Dorian Blues

Running time: 88 mins

Anxiety is the main course for young Dorian Lagatos, but these are not your average adolescence blues. Not only is he going through high school purgatory, but also he is struggling to move out of the shadow of his football-jock brother, Nicky, while dealing with his domineering and very homophobic father.

Dorian is a self-described "stereotypical gay." Horrified at his conservative father's reaction, he, at first, gets his brother to help him "think straight." Acceptance, however, may lie only at the end of his journey of self-discovery, boozy counselors, swing-dancing strippers and sudden emotional discoveries. No one said it was easy coming out of the closet.

With an appealing cast and warm, unpredictable charm, Dorian Blues deliciously portrays the pangs and triumphs of staying true to one's true self. Writer-director Tennyson Bardwell has created a funny, moving coming-of-age tale about the search for personal happiness, with wit and wisdom to spare. His directorial debut is a delightful comedy for anyone who's ever come apart while "coming of age."

Fernando F. Croce

EMERGING MAVERICKS & NEW VISONS