Another of those 'written, directed, starring' movies that should have been filtered through a careful producing team, SAY UNCLE will probably get an audience because of Peter Paige's fans from QUEER AS FOLK (it looks like the entire cast and team put up the money for the production!). The theme of the story is an important one - single gay men who love children are targets for homophobic people to label as sexual predators - but the film fails to engage us on both sides of the fence.
Paul Johnson (Peter Paige) is bonded to his godson and in every way seems the perfect godfather - if a bit too much on the infantile side of maturity. His world collapses when his friends move with his godson to Japan and Paul realizes he has nothing. He loses his job, grazes on donuts, and finally begins to seek employment in kids' stores, baby-sitting, and other kid related projects (even trying to adopt a child while jobless), all the while playing with kids in the park. The mothers in the park all love the fact that he appears to be a stay-at-home dad who entertains their own children, until one mother (Kathy Najimy) becomes suspect that he is a pedophile and organizes the city against him. The ending is predictable and phony and doesn't say much that is good about either Paul's manner of adapting to his life needs nor the mothers' taking responsibility for their misjudging: it just ends.
Paige is a talented guy but he needs a good director to give him some insights on how to step out of clichés and stereotypes and become at least a facsimile of a real human being. Oddly enough we are left with a feeling that his 'Paul' is a man who behaves like a child and will probably never cross the line into adulthood. The supporting cast is satisfactory but the production values are weak. The redeeming factor is the sense that everyone had a good idea to explore: the journey just doesn't compel us.
Paul Johnson (Peter Paige) is bonded to his godson and in every way seems the perfect godfather - if a bit too much on the infantile side of maturity. His world collapses when his friends move with his godson to Japan and Paul realizes he has nothing. He loses his job, grazes on donuts, and finally begins to seek employment in kids' stores, baby-sitting, and other kid related projects (even trying to adopt a child while jobless), all the while playing with kids in the park. The mothers in the park all love the fact that he appears to be a stay-at-home dad who entertains their own children, until one mother (Kathy Najimy) becomes suspect that he is a pedophile and organizes the city against him. The ending is predictable and phony and doesn't say much that is good about either Paul's manner of adapting to his life needs nor the mothers' taking responsibility for their misjudging: it just ends.
Paige is a talented guy but he needs a good director to give him some insights on how to step out of clichés and stereotypes and become at least a facsimile of a real human being. Oddly enough we are left with a feeling that his 'Paul' is a man who behaves like a child and will probably never cross the line into adulthood. The supporting cast is satisfactory but the production values are weak. The redeeming factor is the sense that everyone had a good idea to explore: the journey just doesn't compel us.