User reviews

(PLEASE NOTE THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON MORE THAN ONE VIEWING OF THE FILM)

(1) While 'good attempt' is an acceptable way in which to describe this film, there are definitely three words which better describe it: HONEST......FOOLISH......BRAVE. All three adjectives apply to the producers/director, but most certainly they apply to the two male leads (their futures in film likely are not now as assured as they might otherwise have been prior to undertaking these particular roles.....despite relatively accomplished performances). Also, it's important to say of this work that, while instances of incest have occurred in earlier films of various genres, this reviewer is unaware of any film script which has been as open or blatant in picturing such an ancient taboo (however, see paragraph 3, below).

(2) Much of the reaction to this film will, undoubtedly, be one of abhorrence. Yet can there be any question that the type of sibling love and sexual behavior exhibited here has occurred countless times throughout human history (whether there are those who like thinking so, or not). And whether that's been brother to brother, or sister to sister, it is behavior which has occurred, sometimes as a one-time or an infrequent event, other times most certainly for life. (At least it's not a behavior which can be claimed to "muddy the gene pool", such as a brother/sister relationship might). But (and here's a vital point) in incest, as in most homosexual events, at the end we are left with the question of who will admit to it. Surely we must all see that, throughout time, those who've railed the loudest, and behaved the most indignantly regarding homosexual behavior, very often were and are those who earlier on in their lives either took part in such behavior or possessed such feelings. Strong societal "norms", of course, force these individuals to, later on, express repellent feelings when confronted with such sexual behavior. Possibly, but perhaps in a much lesser number of instances, this might be just as true of incest behavior.

(3) To be completely objective about this film, there is, indeed, a fourth word which needs be applied to the work: FUDGED. Viewers will note that on several occasions the scriptwriters/director have "pulled back" from showing more complete scenes of the physical love that could have been expected to be taking place between these two brothers (how often did you, the viewer, see one or other pull back from physically responding when you knew that, in real life, there likely would have been no hesitation?). In other words, while it wouldn't have been necessary to go into porn mode, there were a number of instances of "talking the talk" but very little in the way of "walking the walk." In fact it might be said that there was more "directness" of physical behavior in the much more secondary relationship scene, involving Harry and a former Yoga instructor of Max's, than there was between the two leads. Too bad, for Harry and Max were really what this movie was supposed to be all about.

(NOTE that, in the Director/Leading Performers Commentary track for this film on DVD, the issue of there not being more sexual follow-through is 'spoken at' but never actually 'addressed' ---although actor, Cole Williams, does express his surprise that there had always seemed to be a "pulling back" from these activities, once they'd started)

(4) In the end and at the very least, however, this film has to be recognized as a "start" at being more open in showing and describing a behavior that is as old as man and woman.

I bought this film on DVD a while back through recommendation from a friend and I was as unwilling as anyone to watch a film that was known because two brothers "get it on"... I study psychology and one of the main (and more unpleasant) topics is incest and in 75% of sibling incest cases, mutual consent is given (meaning both siblings wanted it and one did not force it upon the other). On first hearing this I was curious as to why; most of the time when you think of incest you think of backward trailer trash states in America (or story lines from soap operas) but this film does kind of open your eyes a little bit to that kind of thing. The relationship between Harry and Max isn't shown as disgusting or immoral and you end up sort of understanding why they do get it on. My idea was that it was due to uncaring parents who live through their kids and being in a business that is notably full of fake people. Through this, the brothers seem to learn that the only people they can fully trust is each other. Obviously this is no reason to start boinking so other stuff must come into it but yeah I still obviously don't condone incest but this film kind of makes you understand mutual incest. I recommend giving it a try, you won't be too disgusted since the only thing you really see between the brothers is two kisses and a badly simulated oral sex scene but hey, at least you don't see anything to be too grossed out by. Some people pass this off as a gross film for people who get off on that kind of thing but I disagree. Just give it a try. I don't think you'll regret it.

****SLIGHT SPOILERS**** Harry and Max lacks all of the subtle interplay between characters that has so far been a hallmark of Christopher Munch's films. The premise sounded interesting and challenging, but the film was a let down for me.

