Set in a bar in the meat-packing district of NYC, this drama is about a group of male prostitutes managed by creepy pimp Mr. Lapp (Benjamin Hendrickson). One of his boys is Bobby (Alex Feldman), a handsome athletic 18-year-old who supports himself and his alcoholic mother Doreen (Anna Thompson) by hustling businessmen. Mr. Smith (Larry Pine) is a married banker who engages Bobby's "services". But Mr. Smith isn't like other johns. He's a repeat customer who spends $600 a night with Bobby, asking him about his hopes and dreams, but seems oblivious to Bobby's physical attractiveness and more interested in conversation than sex. This makes Bobby suspect there's more to Mr. Smith than he lets on. Bobby isn't the only one kept under the thumb of his sleazy, drug-dealing pimp. Abe (J. D. Williams), a new boy arrives on the scene, driven by the desperation of a debt that must be repaid. One day, a sinister customer comes sniffing around asking the new hustler questions about Mr. Smith. It isn't long before an amazing past is revealed, and the lives of both Bobby and Mr. Smith are changed forever. Bobby's world is shattered by Mr. Smith's secret: he is a former bank vice-president on the run after bilking a customer out of money, and he's in New York to try and reconcile with his son Bobby.
If you can't figure out who Mr. Smith is ten minutes into the movie you need to get out more often. Ian McCrudden's direction is spare in style and rich in character development, and the rough-edged production design and cinematography suit the story perfectly. The acting performances are fine, and Mathew Swan's script has good dialogue. Original music is by Tom Paul and Jesse Selengut.
