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Matt Newton, Karen Allen, Michael Lerner, Jack Noseworthy, Valerie Geffner ... see more see more... , Ian Reed Kesler , Steve Sheffler , Neal Huff , Austin Lysy , Ivan Reed Kesler

A conservative politician who believes he can count on his family for support discovers his son is not the man he thought he was in this drama. Jack Kray (Michael Lerner) is a United States senator fr... read more read more...om the South whose right-wing views have earned him the nickname "the Nazi from North Carolina." Jack is running for reelection and is looking for support wherever he can get it; told he needs to increase his appeal with younger voters, Jack tries to persuade his son Henry (Matt Newton), a college student, to make a few campaign stops with him. While Jack's wife (and Henry's mom), Eunice (Karen Allen), tries to convince her husband this isn't a good idea, Jack refuses to take no for an answer from Henry. But there's something Jack doesn't know about his son -- Henry is gay, and while he only shares this secret with a small handful of trusted friends and lovers, he can't bring himself to support his father's anti-gay "family values" platform. However, Henry's sexual preference may not stay a secret for long -- Henry has hooked up with Anthony (Jack Noseworthy), a student political activist who wants a long-term relationship with Henry and refuses to play coy about it, while some of Henry's other partners have come forward about his homosexuality. Poster Boy was originally announced as a project for director Herbert Ross, who died before the film went into production; Douglas Keeve took over as director, but resigned before shooting was completed, so editor Zac Tucker completed the movie and received sole screen credit. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

46% liked it

1,441 ratings

Critics

26% liked it

19 critics

R, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Zak Tucker

Release Date: August 11, 2006

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DVD Release Date: November 14, 2006

Stats: 133 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (133)


  • February 15, 2011
    This movie tries too hard to be "artsy" and the story gets lost in that process. It is really good compared to most gay movies. Several characters are just almost unbearable!
  • January 27, 2007
    It's accidentally I saw this movie... I just want to saw more movies about political, an one of my friends told me this movie was good.. But now I want to tell it to my friend : What an unworthy movie!!!
  • October 20, 2007
    Not a well-made film. The concept was good and could have been developed a lot more. I felt like the characters were talking at each other, not to.
  • January 6, 2008
    My wife rented this by accident. It was badly made and we turned it off about 40 minutes into the movie.
  • January 6, 2008
    The concept sounded interesting but the plot and acting were so bad, I had to turn this boring movie off after about 40 minutes.
  • June 3, 2007
    was not as good as I thought it would be. I thought that the story was good, but it was a real b-grade film
  • January 25, 2007
    This movie was a really good at poking fun at politics in america When Henry Kray (Matt Newton) -- the closeted homosexual son of right-wing Sen. Jack Kray (Michael Lerner) -- sleeps with a gay activist (Jack Noseworthy), he shakes up his father's bid for reelection. He is very g... read moreay, is active with anonymous sex, but is closeted and lonely because he is the only child of an infamous US senator from North Carolina
  • January 19, 2007
    I really like this movie it points out the hilarity of a lot of conservative america This movie was a really good at poking fun at politics in america

Critic Reviews


Jeannette Catsoulis
August 28, 2006
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

A polemic masquerading as a movie, Poster Boy unspools like a humorless lecture on right-wing homophobia.

Ann Hornaday
August 25, 2006
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

Although audiences will admire the film's do-it-yourself energy and commitment, Poster Boy finally collapses of its own contrived weight, deflating just when it should soar into madcap -- or at least ... Full Review

Janice Page
August 25, 2006
Janice Page, Boston Globe

An overwrought story of American politics and image-making that really only gets interesting in the final act. Full Review

G. Allen Johnson
August 18, 2006
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

Some clunky writing and a distracting subplot limit the effectiveness of this ambitious low-budget indie. Full Review

V.A. Musetto
August 18, 2006
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

Poster Boy is a muddled coming-out movie that, for no good reason, unfolds flashback style as Henry tells his story to a sleazy newspaper reporter.

Elizabeth Weitzman
August 18, 2006
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

Tucker's heart is in the right place. His work, however, isn't: Lectures belong in school, not in the movie theater. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
August 10, 2006
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Even with satisfying performances from the principal actors, Poster Boy is longer on energy than focus. Full Review

Hank Sartin
August 10, 2006
Hank Sartin, Chicago Reader

Director Zak Tucker is a bit too fond of jump cuts as signifiers of edginess. Still, when the material doesn't get in the way he's pretty good at getting across the emotional content. Full Review

David Rooney
August 10, 2006
David Rooney, Variety

Coming during a period in which the collision of politics and gay rights has created perhaps unprecedented sparks, Poster Boy is a flawed but absorbing drama. Full Review

Don Willmott
December 2, 2006
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com

We all sat around in college having the sort of angry liberal rap sessions that this film painstakingly recreates. We don't have to relive them now. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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