Fire Island (I) (2022) User Reviews

Andrew Ahn and Joel Kim Booster deliver a solid adaptation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice with a gay twist

[IonicBreezeMachine · 8/10 · 3 June 2022]

A group of cash strapped gay friends consisting of Noah (Joel Kim Booster), Howie (Bowen Yang), Luke (Matt Rogers), Keegan (Tomas Matos), and Max (Torian Miller) embark on their annual weeklong vacation to Fire Island to stay with their friend Erin (Margaret Cho) who has a house on the island. Noah despite often engaging in hedonistic sex and partying the year's prior decides to put this on hold until he helps Howie find a man for himself. The group eventually come into contact with wealthy gay men Charlie (James Scully) who seemingly hits it off with Howie, and Charlie's friend Will (Conrad Ricamora) whose demeanor initially gets under Noah's skin but overtime a romance develops despite their class disparity.

Fire Island is the latest film from director Andrew Ahn who's become something of an indie darling in recent years with prvious films such Spa Night and Driveways garnering Ahn critical acclaim. Written by comedian Joel Kim Booster, the gay themed take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was initially intended as a project for the now defunct Quibi streaming service (which is the subject of a joke in film) under director Stephen Dunn of Closet Monster before the series was cancelled along with several other in development or filming Quibi shows. Searchlight Pictures purchased the script roughly 6 months after Quibi shutdown and repurposed the concept as a feature film and Ahn replacing Dunn in the director's chair. Now the movie makes its way to Hulu and Ahn shows himself to be just as steady helming a studio release as either of his indie projects.

Joel Kim Booster does an excellent job serving as writer and star of Fire Island as he takes the basic framework of Austen's story while incorporating various aspects of the real life Fire Island and gay culture into the story to give this classic story of classism and romance a modern day LGBTQ twist. The movie mines a lot of sharp humor from its usage of Fire Island serving as a microcosm of a class divide between upper class gay people and those of lower means and it sticks pretty true to the Austen work. The movie's ensemble does quite well with the relationships between Hoan, Howie, and the others very endearing, and Margaret Cho is lovable as Eri who by her words serves as the "mom" in their surrogate family. Fire Island is quite a sweet movie when it comes to its characters and it helps that not only are they interesting and funny, but there's a strong sense of familial love among the sequences of romance and hedonistic sexuality that keeps the viewer engaged.

Fire Island continues Ahn's solid work in the director's chair and serves as an excellent showcase for Joel Kim Booster as a leading man and a screenwriter. If you're familial with the Jane Austen story Pride and Prejudice you'll have a lot of fun noting the parallels in the story and how well they've been adapted and even if you're not the movie still works on its own terms.

Not a waste of time

[saccitygrl · 6/10 · 6 June 2022]

Beat for beat adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I am somewhat thick in picking these things up, but this was so in your face I got it within the first 10 minutes.

A nice updated take on a classic tale. Per usual "Mr Darcy" is captivatingly angsty prickly sort with a mushy core. A fun watch.

Refreshing and modern

[latoronto · 4 June 2022]

This movie had a lot to prove. And I did it so effortlessly. The films characters are perfectly flawed I knew instantly fall in love with each one of them. The film is eclectic, emotional and overall very very funny. I recommend anyone to watch this film and learn about a community that has many complications. What an amazing film that was navigated so well.

A cliche-riddled journey towards a warm heart

[FilmsCanChangeTheWorld · 6/10 · 12 June 2022]

I struggled with the first hour. It amped up the current-day gay cliches to extreme proportions. The dialogue was solely based around gay men, with gay personalities, talking about being gay, and discussing gay issues which left no space for anything else. On top of that you've got the lead character narrating throughout the entire movie about how we as the audience should feel about gay life. There was a lot of telling not showing.

However, in the moments when the plot positioned the social commentary to the background and had a chance to actually explore gay issues by seeing these men in various situations, as superficial as the exploration may have been, ultimately led to a well-meaning warm-hearted place. There were moments of genuine insight, and occasional laugh out loud moments peppered throughout, and Margaret Cho will never not be a delight to watch.

However the outcome felt a little undercooked and reliant on stereotyped one liners that often didn't land and an idea of what a gay screenwriter thinks what gay men want to see. I would have loved a high comedy version of the HBO TV series 'Looking' type experience where no cliches are allowed and all characters have depth and dimension. This exploration felt a little cynical, mean and lazy in parts.

Insightful representation of the common struggle in the gay community, especially Asian

[LineYeDie · 10/10 · 3 June 2022]

25 years and finally, i have a chance to see how my stories and my struggles of being an Asian gay shown in a movie as the main storyline. I cried and laughed and pondered and reflected. So many of my self-doubts and even self-loathes beautifully spoken out through the lines. What a ride to fire island! Thank you, Bowen Yang and the entire cast.

