Review of Strapped (2010) by J R — 03 Aug 2011

Why wasn't this movie called "Trapped"? After all, the male hustler can't find his way out of an apartment building and is confused about his gay inclinations. Although Ben Bonenfant is not physically drop-dead gorgeous, he can act and he brings a vulnerability to the role. It's believable why the residents want to have a piece of him and will be attracted to this boy-man sensitivty. They're willing to pay despite their low income status.

That said, I loved the metaphor of a guy coming to terms with his orientation through sex. Sex can be therapeutic and the ending is justified. The movie threatens to become repetitive but the final scene between Gary played by an excellent Nick Frangione and Bonenfant is beautifully photographed and one of the best gay scenes between two men--you feel the passion between two lost souls. Another theme of this movie is to keep looking until you find what you want.

Some of the dialogue is a gem. "How do gay men say goodbye?" "I'll call you." "A maze is a trap but a labyrinth goes somewhere." The entire couch scene between Sam played well by Paul Gerrior and Bonenfant is superbly written. The rain dripping into the apartment is a nice touch with contrasting these two men. One of the joys of watching films is to discover a film that you've never heard about it and then thoroughly enjoy it. This one's a secret treasure.