User reviews

I saw this movie. Akron, at NewFest here in NYC and liked it. Both guys were attractive and it was very romantic, sometimes erotic, and interesting because their relationship was accepted by both families, even the Latino father of the character played by Matthew Frias. Joseph Melendez, the actor who played his father, was at the screening and he mentioned that he was eager to play the part of a Latino father who didn't, stereotypically, throw his gay son out of the house. The interesting plot really revolved around an event that was not related to the gay theme at all.

However the movie has a 3.7 rating on IMDb which is ridiculous and, to my mind, is another proof that IMDb is being trolled by homophobes. Many years ago the website created a complex rating system that was designed to minimize attempts by the industry to puff up their product, by having all their employees give a film 10 for example, or having a popular star instruct fans to do the same. The problem is that at that time the present culture of mean, negative, trashing commentary was only just rearing its ugly head and IMDb has apparently done nothing to try to minimize this newer phenomenon.

Of the 112 people who rated this movie, 23 gave it a '10' and then the ratings gradually ramp down from there until you get to 41 people who gave it a '1' rating. Are we really supposed to believe that 41 people saw this gay themed movie in its very limited distribution and hated it so much that they ran home and logged into IMDb to rate it as low as possible? In addition, none of these 41 people hated it enough to bother to write a single negative review.

It seems to me that if just one anti-gay group told its members to go home, register for IMDb, and trash the film it could be very effective in warping the IMDb ratings for a small film like this..... a church with a large Latino membership in Akron who objected to being portrayed as gay accepting comes to mind..... just sayin'.

So the point of all these words is to suggest that it would be wise to think twice before avoiding a gay themed film just because it seems to have a abysmally low rating on IMDb.

Great movie primarily because of the actors, especially the two who play the central characters.

The plot is a bit contrived though entirely plausible. I don't think it's necessary to look for any deep meaning in the behavior of those involved. Obviously a tragedy occurred and it was bound to have a profound effect on all involved and it was something that would not have been fully explored between parents and the very young boys at the time.

Likewise it would have been a painful jolt to all involved when it suddenly resurfaced again as the two young men fell for each other at school. Forgiveness and rational thinking are easy to expect in theory, but far more difficult to deal with in reality. One thought that never seemed to have arisen was whether blame should have been shared between both mothers ... Christopher's mother who was driving the car that struck Benny's brother and Benny's mother who apparently allowed the child to run out in front of the car.

We never know how long the relationship between Benny and Christopher lasted. The shared tragedy might have been overcome by love and forgiveness, but it would always be a burden that would weigh on them both.

It was a well done bit of drama and romance, but it was not anything from which profound meaning could be extracted.

If you saw every gay movie made since 1950, you'd never see one as good as Akron. It's not only the best gay movie made so far, it's one of the best movies period. You have to look at the very best ever--movies like Gone with the Wind and The Godfather--to find any that are better than Akron.

Benny and Christopher meet as college freshmen. They get very close very fast. They're both extremely comfortable being gay, loved and fully supported by their friends and families, and they freely demonstrate their affection everywhere they go. It's marvelous to see.

There is no homophobia anywhere in this movie, thank God. No bullies, no bashing, no parental disapproval, no coming-out angst. No hiding. No HIV. None of the other "curses" that most gay dramas wallow in. Critics may say Akron is unrealistic, but it's no less real than the negative crap we've already seen plenty of in gay movies.

Akron shows a beautifully healthy and positive side of the gay experience that has been completely neglected in movies until now. There ARE families like this--lots of them--we just haven't seen them on screen before. There also is no melodrama in Akron, which is even more remarkable. Nobody overacts or over-reacts. Nobody ever does anything that doesn't feel completely genuine and true and natural and normal.

There IS drama, but it's not centered on being gay. It turns out that the two families' paths had crossed in a terrible tragedy many years earlier, and when they discover that connection everything blows apart. The last half of the movie shows how each person in the two families (not just the lovers) deals with the newly-awakened pain.

Small, unpretentious movies like this, about human beings relating to each other, don't win awards or sell tickets any more, but they're the only movies worth seeing. If you love blockbusters, you'll hate Akron; but if you love movies, you'll love this one. It's as nearly perfect in every way as a movie can be.

Benny is a gay child of Mexican parents and has just started at the University of Akron as a freshman. He gets roped into playing a game of American Football with his 'besty' girlfriend and after he meets, the rather dashing, Christopher. They like each other straightaway and just go for it.

The fly in the lovebirds ointment is that deep in the past of their respective mothers there was a tragic incident that will now become a barrier to them being able to stay together.

Now that is the synopsis and there are some things that I really liked. There is no homophobia or overly dramatic 'coming out' scene which marks this as 'progressive gay cinema' apparently. I just thought it was dealing with other issues – and it really is – their sexuality is just happenstance to the plot.