A COLD SHOWER FOR ALL...?

[masonfisk · 6/10 · 10 December 2023]

A HULU original from 2022. A group of gay men descend on the titular island for a week long vacay & they're already feel themselves to be on the outs since they have to crash at their den mother's pad, Margaret Cho, living on the goodness of her charity (but the truth is she rather have company than not). Immediately the different factions of the group presents itself w/lead Joel Kim Booster (who also scripted) the alpha dog who rather sleep around then have a serious relationship, his bestie, Bowen Yang (from SNL), hopes to come out of his shy shell & meet someone while the remaining three (Tomas Matos, Torian Miller & Matt Rogers) are merely content to be away from the big bad straight city. Pairs are made, misconceptions arise & the end of the week will present the five w/hopefully a new outlook on life then the ones they came in with. Not bad for what it is, which is essentially a sex comedy which depending on your slant for where this kind of material swings toward but the over-reliance on the stereotypical presentation of our heroes constantly having sex on the brain becomes a bit much (believe me, if this was a straight laced tale, pardon the pun, I'd have the same opinion).

Well, that was cute.

[starjosie · 9/10 · 4 June 2022]

Fairly simple, sweet story about the confusion surrounding self worth and loving yourself. Laughed out loud about five times, mostly at Bowen Yang. My construction dude straight husband said "Pretty corny, but I liked it." Love that guy. I loved the movie, thought it was adorable.

Corny as All Get Out, But It Works

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 11 August 2022]

"Fire Island" proves that Jane Austen wrote something so good with "Pride and Prejudice" that it's almost impossible to screw it up.

This very gay adaptation sets the story among a group of young(ish) men during one last vacation week at Fire Island before the house they usually stay at is no longer available and they can't go anymore. I wasn't sure why they all felt like they could never go again -- I mean, they're all old enough to have jobs -- surely there is a house or apartment somewhere they could all go in together to rent? But this isn't that kind of movie.

I was put off initially by how flamboyant and exaggerated the depiction of gay men is in this movie, but it gradually won me over. It's like a naughtier version of a Hallmark movie where everything looks pretty and you know how everything will end so you can just sit back and enjoy the fact that you won't have to put up for too long with any dramatic tension whatsoever.

My biggest problem with the film is that I never liked the Lizzie surrogate in this movie. He's kind of a jerk and never really stops being a jerk. Lizzie was stubborn and quick to jump to conclusions about people, but she was also extremely winning. Not so here.

And I was so glad that at one point the main character's friend told him to stop talking like a podcast. Up to that point I was seriously like "is this how younger people talk nowadays, and how annoying if so." "Hetero-normative industrial complex" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue in casual conversation.

Grade: B+

How long are we going to keep representing ourselves like this?

[avenuesf · 3/10 · 2 July 2022]

I can certainly appreciate "Fire Island's" message about how gay Asian men are stereotyped and discriminated against in our community, but the director and writer of this film have managed to pigeonhole all the rest of us in the process. This is yet another film produced by gay men that portrays a group of mostly superficial, vapid 20-something-year-olds whose main interest in life is sex, getting high and finding the next party (oh, and getting a boyfriend, lol!). It's a tired depiction that's becoming more and more offensive, and it's refreshing to see others posting reviews here who feel the same way I do.

There isn't one character in this film who is over the age of 35 (or maybe even 30?), unless you count Margaret Cho's customary reprisal of a fag-hag, another stereotype we've seen over and over again. No one in the film seems to have any political interests or awareness whatsoever, considering the day and age we're currently living in.

The same week this film was televised the Peacock channel also released a "new" version of "Queer as Folk," and it's almost a duplicate of this film in the way it portrays gay life. The only television show I've seen that made a serious effort to represent us as real human beings was HBO's "Looking," produced over eight years ago. That's really dismal, considering more gay people than ever have been given a voice in television the last few years. It may come as a surprise to gay scriptwriters in Los Angeles, but the vast majority of us just don't lead our lives in the way these shows are portraying us, nor do we want to.

The concerning thing is that there are straight people in small communities (who vote) who don't have exposure to gay people other than what they see in films like "Fire Island." These characters only perpetuate their narrow belief that we're a narcissistic community only interested in constant self-gratification and nothing else. It's seriously time for gay filmmakers to start portraying our community a little more responsibly as real human beings and not the same old cartoon characters the public has unfortunately become more than accustomed to.

New Gay Classic

[kigaiyuuto · 8/10 · 3 June 2022]

Finally another Gaysian story after a long time, last time it was The Wedding Banquet almost 30 years ago by Ang Lee which I owned on DVD.

