Everything Is Free (2017) User Reviews

Toxic relationships

[derekthayer · 4/10 · 7 May 2020]

Christian and Ivan are best friends. Ivan is gay; Christian, straight. Christian travels with his younger brother, Cole, to visit Ivan. Ivan falls in love (read infatuation) with Cole. The 'why' and 'how' of this love is never shown; the audience is simply told Ivan is in love and the two begin an affair that has no affection, only sex. During their sexual encounters, Cole repeatedly tells Ivan he "is a straight guy." Cue Christian's never-before-mentioned homophobic rage as he first sexually, then physically assaults his "best friend." Christian threatens Ivan's life and the brothers go back to L.A. Ivan, still obsessed, follows. Cole rebuffs him again, repeating the tired protestation of heterosexuality. Again, Christian assaults Ivan, who heads back to Colombia. Ivan wallows in self-pity, depression and rage. Years pass and Cole shows up declaring his feelings for Ivan. Ivan initially shows actual growth as a person, at first refusing Cole's advances. However, a handful passionless kisses later, Ivan's infatuation comes back to the forefront and the movie ends.

Christian had no (apparent) problem with Ivan's sexual orientation until suddenly he did. He goes from loving his best friend to threatening murder within just a few minutes of film time.

Cole allows himself to be manipulated by his older brother while gaslighting Ivan.

Ivan puts himself in harm's way for a perceived relationship which is anything but mutual or reciprocal.

The friendship is toxic. Ivan is codependent. The elder brother is controlling. And Cole is sociopathic with regard to the consequences of his actions.

These Characters are Not Healthy

[gregandthecity-70501 · 4/10 · 3 July 2022]

The voice over intro sets the stage: Christian's brother Cole is coming to Columbia, too, because "he's just had a manic episode from a bad break up." Manic is the upside of bi-polar. Depressiveness is the downside. Bi-polar is a serious mental illness.

Ivan is admittedly self-loathing, having affair after affair with unavailable straight men.

The surrounding characters are full of joy, esp the gender fluid one. But we don't get very far into their psyches.

It's a bad mix from the start, but the sexual tension is well portrayed and we can't help but watch the proverbial train wreck.

The ending left me feeling as though they deserve each other. Pathetic tropes both in desperate need of therapy and a supportive community.

Skewed snapshot of gay men

[RES55 · 5/10 · 19 November 2020]

This is a beautifully shot eyeful with a good score, decent acting, and good production values. It concerns a gay American artist living in Colombia, who has no self-esteem, spending the film chasing after, falling in love with, and being emotionally *and physically* abused by, straight guys. Yes, there are self-loathing, dysfunctional gay men like this, just as there are straight analogues. I don't know whether this is supposed to be humorous (it doesn't seem to be) but given that cinema tends to make audiences read minority characters as archetypes or stereotypes, this is a film straight people shouldn't see, especially those who don't know many real gay men--who are absolutely *not* like this. I was very uncomfortable throughout this film. The complexity of the relationships is also never explained: best friends--one straight, the other other gay, and the straight friend's ostensibly straight brother for whom the gay friend falls in love at his dire peril, causing a whirlwind of havoc, with no background information. The version issued in 2019 and reviewed by everyone here is highly re-edited--for the better, I might add, running 87 minutes. The 92-minute run time listed on IMDb (actually 91 1/2 minutes) refers to the initial 2017 release.

Brilliant idea that just goes sideways

[billy_dana · 2/10 · 23 July 2019]

I'm profoundly uncomfortable writing this review. This film had a lot going for it - great idea, some good-to-great acting, solid production values - but by the end it devolves into a serious disappointment.

Young gay man overseas, doing his art and apparently happy and healthy, gets visited by his best friend and best friend's younger brother. Young gay man and younger brother discover chemistry together one evening. Older brother finds out, gets upset and essentially rapes/abuses young gay man, then tells him to stay away from his younger brother.