The issues that the two boys face would just as equally be a problem had they been a boy and a girl. The issue with the film itself is how it is all worked out. You will love or loathe this one. This is not a sexathon either and the bedroom scenes I am being a bit generous with my marking but that is because they all do a more than above average job and I quite liked the whole thing.

As of this writing, I have 2,371 movies in my library. And while having and having watched repeatedly many of the 2,371 movies in my library, I am not a professional movie reviewer. But I believe that I do have an informed opinion about what is good and what is not good in movies overall.

The number of low and lowest ratings that some gave "Akron" (2015) surprised me, in part because I have given "Akron" a "10". So when I was recently visiting relations in Akron, Ohio, I asked several of my Latino relations about the allegations that a heavily Latino local church may have organized a number of the church's congregants to write IMDb for the purpose of slamming Akron (2015) because Matthew Frias was Latino and had competently played a gay young man in a very favorable light, within a story line that was very favorable to a gay love affair.

One of my relations turned out to be one of the church congregants who participated in this fraud, and then happily detailed just how this fraud on IMDb was orchestrated within the church itself. This relation stated that apparently none of the congregants had actually watched "Akron" or Matthew Frias, or if they had, they had only done so for a few minutes.

The moral of this is very simple, as far as I can see. Be very careful when using the ratings assigned to movies that some might find politically charged. And be very, very careful when religious groups target movies like "Akron" (2015) for whatever reason.

"Akron" (2015) deserves a "10" rating for all of the right cinematic reasons.

3 1/2 Stars. Although a simple story, it is told quite well and is unique in the way it handles a gay couple. The fact that the couple consists of two boys is not of any great importance to the actual story itself. It would be the exact same story if it were a boy and girl or two girls. That's a refreshing change from the usual. The plot does have a couple of holes, but not enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. The young actors do a credible job of seeming a good match. The parents seem quite realistic in their attitudes and actions based on the plot. I give this a thumbs up.

The more you watch this movie, the better it gets. It packs an emotional wallop. Even though the depiction of the two young gay men being totally free and expressing their love outwardly is very unrealistic because Akron is a very homophobic city.

The acting by all is outstanding. Matthew Frias projects the dominant role in the relationship. He makes the first move and takes charge. He's displays the Latino temperament when he's riled, especially in a scene where he blows up at his boyfriend. Edmund Donovan seems to be the sensitive one who grounds Benny when things are tense. His projection of love for Benny is something everyone dreams about. He seems to good to be true and Donovan's acting is touching because you feel his pain as the pawn who is caught in the middle. The scene where he rips into his mother is riveting, yet heartbreaking.

This film does not deserve the rating that it has gotten from IMDb. It deserves better and I wouldn't believe the negative ratings. Despite some of the implausibility of the plot, the performances and the direction overcome that detail.

The good old theme of two lovers from feuding families is brought back again in Akron. The feuding families thing just might work in a crime family setting but it doesn't work very well in an American university town setting. There's not much dramatic tension and you know it will all be resolved in the lover's favor without any tragic deaths. The first part of the movie is boy meets boy and kisses the boy a lot. Then there's the bit when the two separate and there's some genuine tension built up here but it's only 20% 0f the movie. Then there's the reconciliation, which is drawn out a bit. But Akron makes for easy viewing. It's about nice, good looking people, who live in a post-gay environment where boys can kiss passionately in the middle of the street or in clubs and restaurants.

If you like made for Hallmark and Lifetime type dramas Akron would be a good pick. If you like more meaningful and well crafted films, skip it.

The actors are all pretty good though the moms skew towards TV melodrama characters. The rest of the film's construction is really pedestrian.

Even thought the film is bland and the story amateurish it was nice to see a film with gay characters that wasn't about them being gay and especially nice to see a non-caucasian gay male character (though he is, of course, very attractive).

It's that sort of movies that you feel happy and refreshed after watching them. The actors played their roles pretty good especially Edmund Donovan his face expressions were perfect as well as his using of body language and the tone of his voice...I see a bright future for him in acting (hopefully). I just really liked the movie, it's a film displaying the life of two gay couple living a NORMAL life not like other movies where something tragic must happen eventually.

This story is very engaging and very touching. It is a story of healing with two gay characters, rather than a gay film.

I don't know why, but something about this movie felt "off", even though it had all the right ingredients. It's a shame, because I went into it with high expectations and came away slightly disappointed.

For one, the whole thing seemed a bit melodramatic. I think this had less to do with the acting (which was okay) and more to do with the plot. You can't fix a thin plot by filling in all the holes with emotional fluff -- it gave the impression that the characters were overreacting and wallowing in their anger and sadness.

