Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Retake is a gay drama about a man who hires a male prostitute to travel with him through the American Southwest, no questions asked.
Jonathan (Tuc Watkins) drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for a hustler. At first, he hires an aggressive blond, brings him back to his hotel and makes him wear a black wig. He takes some Polaroids of him, and they have sex, but things don’t work out.
Jonathan goes back to the streets and this time he finds a dark-haired male prostitute (Devon Graye), then takes him back to his hotel for sex and Polaroids. They form a connection, and Johnathan hires him to travel with him to the Grand Canyon. Once in the car, Jonathan asks him to go by the name Brandon and insists that he asks no personal questions. The hustler agrees, then enquires about a few specifics for his new identity, obviously planning to enjoy his current situation.
And so, the two men embark on a road trip in which one of them takes on the identity of another man and the true nature of their journey is slowly revealed.
Some Thoughts:
Retake is an interesting idea for a film that comes close to meeting expectations. Where it goes wrong is its lack of suspense and edge. The hustler feels edgy when Jonathan initially sees him on the street, but his personality softens quickly once he and Jonathan get on the road. It’s unfortunate because the film could use a little grit.
We’re not supposed to know why Jonathan is taking “Brandon” on this journey. Jonathan makes a point of telling him that he can’t ask any questions, which should create some suspense, but doesn’t. There’s also never any sense of danger, and the more the movie goes on, the more obvious Jonathan’s reason is, which puts a damper on the mystery.
The film has so little edge and suspense that it’s easy to forget that Jonathan’s travel companion is a hustler. And as nice a touch as Jonathan taking Polaroids is, it gives the secret away far too soon. Jonathan and his hired travel companion also become comfortable with each other pretty fast. So fast, in fact, that the biggest mystery is if they’ll wind up together.
Aside from the lackluster story, the acting, camerawork, etc… are fine. It all pretty much works, even if the acting choices and lack of suspense turn what could be a fun ride into a dull journey.
The Final Verdict:
Retake is a drama that sounds more promising than it is. Its mystery is revealed too soon, which takes away much of the fun.
