29th and Gay

Infobox Film
name = 29th and Gay


caption = DVD Cover to "29th and Gay".
director = Carrie Preston
producer = Sebastian Jobin
writer = James Vasquez
narrator =
starring = James Vásquez
Nicole Marcks
David McBean
Mike Doyle
Annie Hinton
James Synjyn
Adam Greer
Kurt Norby
music = John Avila
cinematography = Mark Holmes
editing = Mark Holmes
Carrie Preston
James Vasquez
distributor = TLA Releasing
released = 2005 (Theatres)
April 3, 2007 (DVD)
runtime = 87 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0455299

29th and Gay is a 2005 comedy film from TLA Releasing directed by Carrie Preston and starring James Vasquez, Nicole Marcks, David McBean, Mike Doyle and Annie Hinton. It was Vasquez's very first experience as a writer, actor and editor.

Plot

The plot concerns the exploits of James Sanchez (James Vasquez), a 29 year old gay man who feels he's reached a dead end in his life. While his best friend Roxy (Nicole Marcks), an actress-turned-activist, struggles with showing him there's life beyond the glitz of the disco ball, his other friend, Brandon (David McBean), one of those gay boys comfortable in his own gay skin, works on getting James to at least talk to a boy. Feeling out of place in the world of circuit boys, caught between his Hispanic-American heritage and being gay, we watch James find his place in the world, realizing that life is in the journey, not the destination.

In his long journey throughout the film to find a boyfriend, he stumbles into many different guys. Most of them form cheap and/or sleazy gay bars, he attempts to find a man online, which leads him to Mike (Kurt Norby). They soon go on a date, which seems to be "perfect", only to be never called back. Throughout his relationship troubles, he also deal with his parents (Annie Hinton, James Synjyn) who try to be much too accepting (they buy him overly stereotypical gifts such as musicals and a sex swing for special occasions), a lack of a job, a lack of inspiration for his talents as an actor and his lack of confidence to approach the man to whom he crushes on, the hot and sexy coffee barista in the cafe down the street (Mike Doyle). After going trough friendship troubles, all too depressing moments and losing his apartment's electricity, he struggles his way back into life by getting an acting job and perhaps finding the man of his dreams.

Cast

[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455299/fullcredits#cast]

References to other Works

* Sunset Blvd. - when James says "Are You Ready For Your Close-up?"
* I Love Lucy - James calls his parents "a modern day Ricky and Lucy"
* The Andy Griffith Show - there is a dog is called "Opie" and a person named Andy Griffith
* Batman - James' e-mail address is "boywonder"
* The Boys in the Band - the line "If you want to be one of the boys in the band..." is said
* Cabaret - James gets this DVD as a Christmas present
* Wonder Woman - The line "All Right, Wonder Woman..." is said
* Dirty Dancing - The line "Nobody puts Baby in a corner!" is seen on the screen in the "Perfect Date" sequence.
* The View - a pun is uttered about Barbara Walters saying to "enjoy The View"
* Lucille Ball - James also receives a CD set of Ball's work for Christmas [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455299/movieconnections]

References

[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455299/ "29th and Gay" at IMdB]