| | |  | LOGO Film Festival | Home » » » Save Me - Theatrical Cover | | | | | | | Description: | | When Mark--a young gay man addicted to sex and drugs--hits bottom, his concerned brother checks him into a Christian retreat in the New Mexico desert. Run by a compassionate husband and wife team, Gayle and Ted have made it their life's mission to cure young men of their 'gay affliction' through spiritual guidance. At first, Mark resists, but soon takes the message to heart. As Mark's fellowship with his fellow Ex-Gays grow stronger, however, he finds himself powerfully drawn to Scott, another young man battling family demons of his own. As their friendship begins to develop into romance, Mark and Scott are forced to confront their true selves.
Featuring powerful performances and even-handed direction, this acclaimed drama is a subtly nuanced and deeply sympathetic look at both sides of one of the most polarizing debates in America: the conflict and possible reconciliation between homosexuality and Christianity. | | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Judith Light, Chad Allen, Robert Gant, Stephen Lang | | Director:
| Robert Cary | | Format:
| Color, NTSC, Widescreen | | Language:
| English | | Number of Discs:
| 1 | | Studio:
| FIRST RUN FEATURES | | Run Time:
| 96 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| January 20, 2009 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 32 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 32 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 40 found the following review helpful:
From Genesis to RevelationsOct 19, 2008
By Kimberly Stroup
I literally just got back from seeing this movie not more than fifteen minutes ago at a local film festival; the fact that my first order of business is to write a review is a testament to how much it impressed me. I heard it mentioned only in passing some time ago and decided to look into it, and since the showing happened to be on a day when I had little else to do, I thought, well, why not? Good choice on my part.
I confess: I thought that I knew what to expect from this film. I mean, it's about a misguided gay man being sent to a Christian reformation program to cure him of his "sexual brokenness." Clearly lots of horrible things were going to happen! However, I was very much surprised for the better. I laughed, I found myself with watery eyes, and the audience even collectively gasped at one point. There are no "bad" people in this movie. Each character is weighed fairly and fleshed out into real, believable, understandable human beings, and I sympathized with each of them in a different way. And even though the film opens with contrasting images of a sex scene and an evangelical church congregation singing a hymn, this movie is by no means about gratuitous sex or pitching ideologies against one another with the aim of making one side look terrible.
I would have appreciated more attention being given to Mark's actual transformation inside "Genesis House"--the transition from him as a confrontational, unstable wreck to a well-manned and well-groomed member of the group happens abruptly and largely without explanation--but the film could only contain so much, and the great attention that was given to the exploration of human interaction and relationships made up for it.
"Save Me" has claimed a very early spot on my Wish List. I can't wait for it to be released.
16 of 17 found the following review helpful:
Beautiful and True to Life and LoveMar 16, 2009
By Brandon Witt--redbirdboy
"redbirdboy"
Save Me was the best film I have seen thus far dealing with ex-gay ministries. Having spent five years in therapy to `become straight' as well as working with two different ex-gay therapy groups, the movie spoke to me on a very personal level. My next step was to go to a place like Genesis house. It was a step I never took, and am so thankful that God allowed me to skip that particular event and instead let me begin my journey to who I am today: a healthy gay man, who loves who he is, loves his long-term, monogamous boyfriend, and is very happy with his life. Save Me, I felt, was a very realistic portrayal of those in the ex-gay ministries, both as clients and as founders/leaders of the programs. The gay men were believable and their stories valid and relatable. However, the true star of the show was Judith Light's character, the woman leading Genesis House. What I appreciated the most was how the film truly respected both sides of this issue and the people involved in it. From my experience, and I know there are others that had much worse than I, the leaders of the ex-gay ministries were not evil or filled with hate. They were so very much the opposite, people who genuinely loved the gay men and women they worked with, continuously giving of themselves in order to show us love, who's only genuine desire was to help us go to Heaven and live in God's love. And, like all of us, they were broken as well. Save Me did a beautiful job showing the love and the pain on all sides. As I sat watching the film, at times I was paralyzed by the memories that came back to me from my experience, as well as by thankfulness that God allowed me to avoid certain steps that I nearly took, and let me simply find His love and His acceptance as a gay man, instead of staying in such a state of eternal torment and struggle.