For another, the production value was somewhat amateurish in spots. Right after the accident, the sound cuts out in attempt to convey the gravity and trauma of the moment. But it just didn't work and felt out of place. In another scene, when Benny and Christopher meet for the first time after separating, the twangy theme song is loudly piped in before they've even finished making up, which detracted from the moment.

But it certainly wasn't all bad. It was refreshing to watch a "gay" movie where being gay wasn't the main focus. The boys' sexuality is a total non-issue -- no homophobia or self-loathing in sight! The leads are handsome and well-rounded, and spend a good bit of screen-time sans shirts -- although none of these scenes felt gratuitous. And it does have a (mostly) happy ending.

Overall, this was an enjoyable film. Although it tried a little too hard to be cutesy and dramatic, it was a decent attempt and I would watch it again.

6.5/10.

A slow-moving and sentimental story, but an uplifting and positive one. It's great to see the simple acceptance of two young, gay men in love and able to live openly and honestly. I hope reality lives up to it in Ohio.

A very touching story of two young college boys who find each other at a football game played in the mud. Unfortunately they share a dark past when both boys were 4 or 5. Benny the very cute Hispanic boy's older 6 year old brother is killed when he runs out after a soccer ball and is killed in front of a mini van. As one of the professional reviewers says Benny's Family is not stereotypical. His family is very supportive and loving. The tension of the past places stress on the boys relationship and families. The supporting cast is phenomenal the actors who play Benny's mother and father and Christopher's mother are very Noteworthy not to mention Benny's little sister and the small roll of Christopher' s best friend Played by Cailin Rose all make for a very good movie.

The premise and story concept was great The acting was good But the ending left a lot to be desired. We are supposed to believe that Benny's Mother goers from hateful, angry, grieving, to totally accepting and hostess of the year... well at least to Christopher. But the last contact with his mother not so much. we are left wondering if there was some reconciliation there or not, and if there was why was she not invited to dinner as well. Another 5 or 10 minutes of movie could have resolved some of those questions and made it a more satisfying movie. For me the ending spoiled the rest of the movie for me. Otherwise it was great

What an amazing movie!! This is a must see and maybe even a must own for your collection!! I think the way that the story is told puts an emphasis on everything besides the sexuality of the main characters. A much needed change from most of the gay films that are out in the world today. The story itself also keeps people on edge and I know that when my family and I watched it there wasn't a dry eye in the house!!

I think I can say I enjoyed the movie as it wasn't really depressing like most of the gay movies and very nice looking main couple was definitely a plus but since the beginning of the movie, I just couldn't feel the spark between the couple? To me they had little to no chemistry, the dialogues were weird and seemed fake. They were having hardships and all but I just couldn't feel their sadness or how strong their love for each other is to overcome those hardships. Almost everyone's acting was bad too, especially Benny's mom.

Have seen lots of gay themed movies and this is the FIRST one that showcases gayness in the most positive light possible. The two leading, gay characters are completely wholesome, young and attractive. They are serious college students with families who love and accept them as they are. You won't find any smoking scenes in this movie....no drinks, no illicit drugs. And you won't hear sleaze bags tossing around the F word as their most descriptive adjective. All you'll get are two athletic, academically oriented, "normal" behaving, gay college students who meet and fall for one another immediately. All the acting is spot on. Dialogue is exceedingly realistic and natural. Finally someone out there read my mind and presented a POSITIVE image of gay people.....and I'm not talking HIV.

This is an unusual film as far as LGBTQ movies go because whilst there is a problem which needs to be overcome for love to blossom, the being gay aspect is not a problem, not in any way.

This plot twist would be every bit as complex in a heterosexual situation.

So the two young men have a friendly chat after playing for opposing teams in a game of "mudball" and decide to get to know each other better. Turns out they really like each other but fate, or Hollywood, has a put a fly in their ointment of love.

A tragedy from the past comes back like a bolt from the blue to be a major obstacle to any possible future the guys might want to plan together.

This is another short LGBTQ movie that is rather lightweight on content - there's not a lot happening throughout, and the plot really isn't very complex either so I won't say any more about it as I wouldn't want to risk writing a spoiler to what little plot there is.

It's an ok film and my 7/10 is probably more generous than it deserves. Really a 6.5 is more appropriate rating.

It could have done with more everything really, plot, things happening, dialogue, and the ending felt like "ok, it's a wrap. Time go go home, people."

It just left me feeling that the plot had the potential to yield a more involving movie in the hands of a more interested scriptwriter and more intense director.

It is what it is. Not a good film, but not a bad one either, just a bit bland, imo. Had a real "made for TV" feel to it - which maybe it was. I don't know.