Eating Out: Drama Camp (2011)

As a fan of the "Eating Out" Franchise, I was very excited to see the fourth installment on the LOGO channel. However, all of the elements that made the first three enjoyable to watch simply weren't there. In fact the only thing that Eat Out 4 (EO4) had in common with the first three EO's, other than some of the cast members, was bad acting.In the first three episodes of EO, I could look past the terrible acting because I liked the story lines of "Nice, Boy Next Door gets the A-list Hunk" because what's important was what was inside or because true love won out. In some cases, it was that the Boy Next Door got to play with the hot straight guy, in others it was the A-list guy dumps another A-lister with a shallow personality for a Boy Next Door who had charm and a wonderful personality. You always had somebody you were routing for to get the great guy.However, in this last installment, the couple you thought would grow old together,Zack and Casey broke up. Why??? Because the Boy next Door, Casey didn't feel he was good enough for the A-lister Boyfriend, Zack and because Zack found somebody he thought was cuter. Their relationship didn't seem to be in trouble. It might have gotten into a bit of a rut, but every relationship slides into a routine. That is not cause to break up at the first site of a hot hunk.This film fed into the stereotype that gay men are only into the physical aspects of men and that they could never have a lasting relationship because something new and hotter would eventually come along.Yes, yes, this is a comedy, but the only thing that made the first three entertaining except the cute guys, was the story line.I left the movie feeling that I no longer liked the Casey character because he had so little self respect and self esteem that he gave away his boyfriend because he didn't think he was good enough. I also ended up hating the Zack character because when Casey said he wanted to break up with him because Zack liked the new guy, he never once protested. He immediately went on to make out with the new guy. So why would I ever watch another sequel that involved these two characters? After bashing the film for all of the bad things, there was one little part of the storyline that I did like. Transsexual and the straight guy infatuation and buddy romance felt real and the Trans girl was a real beauty. Unfortunately, she was not enough to carry the movie.

I really want to like each new installment of the Eating Out series. I really truly do. I appreciate the work that goes into making a feature film and this series is pretty much the only one of its kind, the gay romantic comedy series. But they're just getting progressively worse and worse. The formula is getting entirely repetitive and in this fourth installment the repetition is literal, with the constant re-doing and re-doing of a scene from "The Taming of the Shrew". It's like the film is on its own internal loop. A character has a breakthrough in one scene and in the next they're right back where they started, as if the first scene never happened. I struggle through one scene and I literally have to stop the film to gather myself up enough to get through the next one. The man-candy is great but I can see screen caps on the Internet. I know the next film is already in the can, but if there's going to be a part 6 then Brocka needs to take a break, regroup and rethink his approach.

I loved the trilogy. The main characters were always quirky and funny, not to mention sexy. Where was Tiffany!? She was in the film for about 5 seconds and then left us with poor acting and jokes that were so corny, unfunny, and not even camp enough to call this a camp film.We need less characters, better jokes, more plot development, less plot holes (where the heck did what's his name's talent for copying others' voice come from?), and more guy-on-guy action, please.This is a stain on the otherwise pristine bed sheet that was the Eating Out series. Please Alan, check your script before you wreck your future films!One very unsatisfied Eating Out fan.

I think this film is a pretty good follow up to the last 3 Eating out series. This film is a typical gay cheesy guilty pleasure film but trust me these kind of films are also needed in addition to some serious thoughtful cinema. Sometimes asa viewer I don't want to think too much and just want to be entrained. And this film very successfully did that. And not just entertainment, this film has a pretty good helping of eye candy as well which by now you have started to expect from the eating out films.In this series, the gang heads out for a special thetarical camp headed by experienced Dick Dickey, a weird dude who hasn't had sex for 7 years now. He has one rule hat there will be no sex on the camp for the duration of the camp which in turn only builds up the sexual tenion. Casey and Zack are going through a rough patch in their relationship. The situation worsens when Zack has instant attraction for another camper Benji. Benji initially comes out too strong towards Zack but he pretends to be straight the moment he figures out that Zack has a boyfriend. The duo are signed up for a Shakespeare modern twist on a story where they are supposed to pplay gay lovers. The film focuses on how both casey and Zack have to come to terms with the fact that there relationship is almost over and is time for them to move on. We also have Jason , the straight director who is starting to fall for Lilly, the transgendered girl. Of course, the film ends with everything fit and fine in place, new friendships, relationships made and a hot sexy camp finished.As said above, the film is an over the top raunchy comedy which tickles your humour cells in the right places. There are so many places where I just burst out laughing. It will be very difficult to put them all here but trust me they were funny. Most actors in the film are supposed to look smoking hot which they do. As far as acting is concerned, they fit well in the realm of this movie but the real test would come if they did something more, outside this to explore their acting abilities. The surprise part of the film was Lilly's character. I am glad that the filmmakers decided to keep this angle as well because not many people have dealt with this subject.This film is a total guilty pleasure whose aim is just for fun with its many witty one liners.