There's no hint of any of this homophobia lurking in their friendship up to this point, no clue this is going to go south like this. That might have worked, except that our young gay man is utterly consumed by his love (obsession) with younger brother, even following them back to LA to try to see him, even putting his life at risk with his former-friend-now-raging-homophobe in his attempt to talk to younger brother (and gets assaulted and beaten again for his pains.) At one point young gay man tells a friend that he has a history of falling in love with straight men and it doesn't work out...

Young gay man returns to his overseas home, he spends some time raging and dancing on the beach, then we leap 2 years forward, younger brother shows up, young gay man says it's all history, then buckles when younger brother insists. End of story.

Huh? We should take away what from this? That being gay means we passively accept homophobic behavior from friends? That we are the helpless victims of our feelings? I'm baffled at the direction and intent of this story, and I'm frankly sorry I watched it to the end.

2nd viewing

[cekadah · 7/10 · 25 September 2019]

This film is a real trip into the mind of Christian! The surface of the story is how Ivan becomes obsessed with Cole, the brother of Ivan's best friend Christian (consider this name and how he acts toward Ivan and the symbolism to religion). Christian tells Ivan "I love you man!". But when Christian discovers Ivan is having an affair with Cole, Christian turns on Ivan with pure hate. And threatens to kill him! Most of the story deals with Ivan feeling lost without Cole and the rejection by Christian.

What we are never shown in the story is Christians relationship with his brother Cole. Is Christian protecting his brother from Ivan? Is Christian jealous of Ivan because Cole is giving Ivan what Christian cannot achieve? Or does Christian consider Cole his property?

Christian tells Ivan in a scene of anger that Cole is not like Ivan. This statement is the only insight we are given into how Christian perceives Ivan. It's a real mixed message. Christian loves Ivan as a friend as long as Ivan keeps to himself. But once Ivan breaks that barrier Christian cannot accept Ivan as a friend.

Could've been an 8

[samueljrivera · 3/10 · 14 September 2020]

I would totally have given this movie an 8 if it hadn't been for the ending... That ending absolutely SUCKED. What an awful conclusion to what could've and should've been an example of self-love and self-dignity.

The acting was great, very well-produced and directed, but GAWD that ending... So disappointed.

From the maker of those youtube videos...

[hddu10-819-37458 · 13 May 2020]

...comes another horrible, self-indulgent piece you'll most likely never see. The writer/director/lead uses the same exact formula (sexual ambiguity), character and actors as he always does in this latest installment showcasing his "talent". The premise actually COULD have been interesting (gay guy with straight best friend comes on vacation with his brother who spontaneously turns gay). But the dialogue and script is so weak, that no one for a second understands WHY 1. a heterosexual guy has such a strong relationship with a gay friend 2. he is rabidly/violently opposed to his brother starting a relationship with said friend 3. why a heterosexual friend would suddenly command his gay friend to perform oral sex on him. And the list just goes on and on. This really comes off more of a thin gay man's fantasy than anything remotely insightful. And as usual, most (more than half) of the film is just the lead mugging, dancing, exercising, thinking etc in front of the camera...because...well...because. Yes, we have the next generation's Bruce La Bruce right here., and you'll definitely want to miss it.

So much potential.....but

[sinnerman72 · 6/10 · 4 April 2021]

This movie had so much potentia, but unfortunately it is one the most discombobulated pieces of art since......since the last Jackson Pollock...worth a watch but it ain't no masterpiece. 😏

The quintessential " Movie"

[joskorpio · 4/10 · 12 January 2020]

Great topic that needs to be explored, written about and even filmed about...however this movie falls way short of doing the topic any justice. Too much attempt at the typical "artsy-fartsy" approach at movie making. Something quite common in the Gay movie Genre and most definitely with Broken Glass Pictures. Story line was lost, acting (other than Peter Vack) was mediocre, and so many more failures plague this movie. I hope someone can take this topic and do it justice. It really could be a good movie. Yes, gay men do fall in "love" (more like infatuated) with straight men, and yes there are "straight" men who have not come to terms with their sexuality. Yes, I am gay.

