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Two gay men get together at a bar. Dan is invited back
to Tom's apartment, where he is asked if he remembers meeting
before. When the conversation turns weird Dan attempts to
leave, but is rendered unconscious and tied-up. It soon materialises
that Tom had given the HIV virus to his wife, who committed
suicide when the news that she had aids was revealed at a
hospital. Tom has only slept with one man in his life... Dan,
and he is convinced Dan passed the virus to him, because it
was the only time he was unfaithful to his wife. So Tom holds
Dan responsible and vows that if the results of the aids test
(a sample of which was taken while the man was unconscious)
comes back from the lab positive, he is going to kill his
captive...
Yes,
it is as tedious as it sounds, I'm afraid. Although there
are a couple of other locations used, and a few ultra-brief,
confusing and frankly pointless flashbacks, the vast majority
of the film takes place in one open-plan area. There are endless
conversations between the two at Tom's place about everything
from American football, through archeology, sex and responsibility
to truth. In all probability, this story could have been told
comfortably on film in under 15 minutes. I suppose the purpose
of the constant chatter was the two characters trying to get
inside each other's heads (ahem...), but it simply comes across
as blatant time-wasting. The director might as well have filmed
his empty purse for 90 minutes.
Another
mistake this film makes is to reveal the entire plot minutes
into the running time. The viewer is then obliged to watch
the two players go through the motions whilst awaiting a revelation
with a suitable impact that just doesn't happen. The 24th
Day runs more like a theatre play, but if it had been
the curtain would have dropped for the final time on the first
night. Avoid this one like the plague.
Ty
Power
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