None of the characters here, even Harry and Max themselves, are fully formed. Unfortunately, this means that the salacious premise (the repercussions of two teen pop idol brothers' incest) never overcomes its own silliness. I thought the nearly non-stop chatter between the two main characters would eventually be banished as merely a cover up for their deeper thoughts, but no, apparently this silly dialog was meant to be thought provoking in some way.

Why are these guys pop stars? Oh yeah, because who wants to see a movie about incest unless the stars are attractive? It should be central to their characters, but it seems only to be an excuse for Harry to have some sort of A Star is Born angst and for the audience to see pretty faces.

Max is infatuated with Harry, then Harry is infatuated with Max, both sleep with the other's past loves, vague hints are given about their messed up family and absolutely NOTHING of significance about love, human nature, lust, relationships, or anything else is ever revealed.

Not helping matters is the cursery development of all other characters. Josiah, Roxanne and Jordan are all treated like pieces of the set to be moved around at the need of the director. None has any depth, motivations or interesting qualities beyond their usefulness as background for Harry and Max. Even the boys' mother is reduced to two minutes of muddled screen time bitchiness. Nikki, for me, was the only interesting character here, but the reasons for her choices are never explored and in the end she winds up as flat as all the others.

Writers need to make choices and here none have been made. Either focus only on Harry and Max, or focus on their world, but please do one or the other with some degree of success! To my mind, this is Christopher Munch's worst film to date, not because of its scandalous subject matter, but because of its inability to reveal anything of interest about it!

I couldn't believe this film when I saw it. I was so shocked and entertained at the same time. At first I couldn't believe it was really a story about incest but then I got what the film was doing and I couldn't stop watching. Totally inventive and fresh.

And, yes it really p***ed folks off. Keep in mind the subject matter is very controversial and will make you think long after you walk out of the theater (Thank God!).

The film is due out 2005 with a theatrical release (if you live in big cities, if you don't then you should move) and will be followed with a DVD/home video run. I can't wait to see how this film affects audiences.

Chris' work has always been gorgeous and thoughtful and amazingly produced. This is probably his best work to date.

So this movie is about two brothers who are in love? I gave it a low rating because it's just poor writing and boring. The blandness in the character is just amazing. Could have been a 10 min short on youtube and still containing all the content. I seriously think whoever wrote the script lives in their own imaginary world of "I can do whatever want and people will respond to whatever I think they should respond." In a land where no one have emotions and everything doesn't really happen.

:/ truly tragic, nothing worth anything about this film. It's just really boring and bland and just the entire time i was just bored. I would not recommend this film unless you want to fall asleep.

This film is about the ambiguous relationship of two brothers who are both pop stars.

My impression of this very low budget movie is that it is trying to explore a taboo area, but it does not quite succeed. First, the film focuses too much on just Harry and Max. It looks as if the whole film has only two actors (possibly because of the low budget). The plot could have been great, but it is not so well written and not developed enough. I think they could have spent more time developing the plot, and expanded on details. Harry is good is his role, but Max is a little wooden. After watching this film, I feel that there are pieces of the film missing, and I do not feel satisfied.

This film is like the other Cole Williams film "Race You To The Bottom", in the sense that they are low budget films involving controversial relationships between two lead characters. I can safely say that "Harry And Max" is the better one of the two though.

Yet another overrated Sundance feature. Sure, it may've been controversial (the attempts to shock audiences seems to be the trend of many Sundance competitors), but it was still boring as hell. Two brothers, Harry and Max, spend most of this film trying to figure out what each means to the other and doing so without sparing us of much of the self-indulgence and pretension that many Sundance filmmakers are seem to like to create in abundance.

Harry is a former "boy band" performer, his success having all but entirely quelled. He serves as a sort of mentor to his younger brother Max, an up-and-coming "boy band" performer. Protective of his curious young brother, Harry spends most of the first half of the film advising Max about the realities of a not-so-fabulous future of fame, whether it be short-lived or not. Harry knows it's a joke, repeatedly testifying that he was only doing what he had to in order to make money, and knows that Max, who admits he can't even sing, may do the same. In the meantime, the parents are either entirely absent or simply at conflict with the boys (mom plays the typical "boy band mother" role as Max's manager).