Almost so good.

[SteverB · 5/10 · 31 December 2022]

This one is going to be about the last second of the film before the credits. After portraying what could have been a validating experience for someone who, admittedly only found himself being attracted to unavailable straight guys, the main character, Ivan, seems to finally have gotten off that bus two years after the bulk of the film. And then his unrequited love shows up, and for most of those last few minutes of the film, you think that FINALLY Ivan is redeemed from the horrible relationships he'd experienced. But no. While he tells Cole, his unrequited love, that it's too little, it's too late, and that Cole is an a-hole, Cole starts kissing him, without, at first, a reaction from Ivan. Ivan seems to really be "cured." Then, in the last second of the film, all of that is washed away as we see Ivan respond to the kiss, and... credits.

I assume most of the main production of the film was carried out by gay guys, and yet, that last second of film washes away everything that came before it. Cole has found his way back to Colombia to what? I don't know, it's not really clear since he spends most of the movie expressing that he's straight. In that last second of film, Ivan is instantly thrown back to the place he was at the beginning of the film. He's learned nothing. He hasn't REALLY grown as a character. I have the feeling that the director/writer thought that the audience would CHEER at that last second. No, I didn't, and I don't think I'm alone in that. It also vaguely perpetuates the stereotype that gay guys will glom onto anyone that shows them attention, no matter what the history may be. All the editor had to do was chop off the last second of film and I'd have been fine with it. It might have left the film with an unfinished feeling, but as an audience member, I would have chosen to believe that Ivan was a FULL person who had learned something valuable throughout the course of the film, and Cole was turned away to go explore his life elsewhere. And not that it matters, but without that last second, I'd have probably rated this film an 8 or 9. Really disappointing ending.

Very watchable/enjoyable film

[lacoroner · 8/10 · 26 May 2020]

I liked this film. The story and characters were interesting and Brian Jordan Alvarez is very watchable. Good cast of supporting actors.

Cringe💀

[kxvbdyj · 1/10 · 28 July 2021]

The whole film is just so cringe that it deserves a place on tiktok.

What is a movie?

[Phillim212 · 1/10 · 14 August 2021]

The writer/director/producer/star of this interminable hour and a half has not figured out the answer to that question, perhaps has never contemplated the question. One wonders what he sees when he watches a good movie, or what he thinks when he reads a good book. We do have an idea what he sees when he observes the real world: his own surface reflection. If only this film were 10% worse, it could at least be laughable. There is one shot that shows the star at possibly his only good angle -- if only he'd had a good director to make that happen more often, especially since the camera is on the star 90% of the time. Youngish gay guy falling in love with younger straight guy who may be up for reciprocating is potentially compelling subject matter. But you need an insightful script to tell that old story, you need skilled actors, you need a competent director, you need a heart and soul.

Another pretentious gay movie

[mgs112112-1 · 4/10 · 6 May 2020]

Very pretentious, why do gays in film filled that in order to be validated they have to show pretentious characters that dehumanize the whole point of equality.

We want to be equal because we want to be the same, not better and not worse. No need to have outrageous ly pretentious dialogues or insufferable characters to be seen. Just. Be. Normal.

I understand how Angelinos are but honestly 99% of the world is not an Angelino.

Wow. Really really bad!

[patrickkeown · 1/10 · 17 November 2021]

'Awful' doesn't even begin to express how bad this movie is. I'm not even sure what I just watched. It's like a bunch of guys were bored one day and decided to film a bunch of scenes and then mash them together into some kind of plot. Was there even one? I'm honestly not sure. Shoot, there definitely wasn't a script! A toilet paper roll has more script to it than this thing. Don't bother watching; it's a big waste of time.

I guess the concept is worth a star??

