What Happens Next (2011)

This movie by no means will win an Oscar, however, it is a sweet story that I found very refreshing. They don't rely on sex or your typical "hot guys" and nudity, as most gay movies do. There are some continuity errors (they are forgivable) and some of the dialog may be a little forced. The story however is the saving grace. I like the message it has and I like that they didn't make any of the characters victims or whinny. You know going in how this movie will end and it doesn't disappoint. I thought the main cast did a very good job Wendie Malick was great to watch and you could see she was having fun with the role. Jon Lindstrom played the part very uptight as it should be. The Character is in his 50s and was a CEO if you expect him to be anything but conservative and uptight then you haven't worked with many CEOs (Tech Company CEO's don't count). Chris Murrah was very good and again it was nice to see a younger gay character that I would consider a more normal slightly above average in looks person. He was something that I think everyone could relate too. If you want to watch a good movie with a nice story and characters that you can relate to then definitely watch this.

I enjoyed this lighthearted and honest romantic comedy. This film has a lot of heart and soul. I found it refreshing that it was filmed in Philadelphia rather than the usual NYC or LA locations. The Rittenhouse square outdoor park scenes took advantage of the peaceful beauty and natural light of nature. It was wonderful to watch the romantic relationship develop between Andy and Paul in the beautiful setting of the park over a period of time in such a normal and natural way. I found the characters of Andy and Paul to be believable and lovable. They have an honest,real and sincere chemistry. This is a story about finding love, happiness and about discovering who you really are and what you really want. This is a gentle film with a gentle message about being true to yourself and how that allows everything else to fall into place perfectly.

I gave this movie a 2 because at times Wendy Malick was watchable. The rest was painful at best. The dialogue is horrible and trite. The acting wasn't nearly good enough to save the dialogue. The characters were false and empty at best. They were either boring and made no sense or over the top and made no sense. All in all - OUCH! The premise was interesting, but there wasn't enough motivation to move the story along. I think the writer might have been trying for one of those quirky, independent, everyone is connected whether they know it or not movies - but if so it hasn't been achieved. The only saving grace of this movie was Wendy Malick. She is funny and fun to watch. Her portrayal of Elise is great. When she shares a scene with others (such as Chris Murrah, who plays Andy) her performance and what she brings to the role elevates the performances of the others.

This little film is an unexpected knock-out - absolutely first rate. Made in Philadelphia, set around Rittenhouse Square, the location shooting is beautiful and the City of Brotherly Love looked more European than American. The cast is uniformly superb - an outstanding ensemble with each character developed and interesting. The storyline was consistently plausible and fascinating making you wonder constantly just how things would turn out. The dramatic climax was almost Shakespearean in its complexity but also very, very funny. The cast, although mostly unknown is highlighted by one of the gals from the hit TV show, Hot in Cleveland, Wendi Malick.