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Reviews
Dare (2009)
A remake of a short-form film by the same creators
I only give this film a 6 because, having seen the short-form original on the BOYS LIFE 5 DVD compilation, I generally prefer it over this feature film. The only point in this film's favor is that it develops the character of Johnny Drake, who was virtually raised in an emotional vacuum. The creators totally blow the ending of this film, by not having Johnny develop a relationship with either Alexa or Ben that satisfies his desire to be loved. The short-form film never touches on this theme, and I believe is better because of it. That film at least leaves the viewer wondering what might happen in the future with Ben, but neither film leaves the viewer with a satisfactory resolution. Believe me, the version of the story told in 20 minutes works better from a cinematic perspective that this drawn-out version of the same story.
The Mudge Boy (2003)
An extended version of an earlier work by the same director
This is Michael Burke's second filmed version of a story that was originally released in 1998 in short form as "Fishbelly White." The short film can be viewed on the compilation DVD BOYS LIFE 5. Both versions have merit, however "The Mudge Boy," being feature length, allows for better character development, particularly of characters that are merely hinted at in "Fishbelly White," which Burke wrote, produced and directed as a film student at New York University, financed by grants. Although I found "The Mudge Boy" to be a more in-depth character study with more room for details, its predecessor is to be admired for its brevity in telling the same tale effectively. In short, I cannot effectively say I enjoy one version over the other!