[clark-96172 · 1/10 · 6 December 2021]

For something that had a good concept going in it just made all the wrong steps from start to finish. The best friends character makes no sense. How was he best friends with the guy for so long but homophobic? I can understand a homophobic person being a casual acquaintances with a queer person because they are kept a distance most of the time. But someone who's homophobic enough to not be willing to have his brother be gay wouldnt CHOOSE a best friend that's openly gay. It makes no sense. Then there's the little brother who is even more unlikable than our best friend. He used amd manipulated the main character the entire movie. He didn't get a redemption arc and just gets his happy ending? And speaking of the ending...it was the WORST ending this film could've had. I'm sorry but in his speech he said they made him feel like he deserved to die...and you forgive himself? You mean after 2 years, you're still not over a guy you hooked up with a few times over the course of a couple weeks?

There was no chemistry or tension that would make us as an audience feel a connection to their trysts. Also, our main character threatens to kill himself when ol boy doesn't want to talk to him? Gross.

The main character was saying and doing all the right things at the ending interaction but somehow still gave in?

Here I was hoping I'd be watching a gay film with a good ending for once and we are left with this...

Wish I could give less than 0 stars.

This movie could've been something but instead it took us om a long trip to nowhere.

Fan Alternate Ending

[compupix-89945 · 8/10 · 30 August 2021]

In Los Angeles, when Ivan knocks on the window to awaken Cole: There is no response. Eventually, Ivan leaves frustrated.

The camera reveals an empty bed in Cole's bedroom. The camera moves to Christian's room, where we see two men sleeping together. End of movie.

Sad and triggering

[mike-274-440415 · 2/10 · 14 July 2022]

Online it said "Comedy" but this film is clearly not remotely a comedy, nor is it intended to be. It's about a gay guy, American living in Colombia who is visited by two manipulative and abusive brothers who use him for sex then beat him up and leave, while he begs for them to stay because he is so messed up he thinks it's love. The writer/star should have had a critical staffer who whispered "This doesn't mean what you think it means."

It's SO Bad.

[Stepho112 · 1/10 · 2 February 2024]

Probably the worst gay-themed feature film I have ever seen. Thanks for the recommendation Amazon Prime! I was trying to understand how the writing, directing, editing and acting could all be so terrible---then I saw the credits and it's all the SAME person, lol! Whoever gave Brian Jordan Alvarez the false sense of confidence that he had any talent whatsoever should be shot and also give me 1.5 hours of my life back. What's more, I don't know how he convinced so many people to work on this disaster and possibly contribute financially? The only I can say that is okay about it is the cinematography. Everything else about the film is completely cringe and gives off first year student film vibes. Story makes zero sense, character development is awful and confusing, it lacks reality, direction was pretentious and over dramatic at times. I could go on and on. Just skip it. Or watch it if you want to feel superior and see what not to do when making a film.

"Hopelessly devoted to you" like the song in "Grease" yet Real & raw

[sinnerofcinema · 10/10 · 28 July 2019]

I read the one review posted here on this IMDB site and i was compelled to write a rebuttal as to why this film works perfectly in its depiction of a situation that happens more often to men - regardless of orientation - than they are willing to talk about and how perfectly crafted to real life the responses are. And If did not know better, this story could have easily happened anywhere because it has all of the ingredients of real life situation and how people in this situation would handle it. At the end of the day, human are unpredictable. You don't choose who you fall for, you just do. And the response to the advances can be controlled, or as well as varied- or worse adverse.

