The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green (2005)

26% of critics liked it
(27 reviews)
56% of users liked it
(2,326 ratings)

After years of relying on the "it's not you, it's me" excuse, a gay man in his late twenties begins to realize that he might really be the one to blame for his failed relationships in this broad comedy. Based on a serialized comic strip of the same name, The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan… More After years of relying on the "it's not you, it's me" excuse, a gay man in his late twenties begins to realize that he might really be the one to blame for his failed relationships in this broad comedy. Based on a serialized comic strip of the same name, The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green stars Daniel Letterle as the title character, a flighty serial monogamist for whom no boyfriend is quite "the one." When he dumps his current near-perfect squeeze, the recently out baseball player Kyle (Diego Serrano), his friends begin to worry -- even more so when he takes up with a rebound boyfriend, the moronic party boy Punch (Dean Shelton). But when one of Ethan's exes, Leo (David Monahan), announces his plans for a commitment ceremony, Ethan has to face his unrequited feelings and figure out what he really wants. Family Ties matriarch Meredith Baxter co-stars as Ethan's mince-no-words wedding-planner mom. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 28 min.
Directed By: George Bamber
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 16, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Oct 10, 2006
Studio: Regent Releasing

Critic Reviews

Desson Thomson, Washington Post
The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green can't be accused of false advertising. This adaptation of the underground comic strip is mostly unfabulous.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
There's no visual life to it, the humor is lazy and broad, and the players are as two-dimensional as their cartoon origins suggest.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
This feels like a school play that someone has dragged to film school and turned into a final project.
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times
In his directing debut, David Vernon, formerly a first assistant and second assistant director, opts for the look of a cable TV pilot.
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
The film's tone veers from misjudged sincerity to shrill sketch comedy of the broadest stripe.
Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle
With words streaming out of their mouths instead of into bubbles, Ethan and his gang of past, present and future lovers sound laughingly unbelievable.
Dave White, Movies.com
Lead characters who are completely unlikable fly right in the face of what most filmmakers think the audience wants. But I'll take that any day over a blandly nice character.
Marrit Ingman, Austin Chronicle
There's just not enough real heart to go along with the cutesiness.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
George Bamber's film is bouncy and agreeable but has a certain flatness to it; never making the case for its existence as a movie rather than a comic strip.
Bill White, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The drawings of Eric Orner's comic strip on which the movie is based are more animated than the actors who fail to give any dimension to their characters.
Connie Ogle, Miami Herald
Tiresome romantic comedy that reinforces every imaginable gay stereotype.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
With its unpleasant characters, inconsistent script and awkward acting, what's not to hate?
Laura Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The title does its own summing up: mostly, it's unfab.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
No, he doesn't have anything terribly important, or even original to say, but he's funny, flighty and adorable, sort of like a gay Holly Golightly.
David Elliott, San Diego Union-Tribune
'I'm 19, but I'm petulant' somehow sums it up.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Remarkably true to its source: It's none too deep and a tad cartoonish, but also fast-paced, filled with quotable one-liners and often very funny.
Timothy Knight, Reel.com
This bright, fast-paced adaptation of Eric Orner's syndicated gay comic strip may not break any new cinematic ground, but its sharp, zingy wit and underlying sweetness deftly compensate for the occasional awkward patch or glaring narrative contrivance.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Ina S

Started off great and than unfortunately drifted into slapstick comedy with few truly good moments. I was entertained throughout most of it, therefore I reluctantly give it 3 stars. BUT don't expect much: the plot is predictable, the acting mediocre at best, the comedy is mostly… More
Started off great and than unfortunately drifted into slapstick comedy with few truly good moments. I was entertained throughout most of it, therefore I reluctantly give it 3 stars. BUT don't expect much: the plot is predictable, the acting mediocre at best, the comedy is mostly slapstick - entertainment, not great cinema.