11 of 13 found the following review helpful:
First-rank story-telling, acting and directingJan 22, 2009
By Erik W. Kieser
Easily one of the best gay-themed films of the last 5 years. The film does a remarkable job of telling the story of Christianity and homosexuality and the intricate, often destructive dance between the two, but does so with subtle and thoughtful care. Not a bad actor in the film, the film quality is exceptional, and the writing is both brilliant and well-interpreted. It has a clean, spare, lucid feel that helps it transcend the usual shouting and finger-pointing done around the topic of "ex-gays" and people that purport to help gays and lesbians become straight. This is worth seeing regardless of your belief or perspective on this topic.
3 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Recognize the messageJan 14, 2010
By Giancarlo Croce
"Offer VOID where prohibited"
First, I have to admit, based only on the story, and Chad Allen's stellar performance, I would gladly have given "Save Me" Five Stars. But this was a five star story, with some three star actors, some really horrid music, and some really quirky editing. The real problem; Judith Light has nearly ruined yet another movie with a stiff, unimaginative performance. She only has one character in her, and she gives that same old tired performance each and every time.
The real story is about a mother who has lost her Gay son to drugs, and chooses to believe that the bigger problem was his homosexuality, and that faith in God would have saved him. So she sets about to change Gay men into heterosexuals by cramming Jesus down their throats. Chad Allen's character shakes her faith, in many ways, starting with the fact that he reminds her of her dead son. Everyone sees this but her. And when he falls in love with another resident at the facility, everyone except her can see that the relationship that develops between the two men is healthy, healing, and inspirational.
A lot can be said about ex-gay ministries, and whether or not they do any good, or have the ability to change someone's sexuality. I liken the process to changing a Black man into a White man. You can make someone behave any way you want, but you can't change what they are. But that has little to do with this story. The real story here is that a woman, driven mad by her inability to save her son, is out to change other people's sons, thinking she is saving them. And in the end, we get a glimpse into her healing, brought about by the sight of two men who love each other enough to have the strength to escape this ill conceived, though well intentioned program. We are given hope that she can finally see the error of her ways, and give people the help they need, not the help she thinks they should have.
I highly recommend this movie. But don't lose sight of the real message here. Before you try and heal someone else, you have to look at your own motives. Are you sure you're fixing the right problem? Are you trying to help them heal, or are you trying to change them into what you want them to be? I think "Save Me" does a great job of illustrating the mistakes we can make, when we judge the lives of other people, by our own moral, societal, and personal standards.
5 of 7 found the following review helpful:
A must see!Dec 30, 2008
By Jeff B
I had read a review of the movie in one of the local Atlanta gay magazines early last year, which gave it a really good review. I had been waiting and waiting for it to be released in one of the local theatres so I could check it out, since I also really like Chad Allen and Robert Gant. Finally, it came here a couple of months ago and I went and saw it. I was definately not dissapointed! You can read some of the other reviews or the plot summary up top to see what the movie is about. I just wanted to say how wonderful the movie really is and what a terriffic job Chad and Robert (along with Judith Light and the rest of the cast) did. It was not overly dramatic or sappy, and the acting was totally professional, not over the top or amateurish like could be the case with a lower budget movie like this. The story itself was very well done and the pacing was just right- before I knew it, it was over.
I also read in the initial review that Allen and Gant have started thier own production company. If this is an example of what they plan on doing, I can't wait to see the next movie. I have enjoyed both of thier work for a while and am very glad they made the decision they did to come out. Do yourself a favor- rent or buy this when it comes out. It'll be worth it!
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