Definitely feels like a passion project and thank God it turns out great, well done to the cast and crew. The semi-documentary and indie feel sometimes drag it down and the acting is uneven but they're all minor complaints.

A shame that it's released straight to streaming. Like Noah said in the movie, it feels like all the wrong things are changing......

"Pride and Prejudice" with a twist

[grigoraaakis-889-295918 · 7/10 · 16 February 2024]

Although this has all the prerequisites to be a really bad, obnoxious, stereotypical gay comedy, it actually works pretty well in the fact that this is a "Pride and Prejudice" retelling. As such its main themes are obvious and its characters become sorta gay editions of the characters we so get to love. It is absolutely crystal clear though that these characters are much more superficial but still having the characters of the classic in mind they kinda become more three dimensioal. "Fire Island" is loud, gay and somewhat funny, it doesn't necessarily work as a comedy that well, and it sure is no rom-com. It managed to become its own thing in the way that "Fire Island" mostly is a commentary of the modern gay society. As such it works superficially yes, but very well to showcase many modern gay cultural truths. Joel Kim Booster certainly has written a very modern movie, fun and simple yet in its own way groundbreaking. Was this European some scenes would have been electric!

A bit tragic really

[lineart-12973 · 4 June 2022]

Some people don't appreciate what they've got. Despite the other comments this is not about marginalized Asians or any race. Most of the characters portrayed are just low-confident, shallow, and way too sensitive. Many are like this in real life, but this could benefit with at least a couple of well-adjusted individuals to balance things out.

Will scratch that p&p itch

[itsahoverboard · 6/10 · 7 June 2022]

I am a straight man. This was very cute. It is pretty low budget and quickly made. It is not spectacular. But it's worth the watch. Just seeing the way they translated Pride & Prejudice in a different way is fun enough. The Darcy character's secret love for kiddie ice cream cones is also possibly worth the price of admission.

Pleasantly surprised

[lawsonlynn · 7/10 · 9 June 2022]

I had no grand expectations about this movie but I was quickly drawn in and enjoyed the modern take on the classic plot. When I watch a movie of this genre, it makes no difference to me what the sexual orientation or race of the main characters happens to be. However, that assertion is only non offensive when all races & sexual orientations are regularly represented. In other words, in the old days when all main characters were of one race, one gender & one persuasion, others having been systematically excluded from even applying for those roles, it would have been disingenuous to claim that the same factors were immaterial when those factors never varied. Context always matters. The general acceptance also cuts both ways. I am not gay or Chinese but I am human and fully comprehend and enjoy all of the elements of a Jane Austen plot. Fun, romantic & thoughtful movie.

Fire Island

[JoBloTheMovieCritic · 8/10 · 3 June 2022]

8/10 - an impeccable soundtrack (when is the Pure Imagination Fire Island remix coming out???), likable characters, a hot cast, and a witty but also timely and insightful script make this a great Searchlight release, perfect for Pride month (I only wish it was available to be seen on the big screen instead of shuttled away into the depths of Hulu)

Cinema Omnivore - Fire Island (2022) 5.8/10

[lasttimeisaw · 6/10 · 9 September 2022]

"Not that the cast can save the mediocre story, Booster and Ricamora's interaction is passionless and cringeworthy, the former is a wrong choice as a romantic lead since he has no bent of showing a character's inscape whereas the latter is particularly wooden for no obvious reasons. Zane Phillips is a hottie exploited only for his physique, with his character's unscrupulousness watered down. If anything, FIRE ISLAND misses an opportunity to put Bowan Yang under the spotlight, not least because this Saturday Night Live breakout is capable of making audience feel for Howie. Only if the writer Booster could be more generous and less self-obsessed, we would've be granted a rom-com crowd-pleaser with a slightly feminine gay man of Asian descent in the center, that is something more potent and beneficent than being superficially racialized. Here, racial difference is casually effaced (everyone acts they're birds of the same feather pigmentation-wise) rather than genuinely explored, that is tokenism with a big T."

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Beautiful movie

[marcovinicio-74921 · 10/10 · 3 June 2022]

The movie is amazing when you keep in mind that this is Pride and Prejudice, and the balls and the social gatherings from the novel are changed to dark rooms and clubs.

I was really moved that the story was so well adapted, the horrible characters translate perfectly to the bitchy queens and etc.

And finally the soundtrack is just great.

I definitely recommend the movie, is another great adaptation of Jane Austen, and needs to be seen in that context. It really made my day 😊 is a classic feel good movie.

Feel Good Adventure, Had To Be There?

[doctoreyesla · 6/10 · 5 June 2022]

We all love a story we can relate to.

The cinematic record shows that we as an audience gravitate towards relatability. For a certain age range, this movie accomplishes just that. Shout out to millennials.