This is a film a friend of mine would love to study. He writes books on how and why straight identified men have sex with men. This is a great testament and study to the many blogs I've read about the subject matter. At the end of the day, we are all looking for love. The circumstances surrounding this film are not unique to this film. On the contrary it happens all the time in everyday life. You find someone you like and you put your best foot forward to impress them and hopefully you'd get the reaction you expect from of your efforts (he payoff). That is what principal host of the story, Ivan, does with his guest. He is smitten by one of his guest and chooses to go for it. Something people do everyday when they are fall for someone. There is nothing singular about his action or behavior. In a nutshell, is only human to chase the object of your affections regardless of the gender or orientation to hopefully reciprocal results. Sometime you get so wrapped up in your head and upon receiving the desired attention expected, you see yourself fully immerse in a romantic situation. Many time you are so deep in it, you feel you are drowning in it, even though those surrounding you may see a different outcome. Now many may point out that this situation in the film maybe doomed - or maybe not -we don't know this and frankly every situation in different, and generalizing it would only suggest that every marriage would end in divorce and we know that not to be true. The filmmaker magnifically manages the nuances and the responses of each to the characters to authentic responses. The complicated story is told so detailed you can't help to wonder if the filmmaker himself might have had this situation. Anyone who sees this film will be able to relate. We live in a society that is trending towards people being their authentic selves even when it comes to their sexuality and sexual proclivities. Yes there is jealousy and other raw emotions as the object of your affection diverts from insinuations and/or returns of your romantic advances - to be then found in the awkward situation of not knowing where you stand with them after believing the acceptance of your come ons are positively returned. Does that borderline obsession? we are all looking for love and when you think you've found it, you take that leap of faith hoping it will be returned and it will last. In a nutshell, this film examines the multiple sides to being seduced, lusted after- and loved. The intricacies that go with both the response as well as intent and motivations. In order to fully achieve love, one must open their heart and soul to the opportunity of love or live confined behind the wall of restrictions imposed by politically correct society. You know when a film is good when you wished the film continued past its ending into multiple episodes. It's a story that begs to be told and given the proper consideration, this film would be a Netflix series. The acting, cinematography and production values are superb. The direction is flawless. Any film you watch where you feel the film organically taking you into the world of its protagonist shows a skillful direction in my opinion. I highly recommend this film because I've known many friend who have been in all sides of the situations depicted in this film. It all feels true to how the proceedings unravel. I urge you to to know too much about this film as you go into it. Sit back and let the film take you. You will appreciate this advise as you will want to render your own opinions and views of what you just saw. The only thing I do agree with the reviewer below is I wished we saw a bit more into the the motivations of the protagonist guest. But then again, love/lust can be blind and when not put in proper check, jealousy props its ugly head with its negative consequences. Your opinions will be as diverse as the characters you saw in the film, there is truth to be told as the film is as raw and real to life, specially for anyone who's been down the road of the protagonist. The moral of this film is humans cannot be boxed or pigeonholed. Men are more complex than labels, and to expect the contrary is to set yourself up for failure. Highly, highly recommended viewing.

An Artistic Expression of Forbidden Desire

[jordanif · 9/10 · 10 January 2023]

I'll preface this with the fact that a lot of people view films in a very closed mindset. They want a coherent story and a valuable lesson to take home.

Film is art. Film is a way for a writer/director to express themselves through emotion, desire, and experience. It doesn't have to necessarily make sense.

I see this film as execution of the writer's potential desire, that many of us gay men have, falling for a straight boy. Certain behaviors and characteristics of the characters in this movie don't make sense. But that doesn't mean they don't represent something.

Maybe Christian's sudden homophobia was a reflection of Cole's sudden curiosity?

At the end Ivan gives in and accepts Cole coming back to him after 2 years, despite all the pain Cole had put him through. Maybe this is a representation of the hold our own desires, and what are heart wants, can have on us.p

I really enjoyed this movie. The acting was very good. Beautifully shot. Well directed. Appropriate music. And great sexual tension.

People are on here complaining that the ending ruined it. The sudden homophobic friend. Direction.

I get it, but I feel like you're just pulling stuff out your behind to trash the movie. The "friend" characters didn't really have character build up or not much was revealed about their personal lives... why is that important to the story? You don't have to know anything about any of the characters honestly.

I get that the movie was confusing. Very confusing even. I get the the end can be perceived as disappointing. But when looking at it an a expression rather that a logical story book. It's beautiful. I will be rewatching this !