A Four Letter Word (2007) User Reviews (9)

An Interesting Failure

[Franco-LA · 5/10 · 21 July 2007]

This is a vast improvement from the director's first film in that he didn't cast himself in it, since he was not a particularly strong actor or wasn't able, as a director, to entice a good performance with self-direction. The production values are also vastly improved, particularly the sound and picture quality, composition of shots and the overall acting by the cast. Particularly good was Cory Grant as Zeke, who gives what is perhaps the best rounded and most complete performance in the film, and Charlie David as Stephen (with a PH) who appears to make the most with his part as written and sells his line, rather than sleepwalking through the role to 'collect a paycheck' (no matter how small it might have been). The biggest flaws in this movies are the number of sub-plots and threads, including the lengthy marriage drama with the character also carried over from the director's first film, and the performance pieces in the film as well as the alcoholic's anonymous meetings.

Otherwise, it acts as a probably decent slice of life representation for SOME gay men in the 20s to early 30s in New York City, but it's neither original nor genuinely engaging. The plots, including the numerous sub-plots, were all fairly predictable and were telegraphed by the first third of the film (from the hooker with the secrets to the friends possibly falling in love, etc.). It's nothing you haven't seen before if you've seen any Rock Hudson/ Doris Day movies, not even the fact that it's about same sex couples, since that horse has been put before the cart far too many times to make this new or fresh.

It's probably not a waste of time as a rental but not worth a full price admission at a theater.

Average but solid enough to enjoy

[matthewlee1985 · 5/10 · 14 January 2013]

A Four Letter Word is not a ground-breaking piece of cinema by any stretch. But for all its failings, there is enough substance to enjoy.

The plot leans on the weak side and the main character (Luke) extremely unlikeable. I found myself, at times, feeling very disengaged with his experiences in the film.

But pushing past this, there are laughs along the way and some of the minor characters actually steal the limelight.

The problem with this film is that it throws together all the major gay clichés, and for this reason it stumbles constantly. The director surely must have had more vision than to peddle worn-out and tired gay stereotypes.

Successful gay cinema celebrates diversity and breaks free of the constraints and expectations society imposes on homosexuality.

If anything, A Four Letter Word is a major disappointment in this regard. I expected a lot more.

It's easy to pick holes in this film but there is enough to keep watching until the end.

I have given it a solid 5 for a pass and the power of the support cast saves me from a harsher judgment.

A gay cliché

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 27 August 2014]

Many four letter words define A Four Letter Word which rains from life and love to an old English expletive. This film is a romantic comedy about the young gay world early 21st century New York. The film mostly centers two vastly different gay men Jesse Archer and Cory Grant who has a great name for the cinema.

Both work at a sex shop and between dispensing dildos and candy flavored negligees talk a lot about how they see the world. Archer takes life as it comes it's the sex store by day and the man hunt by night. Grant is all absorbed into the state of gay life and the many issues to be resolved. Cory has little time for a love life and Jesse has time for nothing else but sex.

Things might be changing when Archer falls for Charlie David who goes to school, but doubles as an escort. But folks in that line of work lie a lot and it becomes second nature after a while, maybe even first nature. Or he could be just a pathological liar. I knew one like that myself many years ago. I can sympathize with Archer you never know when you're being conned.

Secondary plots revolve around another couple J.R. Rolley and Steven M. Goldsmith who are having their crises. Goldsmith is a compulsive control freak and Rolley sort of lets everything slide until the big blow up. There's also Virginia Bryan a straight friend who is having wedding jitters and then gets kissed by a girl - friend and then starts questioning her own sexuality and should make the girl, a girlfriend.

Still it's the primary triangle that drives the film. Archer needs to take life a little more seriously and Grant needs to take himself a little less seriously.

A Four Lettered Word is a nice view of New York City young urban gay life circa 2007. You'll recognize many character in your own lives seeing this film.

A train wreck...you can't stop watching, but you'll shame yourself in the morning

[moonspinner55 · 1/10 · 2 February 2009]

Jesse Archer co-wrote and stars in this low-budget, low-brow gay comedy-drama about a New York City queen who works at a sex shop by day and spends his evenings bed-hopping; a perceptive co-worker informs him that he may just be a sexual obsessive, which leads the kid to a therapy group and a smidgen of self-enlightenment. Director Casper Andreas, who also had a hand in the script, hopes to titillate and shock his target audience with bitchy, outré dialogue and flashes of naked behinds; unfortunately, this isn't anything any filmmaker treading in queer-cinema waters hasn't tried before. The acting is so wooden, with casting choices apparently made on who had the best pecs, that one can only scoff at these smarmy returns. This is just the thing to kill off the gay comedy-drama. It shows no imagination, no sensitivity, no subtext, no sense of satire or self-parody. When a gay couple squabbles and breaks up for the night, it's merely for the most basic and childish reasons. Are all gay New Yorkers this immature and selfish? And if so, who needs to see it? NO STARS from ****

