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Henry Gamble's Birthday Party

Play trailer Poster for Henry Gamble's Birthday Party 2015 1h 27m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Henry Gamble, a 17-year-old preacher's son, wrestles with sexuality, alcoholism and faith during his birthday party.
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Henry Gamble's Birthday Party

Critics Reviews

View All (14) Critics Reviews
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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (29) audience reviews
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 Read all reviews
Henry Gamble's Birthday Party

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Henry Gamble, a 17-year-old preacher's son, wrestles with sexuality, alcoholism and faith during his birthday party.
Director
Stephen Cone
Producer
Stephen Cone, Bryan Hart, Laura Klein, Michael A. Leppen, Shane Simmons
Screenwriter
Stephen Cone
Production Co
Chicago Media Project, Sunroom Pictures, Cone Arts
Genre
Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 11, 2017
Runtime
1h 27m
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