gets lost in his character - we become him - even if we don't fully understand him. This is clearly an example of acting done so well, we forget he's acting. Do yourself a favor: set two hours aside during which you cannot be interrupted, forget your DVD player has a pause button, and climb aboard for the ride.

URBANIA Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: Dolby DigitalHaunted by recent tragedy, a young gay man (Dan Futterman) encounters various wild characters whilst pursuing a stranger (Samuel Ball) whose life is inextricably bound with his own.Aside from a fragmented opening montage which annoys more than it informs, there's much to admire in Jon Shear's study of sadness, alienation and urban mythology, based on the stageplay 'Urban Folk Tales' by Daniel Reitz (who co-wrote the film's screenplay). Futterman is terrific as a man torn apart by grief, seeking closure through his pursuit of a rough stranger (Ball), though the reason for his odd behavior is kept back from the audience until the climax, when quarry and prey are brought together by a series of dramatic revelations. The gorgeous Matt Keeslar (SPLENDOR) plays Futterman's boyfriend with loving grace - their scenes together are warm, tender and more than a little sexy - and Shear makes the most of a fine supporting cast, including Alan Cumming (as a former party animal, now dying from an AIDS-related illness), Lothaire Bluteau (JESUS OF MONTREAL), Josh Hamilton (ALIVE), Paige Turco (TV's "The Agency") and Christopher Bradley (hunky co-star of David DeCoteau's LEATHER JACKET LOVE STORY). Quirky, dramatic and heartfelt, URBANIA is an unusual entry in recent gay cinema, and worth a look.NB. Samuel Ball plays the mugger whose life takes a radical turn for the worst following a late night encounter with Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) in 'Downtown Crossing', a memorable stand-alone episode of TV's "Dawson's Creek" which first aired in 2002.