This is a film about the universal identity struggle many of us face - who am I? What's important to me? Who do I love, and what does love mean to me?!

Without giving away plot points, I'll say this movie portrayed one overall theme in absolute beauty - You Are Free to Choose Your Family.

I've seen this kind of movie time and time again. This is the first viewing where I realized it's a genuine message that applies to every group, including this hilariously gay cast.

While it may feel longer than it needs to be, with several scenes that didn't need to make the Final Cut, it holds a strong relevance to its time that will leave it's written-to audience laughing and nostalgic.

Seems like a bad time capsule from the 1970s

[judgewashington · 2/10 · 9 June 2022]

If you've just awakened from a 45+ year coma and want a view into your Grandfather's Fire Island, this is the movie for you. The characters are latter-day stereotypes, promiscuous and cringeworthy, missing only 70's porn moustaches. The five "boys," protected by damaged mother-hen lesbian Margaret Cho (was Rosie O'Donnell unavailable?), jiggle about wearing as little as possible, and speak the "F" and "S" words in almost every sentence, attempting to disguise a complete lack of a literate script. The romantic leads have no chemistry whatever, and the sex scenes are surprisingly graphic for a light-hearted rom-com. Not a word is mentioned about engagement or marriage because, after all, Gay people couldn't do those things 45 years ago. Ultimately, this unfunny little movie conveys the worst relics of pre-AIDS culture while pretending to be a contemporary Gay comedy. We've long since moved on from material like this, which is now just embarrassing.

BTW, any correlation between this film and Pride and Prejudice is laughable.

The truth hurts.

[paulcreeden · 8/10 · 8 July 2022]

I understand some of the negative reactions to this film by gay reviewers here. Our stories are still relatively rare in major media. So each story gets taken as representative of all of us. That's wrong. BUT the truth is that gay men often have delayed adolescent experiences if they come from an oppressive straight environment into gay life. Drugs, booze, experimentation are all parts of discovery for many gay men. And the acceptance of an adopted gay family is the safety net that keeps them from spiraling out of control. I think this humble film does a good job of explaining that segment of the young gay male experience. Its failing, perhaps, is trying to be too polished or artsy at times.

Sweet Rom-Com

[a-cosmic-ritual · 7/10 · 18 June 2022]

I was having a not so great day, put this movie on and it lifted me up. Sweet, funny and cute movie. Worth the watch :) ...the "Sunset" moment in the movie (hahaha funny)

Waste of time

[slyfox-40032 · 4/10 · 11 June 2022]

A couple moments in this are good..a couple..stretched out to 2 hours it's grating and almost impossible to sit through..queenie boys , drama over nothing. One group always hang out together everywhere.looking to hook.up.failimg..watch the eating out series funnier, Whittier and better acting.with a plot.i just finished watching Fire island on Hulu..glad it was free.once through was enough .this is in a word..forgetful.

Great summer movie

[abnsmith · 16 June 2022]

I really loved this movie! Fun, funny and good vibes. I am excited to see more and more films (esp lighthearted comedies/love stories) featuring great LGBTQ+ leads and ensembles - will be honest, I didn't realize how much this content was missing in my life until this summer! It's about damn time!

Good reminder to our young gay years 😉

[darda-11-87502 · 7/10 · 21 June 2022]

The music is excellent. Good harmony between the pictures, acting and vibe. Pleasant surprise. Cute story and occasional good acting. Fine dialogs and a lot of cute ass 😉

Fun in parts, but too long

[amca1960 · 6/10 · 20 November 2022]

I did quite enjoy this film, with its vague homage to Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", and cast of colourful characters. It seems to embrace gay stereotypes at the same time as mocking them. It is quite watchable, but you have to put your critical faculties into neutral.

Theres a lot of buff bodies, waxed and muscled, as you'd expect, with Torian Miller being a nice exception - I wish he could have had more screen time.

The standouts for me were Bowen Yang as Howie (based on Jane Bennet and Charlotte Lucas), and Conrad Ricamora as Will, who was the Darcy character. I thought Will's trajectory from a disapproving bystander to a smiling lover was beautifully done. And Howie's introspection was very well played.

However, the film has a confusing message. And the stereotypes it portrays are outdated. But perhaps that's part of the enjoyment: outrageous types such as played by Tomas Matos might not be the centrepieces of gay representation as once they were, but he is still great fun to watch.

So the film has both a sort of nostalgia for the hedonistic life of the past, and a more serious message about relationships, fitting in, acceptance and understanding. The trouble was that I could never be sure which was the most important, and this tension detracted from rather than enhanced the film.

A more careful editing and tighter screenplay would have made this a better film. As it is, it isn't unwatchable, but it is less than it could have been.