50 Ways of Saying Fabulous (2005)
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30% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
51% of users liked it
(1,049 ratings)
A boy has to decide just how far he's willing to go to maintain a new friendship in this offbeat coming of age-drama. Billy (Andrew Paterson) is a 12-year-old boy growing up in a farming community in New Zealand in the '70s. Billy's slight weight problem, his flamboyant personality, and… More A boy has to decide just how far he's willing to go to maintain a new friendship in this offbeat coming of age-drama. Billy (Andrew Paterson) is a 12-year-old boy growing up in a farming community in New Zealand in the '70s. Billy's slight weight problem, his flamboyant personality, and his fondness for costume play has made him a target for bullies at his one-room school, and his only friend is Lou (Harriet Beattie), his tomboy cousin who prefers to play football with the boys and is dreading the onset of adolescence. As Billy resigns himself to his status as an outcast, he's assigned a new deskmate -- a new arrival in town named Roy (Jay Collins). Roy is a few years older than Billy, and takes an immediate liking to him; however, while Billy is a bit fuzzy about the practicalities of being gay (something he's accused of on a regular basis), Roy seems to have a good bit of practical knowledge of the subject and seems keen on pursuing a physical relationship with his new pal. As Billy is torn between happiness at having a new friend and confusion about Roy's level of interest in him, he discovers Roy is also attracted to Jamie (Michael Dorman), who has just hired on to work at the farm owned by Billy's dad. 50 Ways of Saying Fabulous was given its North American premier at the 2005 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Stewart Main
- Written By
- Stewart Main
- Genres
- Drama
G,
- In Theaters
- Jun 2, 2006 Wide
- Studio
- Olive Films
Critic Reviews
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Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
The movie's insistently playful tone and cheesy fantasy sequences ultimately work against its ambitions, undermining a story that seethes with abuse and sexual obsession.
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Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
The disconnect between comedy and grim reality hurts the film.
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Maitland McDonagh, Film Journal International
Handsomely photographed but painfully fey.
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David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...yet another coming-of-age story...
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Billy Manes, Orlando Weekly
Bumps along wide-eyed, like a queer Stand By Me from down under, blue-ing up its spacey nighttimes and redding out its heated days with lush cinematography.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Andrew Patterson
as Billy
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Harriet Beattie
as Lou
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Jay Collins
as Roy
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Michael Dorman
as Jamie
- Rima Te Wiata
- Georgia McNeil
- Ross McKellar
- Stephanie McKellar-Smith
- George Mason
- Michelle O'Brien
