DVD Review: Interior. Leather Bar

James Franco has something to say.

Netflix's summary of this film is the "re-imagining of 40 minutes cut from the 1980 film Cruising. Which is comical because the first thing film maker Travis Mathews says to his lead actor, Val Lauren is that he doesn't want to do a full on re-imagining of 40 minutes of what they thought was cut. Because that would be the wrong way to go about this. 

At first, I wasn't sure where Franco was going with this, and I didn't feel like he was sure either. Then in a scene, he explains to Val that everything he's shooting here feels weird to him because of the world around him. Every commercial, every love story is a man and a woman, and he's sick of it. He also mentions sex being a story telling tool, and that people shouldn't be so afraid to put it into a movie. He doesn't see this S&M club as a dark evil place as depicted in Cruising, he sees it as normal.

I feel like this film would've worked better if Val Lauren, for lack of a better word, would've stopped acting like such a little bitch. I get it, as an actor, he's concerned about this project. (As his an unnamed friend/family member who asks him if he's shooting the "Franco faggot movie.") but come on dude, lighten the fuck up. I doubt Franco forced you into doing this. Hell, the most notable thing you've done was a film that James Franco directed himself. His attitude was really off putting. That's what kind of ruined the whole thing for me. I think Franco had really interesting intentions here, but it just didn't come together. I think Val Lauren shares a lot of that blame.

Recommended: No

Grade: D

Memorable Quote: "I like his mission, even when I don't understand it." - Val Lauren