Henry Gamble's Birthday Party

2015

1h 27m

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

86%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

57%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Henry Gamble, a 17-year-old preacher's son, wrestles with sexuality, alcoholism and faith during his birthday party.

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Alec B

Even with the minimal plot elements, it still feels like there are too many revelations and resolutions when the film's best elements are the more ambiguous character moments, where past transgressions and secrets are merely hinted at.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Drawn with sweetness and intelligence, Stephen Cone shows his sensibility by tipping the scales towards his characters, young and confused, undergoing changes while the world around them continues to spin in unpredictable and fascinating ways that perhaps leave the door open for them to discover them and themselves.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Brilliantly portrayed family and friendship circle, with each member being tangled up in their own repressed guilt and angst, whether about addiction, sexuality, assault, etc. The slow burn of the setting is perfect for us to be shown each character's particular drama as the Birthday party unfolds. The framework of faith in God works extremely well for the story, adding a dimension to the tension that would otherwise be lacking

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Even with the minimal plot elements, it still feels like there are too many revelations and resolutions when the film's best elements are the more ambiguous character moments, where past transgressions and secrets are merely hinted at.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The movie was good but seemed to leave huge gaps in a possible storyline. The story seems too fast-paced. The movie can keep your attention, but it mostly has an easily forgettable storyline. It is also difficult to keep track of all the names of the characters during the film, so when they are referring to another character that is not on-screen, it feels difficult to know who they are talking about. What was enjoyable about the movie was its ability to feel like a small snapshot in time, and feels like you are watching a small segment of someone's life. Another problem that I have with this movie was that it didn't seem to do much in the movie that would have made the ending make sense. I think the ending was a good one, but it doesn't feel like what would have happened based on all of the movies that came before it. It didn't seem to focus very much on the main character's struggles at all. I don't believe that I would recommend this movie to anyone.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Too many characters/stories vying for screen time. It was nice to see a well developed supporting cast but the story felt disjointed. I didn't have enough time to get invested in anyone.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

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Stephen Cone

Director

Cole Doman

Henry Gamble

Pat Healy

Bob Gamble

Tyler Ross

Aaron

Kelly O'Sullivan

Candice Noble

Francis Guinan

Larry Montgomery

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Andrea Thompson

Chicago Reader

Chicago filmmaker Stephen Cone may have garnered far more notice with his 2017 film Princess Cyd, but he threads a far more delicate balance to great success in Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party.

Jun 21, 2023

Full Review

Vadim Rizov

AV Club

Cone-himself a preacher's son whose features generally explore Christian milieus-doesn't condescend while tracing the moment when faith becomes an obstacle to self-realization.

Dec 1, 2016

Full Review

Alison Willmore

BuzzFeed News

Cone, the son of a Southern Baptist choir director, has by no means made a faith-based movie, but he's made one that treats faith seriously and without condescension.

Jun 3, 2016

Full Review

Michael Cuby

them.

Taking place over the course of several hours, the film gives off a rather hypnotic effect...

Sep 26, 2022

Full Review

C.J. Prince

Way Too Indie

It's a film that's not without its issues, but it displays a sensitivity that more films (indie and otherwise) should try to emulate.

Rated: 7/10

May 24, 2019

Full Review

Joel Mayward

Cinemayward

...Stephen Cone has created a plethora of engaging and authentic characters, and much of the film rings true.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 12, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

Henry Gamble, a 17-year-old preacher's son, wrestles with sexuality, alcoholism and faith during his birthday party.

Director: Stephen Cone
Producer: Steven H. Cohen, Paula M. Froehle
Screenwriter: Stephen Cone
Production Co: Sunroom Pictures, Chicago Media Project, Cone Arts
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 11, 2017
Runtime: 1h 27m

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