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Latter Days
Latter Days

A movie directed by C. Jay Cox

< read all 6 reviews

Latter Days - 2003

  • Jul 10, 2008
Rating:
+3
Pros: acting, story, development of characters

Cons: ...

The Bottom Line: "Tuesday 3:00 a.m.,
Once again I'm wide awake.
Waiting for time to mend this part of me that keeps on breaking"
~ C. Jay Cox

Latter Days centers around two polar opposites - the Mormon church and homosexuals. First we have our playboy about town, Christian, that has a new boy toy nightly. He is fun loving, adventurous, outgoing, and sexy as hell. He lives in an apartment with his best friend, Julie, a wannabe songstress, and they both work at a great restaurant known as Lilas.

Moving into the complex is a group of men, young and inexperienced, from Idaho. They have been sent on a two year sabbatical to spread the word of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Nothing would prepare these guys for their new neighbor and maybe their new neighbor isn’t quite prepared for them either.

Discussing them at work, the gang gets up a wager that Christian won’t be able to lead one of the young men astray. He selects Aaron, very attractive, also spirited and fun loving. Aaron has a passion for his religious beliefs, loves movies, and wants only to make his family back home proud of him.

One thing leads to another and Aaron and Christian are caught, by the fellow Mormons, in a compromising situation. Aaron, of course, is abolished from the apartment and forced to return to Idaho in shame. The balance of the movie is the end result of this encounter and how it is resolved.

Seve Sandvoss played the part of Aaron Davis. His delivery of his beliefs was convincing enough but it made it difficult to then believe he would stray so quickly from those beliefs. Wes Ramsey was Christian, the tortured lover, change so dramatically by his time with Aaron. Both men gave very convincing performances during intimate scenes, which were quite well done.

The roommate, Julie, was done by Rebekah Johnson, who has a very nice recording voice. I thought she was fun and playful, but a dedicated and loving friend as well. Small parts were given to Jacqueline Bisset as Lila, the restaurant owner, and Mary Kay Place as Aaron’s mother.

Latter Days was written and directed by C. Jay Cox, who also wrote most of the music for the movie. It is said that it was based on Cox’s own experiences as a Mormon missionary and then his later life in California. The idea was: what if these two opposing forces were ever to meet? It was nominated for three awards, winning all three.

There is a good deal of nudity in the movie but it was all done tastefully. As well, these are several sexual scenes in the movie. These were done in a way that left most of the sex up to your own imagination, but there were some scenes that displayed a bit more. Nothing was offensive in the least because it was a celebration of love, not lust.

Overall impression
This was a surprisingly decent and fairly well made film for a small budget, considering it took only 3 weeks to film. It showed the struggle between what you believe and what you feel; what is expected of you and what you expect of yourself. It shows love, regret, loss and forgiveness, and all it costs to have those things. Overall, it was an extremely nice film that completely surprised me.

Thanks,
Susi

Recommended:
Yes

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More Latter Days reviews
review by . April 16, 2012
posted in Movie Hype
There are certain portions of even indie film cinema that go unnoticed a lot.  And when these particular movies end up having some popularity going behind them there is generally a sort of curiosity as to how anyone could like them.  Gay and Lesbian movies seem to suffer this stigma a lot as it hasn't yet hit hard for some people that it is not a requirement to be gay or lesbian to enjoy them (that or the idea of two guys making out is just repulsive, but let's pretend that it's …
Quick Tip by . April 25, 2012
posted in Movie Hype
You can watch "Latter Days" for free if you like. The movie is available on Hulu.com through April 2015. The site shows commercials but otherwise there is no cost, and you don't have to register as a member unless you want to.
Quick Tip by . October 21, 2010
posted in Movie Hype
Not just a pretty boy gay movie despite having all the hallmarks -- there is emotional and sexual complexity that make it a good movie on the whole not just an ok gay flick.
review by . December 19, 2006
posted in Movie Hype
"LATTER DAYS"    Deservedly Welcome      Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride    Several people have asked for my opinion of a film that has become somewhat of a modern gay classic film and one of the bestselling gay films of these times. No I am not talking about "Brokeback Mountain" which I shall eventually get around to. The movie is "Latter Days (TLA Releasing). It is a beautiful little movie and deserves all of the accolades heaped …
review by . August 08, 2006
posted in Movie Hype
LATTER DAYS is a classy little film that holds its own among the light love stories out today. And yet it is more: some unique phobias and prejudices are examined very genuinely and the result is a movie that gives us not only characters about whom we care but enlightens us as to both sides of an ongoing issue: homophobia.     Bright, crisp writing and directing by C. Jay Cox, LATTER DAYS presents a tale of a West Hollywood effervescent young man who plays the bar scene and one …
see all Latter Days reviews (6)
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About this movie

Wiki


Christian (Wes Ramsey of the washboard abs) is a waiter, party boy, and first-class man magnet. Elder Aaron Davis (Steve Sandvoss of the goofy grin) is a straight-laced Mormon missionary. When he and three elders, including the uptight Ryder (Joseph Gordon-Levitt,Mysterious Skin), move into Christian's Hollywood apartment complex, it's clear something's got to give. Christian tries to make his new neighbors feel welcome, but they're put off by his flamboyance--the short-shorts, the rainbow flag in his yard, etc. When Christian's trash-talking pals at Lila's restaurant, including the cynical Traci (Amber Benson,Buffy the Vampire Slayer), bet that he can't seduce one of these clean-cut young men, he takes them up on it and sets his sights on cute, soft-spoken Aaron. As a pretense, he asks to learn more about his Church, but where they really connect is over their love of old movies, everything fromPsychotoTommy. When Aaron accuses him of being shallow, however, Christian starts to wonder if the bet wasn't such a good idea--plus he's starting to fall for the guy. Turns out the closeted Aaron feels the same way about him, but when his roommates find out, he's shipped back to Pocatello where he faces excommunication. Written and directed by C. Jay Cox (Sweet Home Alabama), a former Mormon missionary,Latter Daysfeatures Mary Kay Place as Aaron's disapproving mother and Jacqueline Bisset as the acerbic, yet supportive Lila.--Kathleen C. ...
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Movies, Drama Movies, Comedy Movies, Romance Movies
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Details

Director: C. Jay Cox
Genre: Comedy
Release Date: January 30, 2004
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: September 7, 2004
Runtime: 1hr 47min
Studio: Tla Entertainment Gr, TLA Releasing
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