Like It Is (1998)

Los Angeles Times
"...Engaging and reflective....[Bell] is an impressively natural actor in his film debut..." 01/22/1999 p.F10

Apollo Leisure Guide 0 of 10
Craig (Steve Bell) is a mixed-up young Englishman who makes his living as a bare-knuckle fighter who entertains men by pummelling his opponents into a bloody pulp in backrooms, and who isn't entirely comfortable with his sexual attraction to other men. Matt (Ian Rose) is a young nightclub operator and music producer who's more comfortable with his gayness. The two meet at a London gay bar and Like It Is explores their on-again-off-again relationship as they gradually develop intimacy and then have it tested by the interference of friends and co-workers with various agendas, all of whom seem intent on keeping Craig and Matt apart. Throughout the film we wonder whether the likeable pair will overcome all the interference and develop a successful and lasting relationship. There's a low-budget, down-to-earth feel to Like It Is that helps give an authenticity to the relationship between Craig and Matt. There's nothing pretentious here, including the gay sex scenes, which unfold just as one would expect in the real world. The straightforward naturalistic acting of most cast members contributes to the film's sense of reality, with the notable exception of Roger Daltry's leering and embarrassingly over-the-top performance as a scheming music industry executive... - Brian Webster