Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

Longhorns (2011) Directed by David Lewis

“Wanna help a buddy out?”

Kevin (Jacob Newton) is a student at the University of Texas in 1982.  He’s a normal rancher kid from Texas; blue jeans, big buckle, hat, with a girl friend, and a secret passion for his buddy, Justin (Kevin Held).  When you have to imagine your girlfriend is your buddy just to get off, it’s what we in the psychology business like to call “a sign.”  When you actually lend a hand in a masturbation session, it’s what we like to call, “confirmation.”

Things only get worse when a new kid, César (Derek Efrain Villanueva), shows up.  César is openly gay, and Kevin is attracted like a moth to a flame.  And of course, Justin reacts to César exactly like you would expect a good ol’ boy from Texas to react.  Poorly.  But Kevin and César react with a distressing chemistry, and soon, Kevin and César are dating.  The only problem is Kevin is in the closet, and that’s where César keeps all his fabulous clothes.  He doesn’t want to lie and hide, and Kevin isn’t willing to throw his life away.  It causes problems.

Finally, Kevin can’t take it, and takes up his friend from back home’s suggestion; a weekend get away with his two best friends, Steve and Daniel (Dylan Vox and Stephen Matzke) and three girls ready for a long weekend orgy.  Maybe that will get Kevin back to thinking straight.

But a sudden Texas storm washes out the roads, and it’s just the three guys.  So, no sex for the weekend, right?  Maybe not.

Meanwhile, Justin is facing a dilemma of his own; he is going to flunk English if he doesn’t turn in a brilliant paper on Willa Cather.  And the only one who could actually pull that off is César; the question is will he take it out in trade?

This is an indy gay film.  Director David Lewis has made two before this.  Sadly, it suffers from the same problems as his earlier works.  The story line is solid, interesting, and has the potential for a good deal of humor.  The problem is that the treatment is shallow, vapid, and much of the humor falls flat.  There is one veteran actor in the film, Dylan Vox, the poonhound best friend.  It’s rather odd seeing an ex gay porn star playing the “straight” boy.  Everyone else is a first timer.  But using Vox as a focal point, I would say part of Lewis’ problem is that he can’t elicit more emotion out of his actors.  I have seen Vox do better, much better. I am assuming the rest could as well with better direction.

The stand out performance was César by Derek Efrain Villanueva.  He seemed the truest to his character, the most sincere, and had the best chemistry with Jacob Newton.  The rest of them…there were moments with each of them where real talent shown through, so I am going to let them collect a few more credits before I pass judgment on them.  Dylan Vox rather nailed the hypocrisy of the “straight until a six pack” country boy; I suspect he has had some exposure.

That said, there was a sweet earnestness about all the boys.  The movie pulled off far more character development than I would have imagined it could.  And it does have the redeeming quality of featuring full frontal nudity on every single male star.  You can tell that was thrown in for gratuitous prurient interest for the gay audience but I take my gratuitous prurient full frontal nudity where I can find it.  I have to wonder though, were better actors passed over for having smaller…attributes?

In the end, we have a flawed, but enjoyable film.  It falls in the middle ground of indie gay film, not the best location, but if you are a fan, it’s worth checking out.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age