Boy Culture

This gay-themed comedy is set in Seattle and centers on the world of X (yes, his name is X), a 25-year-old high-priced male prostitute. X appears to be making an uncommonly fine living as a hustler—he owns a motorcycle, wears designer clothing, and lives in a duplex apartment with expensive furniture and décor. In order to “keep the IRS off my back,” he explains in narration, X has two roommates who are supposedly his main source of income. One, an effeminate 17-year-old named Joey, is inexplicably living with X rent-free, while the other, Andrew, is a video store clerk for whom X has the hots. On the fringe of the story is Gregory, a wealthy 79-year-old recluse who becomes a new client for X. Filmmaker Q. Allan Brocka brings a polished, sophisticated visual style to Boy Culture, which is based on a novel by Matthew Rettenmund, that belies its 19-day digital-video-shot production schedule, and the young leads (Derek Magyar as X, Darryl Stephens as Andrew, and Jonathon Trent as Joey) are solid eye candy. Of course, those not in possession of six-pack abs and bulging biceps are relegated to mean-spirited comic sight gags (hey, this is a gay-themed movie), but despite these occasional lapses into sour sarcasm presented in lieu of genuine humor, Boy Culture is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by writer-director Q. Allan Brocka and writer-producer Philip Pierce, interviews with costars Jonathon Trent (20 min.), Darryl Stephens (17 min.), Brocka (16 min.), Derek Magyar (13 min.), and Patrick Bauchau (13 min.), footage from the Tribeca premiere party and Q&A session (9 min.), two deleted scenes (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a mostly winning comedy.] (P. Hall)