Not great but fun

[preppy-3 · 7/10 · 18 June 2007]

Film about flamboyantly gay Luke (Jesse Archer) who sleeps around every chance he gets and doesn't believe in love. Then he meets Stephen (impossibly handsome Charlie David) and falls for him. But can he stop sleeping around and have a monogamous relationship? And is Stephen really as good as he seems? Various other subplots deal with a black/white gay couple, a woman going crazy over her impending marriage and a gay man searching for a direction in life.

This film knows it's audience--within the first 10 minutes there are about 5 full frontal nude men shown. (I'm saying that as a good thing). Plotwise I hated it at first--Luke was obnoxious, VERY effeminate and just annoying. However this is needed to see how he changes later on. The movie is colorful and well-made on a very low budget. There are some bad puns, groan worthy lines and truly terrible acting but, all in all, it was a fun and amusing gay comedy. Also it was fairly truthful on showing gay life realistically and it's refreshing to see a black/white gay couple. In acting terms Archer and David are very good and all the guys are handsome and in good shape. Worth seeing.

Increasingly enjoyable

[Nederstreet · 7/10 · 23 October 2007]

The first five minutes of this film had my friend and me squirming in our seats, convinced we were about to see another tired gay comedy with stereotypical characters and an all-too-obvious plot line.

But looking back, I think we were purposely, and perhaps masterfully duped by the director to trigger our own stereotypes and preconceived ideas about what it means to be young, gay and living in New York. He flipped the stereotype switch gently, providing everything from drunk boys in bars, to gratuitous and seemingly premature skin shots. It was a useful tool that invited us to confirm the unspoken notions of our gay identities in order to bring about a more genuine deconstruction.

The art of the film lies not in the acting, which sometimes stumbles; save of course, for Cory Grant who delivers a consistent and unique authenticity. Instead, the film's soul is truly in the scripted storyline and in the very digestible way we are taken on one character's drunken and stumbling path to the first spark of his own electric and glittery evolution.

A cute gay comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously

[Shoter350 · 8/10 · 11 March 2008]

I saw this at the Cleveland International Film Festival this week.

Luke is a promiscuous gay male who spends his time cruising bars and working in a sex toy shop. He is surrounded by a small group of friends, whose stories we learn more about as the film progresses. While out one night, Luke stumbles upon Stephen, a "straight acting" (as the characters define the behavior) hottie who makes a few comments about just how Luke fits the gay stereotype so well. This bothers Luke and begins his journey to self discovery, although it's not exactly rocket science.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the silly gay comedies. "Another Gay Movie," "Adam and Steve," "Noah's Arc (TV Series)," etc. etc... If you've seen and enjoyed these mentioned movies and shows, I have no doubt you will love "A Four Letter Word." The film is a bit silly and you and your friends may squirm at some of the lines, but there is a heartfelt message and you will walk away from the film feeling pretty good about yourself (although you may feel like hitting the gym right away and puking up that movie theater popcorn after staring at the gorgeous actors for 90 minutes)

light weight LGBTQ film from 2007

[ksf-2 · 8/10 · 3 August 2019]

Luke (Jesse Archer) meets Stephen (Charlie David), and of course it's hate at first sight. then, they warm up to each other. it's all an exploration of gay and straight relationships, told from a 2007 point of view, in new york city. we visit long term relationships, dating, sex with no strings attached, dating with strings, love, sadness, breakups. some fun jokes and gay gags along the way. gay life. great banter between Zeke & Luke. Which relationships will work out, and which ones won't? it's really good.. much better than the ratings show. Directed by Casper Andreas. Opening and closing theme is "A Different Kind of Love", a gravely voice of Caroline Wennergren. Fun film. Check it out.

A Different Kind of Love

[him090296 · 19 April 2022]

I found this movie interesting after i watched it i wonder why the rating is so low i am ok with full frontal male nudity feature ok i know a lot of people might not like it i think my problem with this movie is the pacing is too fast for me and conversation few of the words they use i barely know or hear before maybe because the target audience is only gay/queer people oh and about the poster it doesn't look appealing at first but not gonna lie this is the kind of comedy genre film i was looking for and i love it.

Are you tired of reading my review? Yeah the same as when i saw this movie.