DVD Review - More Scenes From a Gay Marriage

Jared Allman (left) and Matt Riddlehoover
in "More Scenes From a Gay Marriage"

The title to this sequel continues to be as misleading as the previous movie. For the simple fact, the two characters at the center aren't married. The story takes place in Nashville, Tennessee, which doesn't allow same-sex marriages, but gay men can still have commitment ceremonies or domestic partnerships. As far as we know, the two men here haven't done that. They seem to be glorified roommates, or generic boyfriends who live together. For writer-director Matt Riddlehoover, that might be what marriage is, or not much different. Sadly, getting at how Riddlehoover defines marriage for gay people or anyone else is not what this movie is.

Again, the title to this sequel is misleading because there are no scenes from a gay marriage here. Meaning, there are little to no scenes between the two men who are supposed to be "married," if not legally than by default. The two men are Darren and Joe, and, at the start of the movie, the pair announce they're breaking up. The rest of the movie is spent with the two separated, so it's not clear why Riddlehoover titled the movie this or where he was going with it.

Matt Riddlehoover plays Darren whose life we learn nothing about past having quasi-feelings for his ex-boyfriend Leigh. Does Darren work? Does have a job? Does have any passions or interests or hobbies? Who knows? Yet, he decides to go on a road trip with his best friend Luce, played by Thashana McQuiston, and this movie becomes a road trip film with Luce doing the majority of the talking, endless talking and talking, to the point that her relationship with Bruce, played by James Foglesong, is more the focus than the titular one.

Jared Allman (left) and Rodiney Santiago

Jared Allman co-stars as Joe, the building manager or maintenance man from the previous movie. He starts to undergo somewhat of a change, which we don't see. Joe's change is supposedly prompted by seeing Leigh's film about his and Darren's relationship. Joe doesn't like the depiction of himself in this movie-within-the-movie. All of this is dropped in one brief scene, a flashback, instead of, as the title suggests, letting it develop over a series of scenes in a linear fashion.

Riddlehoover pads the movie with scenes from the movie-within-the-movie, which basically replays scenes from the previous movie but with different actors. It's totally unnecessary and distracting. Riddlehoover has an interesting idea when he introduces one of those actors into the lives of Darren and Joe. Yet, the idea isn't used to its maximum potential.

Rett Terrell plays Sam, an aspiring actor, annoying house-guest and possible kleptomaniac who is cast to play Joe in the movie-within-the-movie. Instead of using this character to come between Darren and Joe's relationship and really expose things about Joe that make him insecure, Riddlehoover wastes it by making Sam a punchline for Luce to go on and on about.

Instead of delving into Joe's character, Riddlehoover gives him an insubstantial scene where Joe gets a massage by a hot Brazilian masseur, played by male model Rodiney Santiago. The scene is ultimately pointless. It goes nowhere but to the painfully obvious. It seems to exist only to get Santiago to strip down to his underwear and show off his hot body. Riddlehoover doesn't give them hardly any dialogue and nothing of significance to do.

It's a shame because both Allman and Santiago come from reality TV shows. Allman was in Sundance's Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and Santiago comes from Logo's The A-List: New York. Riddlehoover could have taken the opportunity to play off that or have fun with that. Plus, he has two of the most gorgeous guys in gay cinema and doesn't at least have them kiss. It was a waste.

I did like the end-credits song "I'll Find You" by Samantha Church. Other than that, the movie is meaningless.

One Star out of Five.
Not Rated but recommended for mature audiences.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 10 mins.