Aside from all this brotherly advice, there is the more unusual (and some may say repulsive) incestuous relationship between the two brothers. Max is gay. And, Harry seems...unsure?...at first. And the two always seem to be on emotionally divergent paths, even though Harry think he knows what Max wants, and Max is sort of turned off by a sort of insincerity he may think that Harry exhibits. Whatever. Despite the whole thing being a little too freakish for my tastes, I will say that the amount of time spent on all this going back and forth and trying to "understand" one another not only makes an awkward plot, but at times quite a boring one.

If you've been disappointed with much of the recent Sundance fare before, you're advised to skip this one, especially if you're uneasy with the relationship between Max and Harry because that's the entirety of the plot.

I found this movie totally unbelievable almost from the start. Even if you can get past the rather repellent idea of two brothers lusting after each other, the characters just don't ring true. The dialogue is stilted. Their motivations are impossible to divine and they repeatedly do things that just don't make sense. The relationships are truly a mystery -- why certain characters sleep with other characters, for example. I can't tell you how many times I said to myself, "There's just no WAY!" Frankly, I'm amazed this even got produced.

That said, I thought the cast did a reasonably good job with what they were given -- particularly Bryce Johnson.

I never had a brother, but I always wondered, if I had a brother and my brother was hot, or cute, or handsome, what would stop me from having sex with him? There's no chance of having a child. What is wrong? Where is the danger?

This movie takes that notion pretty far. Two brother, both in the music business. At first, the younger brother lusts after the older one, but the older one doesn't allow it to go too far. Then the older brother, after being revealed as an alcoholic, and after masturbating to his younger brother's picture in a magazine, changes his mind, and pursues the younger bro. But now the young one resists, rebels, says no.

The young one is remeniscent of Zak Hanson; the older is like one of those Backstreet Boys. Both are desirable, and the movie his hot. And it's in the hands of a really good, refined director, Christopher Munch, who knows how to photograph a movie in scenic locales, and can handle the mood music. The topic may be a bit shocking, but the movie works really well.

New face Bryce Johnson held me from the moment this film began with a performance that knocked me out! He was able to overcome a muddled script and absurd story by the sheer power of his performance and engaging looks. A star is born! The script was so convoluted that I gave up even trying to figure it out so I just sat back and feasted my eyes on Bryce Johnson who has the appeal of stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood. In an era of young hunks Bryce stands out because he is so convincingly normal - the guy next door - anyone's best friend. He has the same appeal that John Corbett has and which has made that actor so successful and I think Bryce will follow right in Corbett's footsteps. The storyline is shocking and may put some people off, but Bryce is so appealing that even the most disturbing moments of the story did not keep me from watching all of the film. I look forward to following this young actor's career.

Max is a gay 16-year old teen idol with long blond hair and an androgynous look, a "hottie that shoots like a fire hose" according to his brother. We learn that not only has he seduced his brother, but also the ex-wife of his brother, his 40-years old yoga teacher, and "various friends". His brother Harry is a 23-years old rock star in a boy band with a girlfriend and an alcohol addiction, and confused feelings about his younger brother.

Harry knows that what they do is wrong and tries to keep his younger brother at bay, but ultimately cannot help himself. He breaks up with his girlfriend and goes for a relationship with Max. A little too late, because by that time Max has come to realize that Harry is not right for him and decides to go his own way, with an overheard conversation as the catalyst. The incest was made possible by the personalities of the two brothers, formed by being celebrities at such a young age, but it's those same personalities that inevitably lead to the ending of the sexual relationship. The tag line "brothers like no others" was aptly chosen.

An excellent movie with great acting by Cole Williams (Max) and Bryce Johnson (Harry), a thoughtful, sensitive, and layered script with a European feel, and a fitting soundtrack. It's a pity the incest motif will be like a red flag to many people, blinding them to the quality of this movie.

a friend of mine, after having been asked whether he liked Almodovar, replied that if it was in his power he would have all kinds of cinema, theater, critic, film, movie magazine associations, companies and circles constantly award him, week after week for years on end, so that would prevent him from making another film, ever.

I can't say I share completely my friend's devastating sarcasm concerning Almodovar, but that is an eye-opening method I would like to employ in some occasions - and here, being somewhat exasperated by this muddled little piece of film, I would like to employ it for TLA's constant it seems effort on producing and offering us a queer sense of valid film-making.

I would certainly award them again and again and again and again and yet again for what they bring to queer cinema.