Digitally filmed on a shoestring budget, "The Reception" is an ugly-looking movie occupied by artificial characters going through the motions of familial unrest and gay attraction.
The Reception (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 22
Fresh: 15
Rotten:7
Average Rating: 5.9/10
Theatrical Release:Jul 15, 2005 Limited
Synopsis: In an upstate country house over the course of a few days, the lives of four very different people intertwine revealingly in John G. Young's poignant and moving THE RECEPTION. The divorced Jeanette... In an upstate country house over the course of a few days, the lives of four very different people intertwine revealingly in John G. Young's poignant and moving THE RECEPTION. The divorced Jeanette (Pamela Holden Stewart) and the HIV-positive Martin (Wayne Lamont Sims) live together in the house (which was also used in YOU CAN COUNT ON ME), supporting each other's needs--except those pertaining to sex. While Martin disappears into the barn to paint, Jeanette drinks away her memories, but each needs something more. Unexpectedly, Jeanette's estranged daughter, Sierra (Margaret Burkwit), shows up with her new husband, Andrew (Dairen Sills-Evan), and the stage is set for uncomfortable situations, deep-seated lies and fears, and the unleashing of some powerful and hurtful secrets. As Jeanette prepares to throw a reception for the new couple, it turns out that none of the main characters is quite what they appear to be. Young's second film (following 1995's PARALLEL SONS) is a well-acted, well-written indie triumph, shot for just 5,000 dollars in eight days. It cleverly deals with such issues as homosexuality, betrayal, race, and loneliness with a combination of humor, intelligence, and truthfulness that hits home. [More]
Starring: Pamela Stewart, Pamela Holden Stewart, Darien Sills-Evans, Wayne Lamont Sims
Starring: Pamela Stewart, Pamela Holden Stewart, Darien Sills-Evans, Wayne Lamont Sims, Margaret Burkwit, Chris Burmeister, Paul Pagnucco
Director: John G. Young
Director: John G. Young
Screenwriter: John G. Young
Producer: Paul Pagnucco
Studio: Strand Releasing
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Reviews for The Reception
Casting, acting, pacing and storytelling are all expertly done and the film technically is an eye-pleaser.
...in feeling like we’ve been cheated out of fuller characters, “The Reception” doesn’t make its intended impact.
Handsome and perceptive, The Reception serves as a reminder that it is possible to make a polished, worldly and witty adult entertainment on a modest budget.
It’s fine stuff, beautifully played, but there’s no denying that viewers will have to be patient with this 80-minute chamber piece.
Isn't much more than a high-toned soap opera, but it's a relatively sophisticated and occasionally affecting one.
The dialog and the performances are smarter than your typical soap opera, but this earns a lukewarm reception from me.
[P]uts the greatest emphasis and care into the one aspect that no budget in the megamillions could have fixed: the script....
The film presents its lofty goals as transparently as its publicity materials, its clunky dialogue and diminished production value adding to its inordinate lack of sophistication.
[The] subtle, complex performances could put far more experienced and better-known actors to shame.
With its direct and nuanced treatment of the complexities of racial prejudice, sexual orientation and addiction, The Reception is a quietly ambitious and memorable film.
Filmed in the wintry Catskills and bathed in white light, The Reception may be the best looking American film shot on digital video.
Terrifically acted and beautifully shot on digital video...The Reception is in many ways quite an indie accomplishment.
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