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Matthew Leitch, George Asprey, Lindsey Coulson, Diana Quick, Peter Youngblood Hills ... see more see more... , Sean Gilder , Geoff Bell , Blake Ritson , Hannah Yelland , Kathryn Pogson , Christopher Luscombe , Bill Nighy , Camille Sturton , Daniel Lee , David Kendall , Fenella Woolgar , Martin Wimbush , Neil Maskell , Reginald S. Bundy , Robin Soans , Stephen Boxer , Sue Douglas

Set in 1978 England, AKA opens with 18-year-old Dean (Matthew Leitch) being kicked out of his working-class home by his abusive father. Shy but socially ambitious, Dean subsequently finds work with hi... read more read more...gh society marm Lady Gryffon (Diana Quick), who introduces him to the privileged set. However, Dean does something to perturb the good lady, and is unceremoniously kicked out of her household. Loathe to part company with the perks of high society, he assumes the identity of Lady Gryffon's son, Alex, and relocates to Paris. There, he makes the acquaintance of Benjamin (Peter Youngblood Hills), a cute but drug-riddled American, and Benjamin's lover David (George Asprey), an older playboy who has the hots for Dean. What unfolds is a tale of deceit, class warfare, and the complexities of sexual identity. AKA was screened at the 2002 Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

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50% liked it

828 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

31 critics

R, 2 hr. 4 min.

Directed by: Duncan Roy

Release Date: January 1, 2002

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DVD Release Date: September 14, 2004

Stats: 33 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (33)

  • danieljparsons
    April 13, 2008
    danieljparsons
    Dean, an attractive, 18-year old man living in working-class Thatcher-era Britain, longs to go to college and 'make something' of himself. Trapped in a household with an abusive step-father and a mother who is either unaware or in denial about the situation, events lead to him be... read morecoming looked after by a wealthy art-gallery owner - a Lady Gryffoyn no less - and eventually to him assuming the identity of her 18-year old son, Alexander Gryffoyn. He soon gains entrance to the circles of the privileged and becomes well liked when he moves to Paris, eventually becoming entangled in the attentions of a rich bachelor, David, and Benjamin, an American with secrets of his own.

    Comparisons with The Talented Mr. Ripley are inevitable and favorable, although aka is much less of a conventional thriller and there's a greater emphasis on sexuality and much richer insight into the protagonist's motivations and psychology. An acquired taste thanks to an extremely low budget (which translates to a gaudy visual style and home-video quality footage), this nevertheless captures its late 70s setting perfectly and is aided by some fantastic performances. Matthew Leitch, Peter Youngblood Hills and Lindsey Coulson as Dean, Benjamin and Dean's mother respectively all give committed and truthful performances. Elsewhere some of the acting borders on caricature, and the music becomes overly invasive on more than one occasion. The section where a scene is split into three frames is also difficult to follow and is a technique that doesn't work (there's an alternate version of the film available on UK DVD which is apparently shown in this three frame format for the duration and is by all accounts unwatchable).

    A complex, almost voyeuristic film, based on a true story, aka is definitely worth a watch.
  • StaisilD
    March 6, 2008
    StaisilD
    AKA is writer/director Duncan Roy's thought-provoking memoir of his own youth. He escaped from a brutal, sexually abusive working-class household by assuming the identity of a young aristocrat and became famous - or notorious - in the process. Matthew Leitch is perfect as Dean, t... read morehe handsome, sweet, innocently seductive young man who desperately wants a better or, to be more precise, another life. His intelligence, looks, charm, and manner make people want to believe he is who he says. All the actors are notable and entertaining. Aside from the fascinating story, imaginative photography done solely with available light, and perfect musical support, AKA is a scathing portrayal of the English class system, where aristocrats rely on certain cues (accent, name, manners, schooling, demeanor) to identify one another and preserve their exclusivity. Dean lives as 'one of them' successfully and happily for over a year. After which he says, quite truthfully if Mr. Roy's portrait of Alexander Gryffoyn is in any way accurate, that he was a better Lord Gryffoyn than the real one could ever be. Mr. Roy depicts a working class equally complicit in maintaining 'place' and limited social mobility.
  • bristowjoelmcfly
    June 24, 2007
    bristowjoelmcfly
    Some meek and angsty teenager gets sucked into the abyss of drugs and older men. When "gay cinema" gets bad, it gets really bad.

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Critic Reviews

Steve Murray
May 20, 2004
Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As the movie goes on (and on), this triple-image effect ultimately starts to feel less effective than what a single, well-placed camera might convey. Full Review

Wesley Morris
April 18, 2004
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

The three-panel format gives the digitally shot picture enormous psycho-emotional layering. Full Review

Chris Vognar
March 18, 2004
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News

Does the radical choice to split up the action contribute anything that couldn't be achieved in a more traditional format? The answer is a well-earned affirmative, and the drama is solid enough to mak... Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
February 20, 2004
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

It's an eloquent testament to the fragmentary nature of identity. Full Review

Jonathan Curiel
January 2, 2004
Jonathan Curiel, San Francisco Chronicle

An unforgettable film. Full Review

Dennis Harvey
December 23, 2003
Dennis Harvey, Variety

Always watchable yet ultimately self-defeating in terms of its tonal / aesthetic choices. Full Review

Frank Scheck
December 16, 2003
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Needlessly distracting and off-putting.

V.A. Musetto
December 12, 2003
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

Watching three frames at once is disconcerting at first, but eventually the experience gives the film a high-tech boost.

Dave Kehr
December 11, 2003
Dave Kehr, New York Times

The material comes packed with dramatic possibilities and rich metaphors, but Mr. Roy focuses most of his energy on caricaturing his wealthy former friends. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
December 11, 2003
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Among the most sophisticated, fully realized and satisfying films of the year. Full Review

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