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Henry Gamble's Birthday Party
- Director: Stephen Cone
- Writer: Stephen Cone
- Producer: Steven H. Cohen; Stephen Cone
CGiii Comment
Never has a film - collectively - churned the stomachs of those brave unfortunates who sat on the review sofa...to watch this atrocity.
Jaws dropped, foreheads were pummelled and audible grimaces reverberrated throughout the film and the entire building.
Barely a line is uttered without some reference to the church...
Stephen Cone's semi-autobiographical film may be an exercise in catharsis...but, hell no, it doesn't - by any stretch of the imagination - translate nor transfer to the audience. Hell no!
The blurb states that this is a charming film...obviously, that blurb-writer forgot to watch the film...it's charmless. From the overt racism to the honed homophobia to the creepy little pastor...christian doctrines are smashed and smeared into your face at every given opportunity. It's f**king exhausting to sit through.
As a critique on fundamental christians...it falls short...by a great distance. Why? Because...the writing is neither intelligent nor convincing.
Are you churched? Seriously, someone actually says this...with a straight face!!!
Neither is it adequately savage nor scathing...yes, we all fall short of our over-arching principles...yes, we all have moments of weakness...yes, we all dance to the merry tune of our libidoes...what's new pussycat?!? It's the same old tune played without the required conviction.
The lesbian storyline will have you howling, the alcoholics will have you wailing...but, the tour-de-ficiency is the wanton loss of one's virginity...to paraphrase the mother after the daughter's meltdown: I'm sorry I made you feel ashamed about your body!!!
What?!?
Next scene...there she is being cradled in a chair by the boy who plucked her cherry...all's well that ends well.
Wait...we forgot, this is Henry Gamble's birthday party afterall...Henry has a wank with a friend at the beginning, smiles and gushes throughout (way too much), is rather unpleasant to a fellow student, realises he's been unpleasant and un-christian to his fellow student...so, he invites him to his bedroom...and, they...
Yeah...you know the rest.
Needless to say...our review sofa - collectively - vomited throughout. What a mess!
Trailer...
HENRY GAMBLE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY Trailer from Stephen Cone on Vimeo.
The(ir) Blurb...
This tender and charming new feature from Stephen Cone (The Wise Kids, Frameline36) unfolds over a 24-hour period in the life of Henry Gamble, on the occasion of his 17th birthday. Henry is the likable son of a newly ordained pastor at a large evangelical church, and the lives of his family and friends are deeply embedded within a squeaky clean devotional world of faith. At Henry’s party, the Gambles’ well-appointed home welcomes a friendly gaggle of hormonal teenagers from both church and Henry’s non-denominational high school, as well as earnest young adult church counselors and congregational elders—all striving to define on their own terms an acceptable balance between reverence and frolicking.
The restrained passions of this gathering unravel over the afternoon, as lithe, entangling young limbs stir the waters of the backyard pool and an advantageous box of wine loosens the spirits of the flock. The caprice of sexual explorations, metaphysical frustrations, and decidedly earthly fervors bubble up through fissures of the soul, as whispered secrets grow louder and undercurrents of pristinely constructed lives come to the surface. Director Cone’s eloquent framing and non-judgmental tone create an intimate, empathetic glimpse into the lives of pious people struggling against temporal temptations. Set to a soaring synth-pop soundtrack that spans the decades and featuring naturalistic performances from a winning cast of fresh faces, Henry Gamble’s 17th proves to be one unforgettable birthday party.
— Leah LoSchiavo
Cast & Characters
Pat Healy as Bob Gamble;
Tyler Ross as Aaron;
Kelly O'Sullivan as Candice Noble;
Francis Guinan as Larry Montgomery;
Spencer Curnutt as Cooper;
Elizabeth Laidlaw as Kat Gamble;
Joe Keery as Gabe;
Cole Doman as Henry Gamble;
Zoe Tyson as Cheyenne;
Daniel Kyri as Logan