Latter Days (2003)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

C. Jay Cox

Writer (WGA):

C. Jay Cox (written by)

Release Date:

1 July 2004 (Israel)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Aaron prays. Christian plays... Opposites attract.

Plot:

A promiscuous gay party animal falls for a young Mormon missionary, leading to crisis, cliché, and catastrophe.

Plot Keywords:

Christian | Mormon | Missionary | Homosexual | First Gay Sexual Experience

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Steve Sandvoss	...	Elder Aaron Davis
Wes Ramsey	...	Christian Markelli
Rebekah Johnson	...	Julie Taylor (as Rebekah Jordan)
Amber Benson	...	Traci Levine
Khary Payton	...	Andrew
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Lila Montagne
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Elder Paul Ryder
Rob McElhenney	...	Elder Harmon
Dave Power	...	Elder Gilford
Erik Palladino	...	Keith Griffin
Mary Kay Place	...	Sister Gladys Davis
Jim Ortlieb	...	Brother Farron Davis
Linda Pine	...	Susan Davis
Bob Gray	...	Susan's Husband
Judee Morton	...	Noreen (as Judith Morton Fraser)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content and language.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | Iceland:14 | Germany:12 | USA:Unrated | USA:R | Hong Kong:III | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Funny Boy Films

Trivia:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt originally auditioned for the role of Elder Aaron Davis, but the producers gave him the role of Elder Ryder.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The name tags worn by the missionaries have the old LDS Church logo from before 1996.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Elder Aaron Davis: When I first came to Los Angeles, It look like just this mass of dots... all jumbled and disconnected. It was pretty disorienting.

Movie Connections:

Version of Reason Thirteen (1998)

Soundtrack:

Another Beautiful Day

A Powerhouse of a Movie

I saw this movie on a Sunday; couldn't stop thinking about it Monday and Tuesday and HAD to go see it again on Wednesday. No, Latter Days will not be remembered as one of best written films of all time. But for many of us, this movie has provoked a bit of soul searching about the joys and challenges of being gay in America these days. More importantly, Latter Days affirms the profound joy and genuine love gay people do discover with one another.

The storyline in short, a closeted Mormon Missionary from Idaho, Aaron Davis, moves to LA where he ends up living next door to a hot swinging gay boy, Christian, who has all the depth of reality TV. Christian's interest in Aaron is initially motivated by a bet he makes with his friends that he can bag this `missionary man.' Aaron and Christian are quickly attracted to one another and begin to struggle with their emotions, sexual desires and the painful limitations of their respective lifestyles.

Wes Ramsey, does a phenomenal job as the shallow but beautiful Christian. But it is Steve Sandvoss, as the Mormon missionary with everything to lose and for that matter, a life to gain, who really makes this movie something special and memorable. I doubt that there is a gay or bi-man alive who can see this movie and not fall in love with Sandvoss' character, Aaron Davis. This is an incredible performance for a first time screen actor! Sandvoss is totally believable as a sensitive, loving, spiritual person whose humanity is profoundly more life affirming than his religious mentors or the sophisticated freethinking idealists of West LA.

The plot and its various twists sometimes come off as a bit far fetched. That said, if you are the kind of person who believes in romance and can suspend belief long enough to allow yourself to get caught up in this film, it will leave you with a lump in your throat if not a tear on your cheek. If you are struggling with the challenges of being gay, it will remind you that you're OK and are as entitled to love and happiness as anyone in this world. And oh yes.. it will leave you wanting to see more of Steve Sandvoss. Come to think of it, I think it may be time for a third viewing.