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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 57% 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

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Andrea Thompson Chicago Reader 06/21/2023
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. Go to Full Review
Vadim Rizov AV Club 12/01/2016
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. Go to Full Review
Alison Willmore BuzzFeed News 06/03/2016
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. Go to Full Review
Michael Cuby them. 09/26/2022
Taking place over the course of several hours, the film gives off a rather hypnotic effect... Go to Full Review
C.J. Prince Way Too Indie 05/24/2019
7/10
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. Go to Full Review
Joel Mayward Cinemayward 12/12/2018
3/5
...Stephen Cone has created a plethora of engaging and authentic characters, and much of the film rings true. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Joyful Jadyn Jul 20 A bit simple, but has good messages and it is overall pretty enjoyable. I wasn’t expected nearly as much as I received. See more Alec B 01/09/2024 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. See more 01/28/2022 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. See more Dave C 06/24/2021 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 See more 09/03/2020 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. See more Aaron L 07/07/2020 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. See more Read all reviews
Henry Gamble's Birthday Party

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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
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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