Take-out (2001)

Take-out (2001)

Director: Jean-François Monette
Writers: Nancy Hughes (screenplay), Jean-François Monette
Genre: Short movie
Country: Canada
Year: 2001
Duration :37 min

Stars: Daniel MacIvor, Gianpaolo Venuta and Benjamin Plener

GayCelluloid.com [David Hall]
When is a short film not a short film, is a point that has often been raised and one that clearly applies to this ‘mini-feature’ from director, co-writer and producer Jean-François Monette.

For this is the story of Rory; your typical American high school student who alternates his devotion to the field of athletics with an evening job, one that sees him delivering fast-food to those in need of a culinary fix. Yet things are not quite what they appear, as rampant hetero and fellow delivery boy Enzo is soon to pickup on, sensing in Rory gay tendencies that the man to be is struggling to come to terms with, issues that see him turn to a repeat customer for words of support. Only does Rory see their friendship for what it is? Or is his obsession with a client big on tips, his way of dealing with his burgeoning sexuality.

Take-out by Jean-François Monette Based on a short story by Derek Brown, this intricately crafted work hits all the right notes in its depiction of homosexual awakening, thanks to a spot-on performance from Gianpaolo Venuta as the gay teen of the piece, coupled with the ever solid work of indie star Daniel MacIvor of Whole New Thing fame and who here stars as Pete, a man with a liking for home deliveries and perhaps something more on the side.

For this is a short that plays like the concluding half-hour of the latest gay feature, thanks largely to the high production values throughout, with Monette employing time-lapse photography together with fantasy sequences, at times surreal, to aptly convey Rory’s emotional state of mind. That his journey to homosexual acceptance also includes longing glances in the school shower, shot in true homoerotic fashion, only adds to the narrative on offer, one laced with ironies; not least of which is a chicken delivery boy who hates chicken, the explanation of which is in the opening scene. That Monette perfectly captures Rory’s emerging sexuality, almost goes without saying, given this is one cinematic take-out, that’s definitely worth taking in! Delightful.

• Director: Jean-François Monette

• Writers:Derek Brown, Jean-François Monette, Nancy Hughes

• Country:Canada

• Genre:Short, Short Movie

• Runtime:37 minutes

• Actors:
  Pete

  Daniel MacIvor
  Rory

  Gianpaolo Venuta
  Enzo

  Benjamin Plener
  Virginia

  Kaya McGregor
  Field Hockey Girlfriend

  Cecile Cristobal
  Father

  Philip Jandaly
  Boss

  Philip Spensley
  Coach

  Vito DeFilippo
  Restaurant Boy

  Mikaël Lafrenière
  Restaurant Father

  René Lafrenière

• Rating: (113 votes)