Sum of Us, The MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 Content: -3 1/2

Looking for Mr. Right in this new Australian film consumes Jeff (Russell Crowe), a 34-year-old gay plumber searching for companionship. His guide and mentor is Harry (Jack Thompson), his father who, though not gay, supports and encourages his son. Theirs is a very warm and loving father-son relationship, all the more unusual for their different "lifestyle" choices. When Jeff meets Greg (John Polson), it may be a match made in, well, made somewhere but Harry won't leave them alone. At the same time, Harry, a widower, begins dating Joyce (Deborah Kennedy) and they also hit it off very well. Will Joyce accept Jeff as well as Harry's support of Jeff, or will she remain in her "backwards" thinking and break off with Harry? This well-done and sometimes even funny film won several Australian awards. It shows that people will agree with anything if it's presented with enough human "passion" and lively music.

THE SUM OF US mixes up two different issues: the sin and the sinner. Everyone can be loved and accepted, regardless of their past, by God and hopefully by Christians, but that does not make disobedience any less of a sin. Homosexual conduct is clearly disobedient according to biblical standards. The positive presentation of homosexuality as just another kind of love will only lead to more pain and sin because it is not the truth. Though harsh-sounding, the biblical message also offers the hope that all sin can be forgiven and that people can change with God's help. Instead, several scenes reminiscent of any "romantic comedy" show two men exchanging "sweet nothings," and then kissing and taking off each others' clothes. Sexual comments pervade the dialogue of people who are obsessed by sex, not love. Many obscenities and crude behavior add to the obnoxious content. This seems to be part of Hollywood's continuing agenda to desensitize and gradually "re-educate" people about what is right. Write in protest of this movie.

Preview Reviewer: Greg Wilson
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Co., 10203 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067-6403