Early in Ethan Mao there is a brief but memorable appearance by a gay pornographic magazine, coyly titled Indulge. The movie's writer-director, Quentin Lee, must have embraced that title as his filmmaking credo; for not only is his screenplay more soaked in sentiment than a daytime soap, but also the task of modulating the performers was apparently considered unnecessary. If Ethan Mao were any more indulgent, it would qualify for a Dogme certificate.
The titular hero (played by the cherubic Jun Hee Lee) is an Asian-American Los Angeles teenager with a traditional father (Raymond Ma), a gangly younger brother (David Tran), a bullying stepbrother (Kevin Kleinberg) and a slinky, narcissistic stepmother (Julia Nickson). Discovered with the offending magazine, Ethan is ejected from the family and immediately -- without exploring any other options -- adopts the life of a homeless hustler. As his petulant voice-over says, the duties of a rent boy are not entirely disagreeable, and we're treated to a jerky montage (though thankfully only one flabby customer) as Ethan plies his trade. The notes on the soundtrack quiver.
Hope appears in the form of Remigio (Jerry Hernandez), perhaps the sweetest drug dealer in the history of cinema. Remigio feeds Ethan, gives him a home and keeps his hands to himself. Ethan, whose lack of affect presumably signals emotional numbness, prefers playing parasite to lover, and enlists Remigio's help to recover a diamond necklace that belonged to Ethan's deceased mother.
From here, the film mushrooms into an unlikely hostage melodrama, complete with guns and more emotional recriminations than an episode of The OC. By the time we reach the Butch Cassidy-inspired climax, any filaments of credibility still clinging to these characters have completely disappeared.
Even allowing for the burdens of low-budget filmmaking, Ethan Mao is little more than a revenge fantasy for anyone whose parents ever gave him or her a hard time. Though clearly heartfelt -- an early robbery scene is particularly strong -- the film is undone by a facile script and bargain-basement acting.
Jun Hee Lee's portrayal of Ethan is limited to moping, pouting and generally looking like a baby seal about to be clubbed, while Nickson plays the homophobic stepmother like someone who learned her craft watching John Waters movies. The nadir of the film is her closely photographed dinner-table urination -- as repellent as it is unnecessary.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARGIN FILMS
Quentin Lee is a serious independent filmmaker whose work typically addresses Asian-American assimilation and the difficulties of gay relationships. Unfortunately, Ethan Mao has nothing new to say about either.
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