2×4 (1998)
M/F M/M
Synopsis:
[Netflix] Irish construction worker Johnny (Jimmy Smallhorne) seems to have settled into a new life in America — until the demons of his subconscious threaten to destroy everything. Working for his uncle (Chris O’Neill) by day and escaping into drugs and booze at night, Johnny soon finds his life spiraling out of control as he discovers his repressed bisexuality and is tormented by nightmares of his past. Former winner of the Cinematography Award at Sundance.
Review:
First saw this in a list for bi movies and wonder what did wood planks have to do with a bi movie? I watched it and honestly like this movie, the beginning, middle and the end. I saw the story took place in The Bronx (borough I know of fondly) and it was like how I bought books once upon a time just because it had my name in it but I was pleasantly surprised on how I love the cinematography (not surprised it won an award). Johnny is this guy that came to America from Ireland to work for his uncle and doesn’t pay him on time or enough, has this great girlfriend he loves and the bunch of guys he works with on a Manhattan building, (hence the title) but then his girlfriend asks him a question one night after making him wear leather black pants to the local bar and from there I think the movie starts. It just a guy who seems on the surface to not have a problem with his sexuality and really doesn’t but he has these night terrors which becomes more obvious as the movie travels along that these aren’t nightmares but in truth and worse off are memories that are now surfacing. I like all the characters in this movies, even when there weren’t likable, such as the uncle (which spoiler: is the reason for Johnny’s unconscious nightmares.) It is Johnny passing through each day through parts of The Bronx and Manhattan I never seen but I might be biased as I feel for Johnny as he struggles to understand his world and the people he interacts with and finally deal with the memories. I really enjoyed this movie.Oh yeah, I have never seen so much people smoking in a movie? Throughout the whole movie I’m wondering who will end up with lung cancer.
Movie Trailer:
