DOWNTOWN: A STREET TALE
RYAN: We just saw the non-musical version of “Rent.”
CAROLINE: It’s called “Rent 2007.” Just kidding.
RYAN: It’s the ever-gritty “Downtown: A Street Tale.”
CAROLINE: Which is ironic because we saw it all the way uptown at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
RYAN: We had the pleasure of attending the film’s red carpet premiere. The cast was there, and the director had a long-winded speech before the movie started.
CAROLINE: So unnecessary.
RYAN: But I was actually kind of into the first three-quarters of the film. I thought it was gritty and edgy and “Rent”-ish. It was a real New York story. But then…
CAROLINE: It took a turn for the lame. The acting got a little overwrought.
RYAN: The acting took a serious nosedive toward the end of the film. I felt like the acting coaches left the set halfway through shooting the film and the actors were like, “I don’t know what to do now,” and the movie turned into an after-school special.
CAROLINE: Totally. The movie’s message is “Drugs are bad, being homeless sucks, New York is a rough-and-tumble town when you’re broke and in a bad way, ‘Rent’” etc.
RYAN: It even had similar characters to “Rent.” There was a stripper like Mimi and a heroin guy like Roger.
CAROLINE: And much like “Rent,” it takes place around the holidays.
RYAN: But there’s a great French actress in “Downtown,” and she’s a standout.
CAROLINE: Yes, Genevieve Bujold. She plays the social worker and she’s amazing. Her performance makes the movie worthwhile.
RYAN: It’s also got Martin Scorsese’s daughter.
CAROLINE: She doesn’t have a huge part, but she’s decent.
RYAN: The funny thing is that the movie was made in 2004.
CAROLINE: Oddly, it’s coming out now. Evidently it’s being show at Cannes this year, but if you can’t see it there, it’s out in limited release now.
RYAN: And we’re interviewing one of the stars of the movie, Chad Allen, on our radio show.
CAROLINE: Let’s be honest, if it weren’t for the interview with Chad, we wouldn’t have seen this movie and there’s no need for you to see it either.
RYAN: You said it, not me.
Jeanne May 7, 2007
It is so obvious that you two are so jealous of the amazing cast and their performances in this must see film. Jealousy does not become either one of you two homosexuals. It’s not appealing and neither are either of you. I dare you to post this- lets see how much courage and “pride” you both really have. What a dumb gossipy website- You give homosexuals a bad name. Keep up hte good work.