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Urbania

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Synopsis

An excitingly ambitious and original style of gay filmmaking is in evidence with Urbania, a feverish tale of one young man’s search for sanity, retribution and love. In the urban jungle of nocturnal New York, Charlie (Dan Futterman), traumatized by the violent gay bashing of his lover Chris (Matt Keeslar) by a darkly sexy thug, has become a lost soul. He wanders the city in wide-eyed confusion, a lonely man with both pent-up anger and sexual desire bubbling within him. With memories invading his mind, Charlie hits the streets visiting an old friend (Alan Cumming), having a quick, hot and screwed-up sexual encounter, and meeting a variety of strange storied characters. But he remains steadfast in his search for the man who ended his "happiness". The intricately structured film builds to intensity as Charlie finds, befriends and is forced to decide the fate of the man he lusts and loathes. A taut, emotional and surreal story of homophobia, loss and love adapted by Daniel Reitz from his play, "Urban Folk Tales." The acting is excellent but Futterman, who looks like he could be the son of Ben Gazzara, is simply mesmerizing as the vengeful gay man on a mission in this haunting After Hours for the homo set.

Review

An excitingly ambitious and original style of gay filmmaking is in evidence with Urbania, a feverish tale of one young man’s search for sanity, retribution and love. In the urban jungle of nocturnal New York, Charlie (Dan Futterman), traumatized by the violent gay bashing of his lover Chris (Matt Keeslar) by a darkly sexy thug, has become a lost soul. He wanders the city in wide-eyed confusion, a lonely man with both pent-up anger and sexual desire bubbling within him. With memories invading his mind, Charlie hits the streets, meeting a variety of strange storied characters. The intricately structured film builds to intensity as Charlie finds, befriends and is forced to decide the fate of the man he lusts and loathes. A taut, emotional and surreal story of homophobia, loss and love adapted by Daniel Reitz from his play, "Urban Folk Tales." The acting is excellent but Futterman, who looks like he could be the son of Ben Gazzara, is simply mesmerizing as the vengeful gay man on a mission in this haunting After Hours for the homo set.

-- Raymond Murray

Keywords

Drama, Gay Male, GLBT Creators/Performers, Homophobia, Mystery/Thrillers/Suspense, Sexuality - Gay Male

Genres

Drama, Gay Male, Late Night/Cult, Mystery/Suspense

Customer Reviews

PERHAPS THE BEST FILM WHICH FALLS INTO GAY CATEGORY

TOO SMART wrote on 10/01/2008:

Without a doubt, one of the best scripts with more than a one dimensional theme which has psychological undertones of guilt, lost love, murder and regret with a brilliant performance of hunky straight actor Dan Futterman, who has become as successful as I predicted as an actor and producer/writer. He is a sexy better looking John Cassavetes, and better actor with no affectations. I finally ended up buying it after watching it so many times. I suggest you do the same if you are halfway intelligent and like fine film making.

Surprizing!

birdutters wrote on 11/27/2007:

Futterman carries the show!

** One of the best gay movie

Montreal, Village (zac007@sympatico.ca) wrote on 04/26/2003:

You must see this movie. The concept is special, the actors are great & convincing for their roles. You never know what can append in big city, this movie is showing the darkness that can append at any time... do not forget it is a movie.

Chilling, Dark "Urbania"

Packie wrote on 08/17/2001:

Admittedly, Jon Shear's "Urbania" is not going to be a film that everyone will like. This is a relentlessly dark and upsetting film which closely examines one man's walk on the edge of madness. Dan Futterman deftly plays the everyman lead character of Charlie, a gay New York City resident who has lived through some sort of horrific incident in his recent past. Hints of that incident are sprinkled throughout the film, but so are moments of true "urban legend" material that have come to life before Charlie's eyes. Are these warped, violent and disturbing things really happening, or are they just a figment of the wrung-out Charlie's imagination? The film leaves you guessing until the end. Anyone who isn't drawn into the game is either turned off by the morbitity of "Urbania"'s world, or just has too hard a time following the flashbacks in the storyline. For the rest of us, "Urbania" provides an enthralling look into the deepest and darkest regions of grief and dispair. A wholly original and well-conceived film, beginning to end.

Must have

skinnyebert wrote on 07/21/2001:

Why Dan Futterman was not at least nominated for a best actor award is beyond a mystery. This film is a must have for the movie goer looking for that something more.

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