50 Ways of Saying Fabulous

50 Ways of Saying Fabulous is yet another coming-of-age story revolving around a young boy who’s struggling to accept his burgeoning homosexuality. It’s the sort of tale that’s been told many, many times before, and – as a result – any filmmaker choosing to tackle this well-worn subject needs to infuse their movie with some seriously innovative elements. Stewart Main, the film’s writer/director, attempts to liven up the proceedings with an absurdly over-the-top sense of style that involves the relentless use of the camera’s zoom function. This is exacerbated by Peter Scholes’ incessant, distracting score, which – one would imagine – is meant to evoke a vibe of innocence but instead comes off as annoying. And while the performances are actually pretty decent – stars Andrew Patterson and Harriet Beattie deliver thoughtful, effective performances – they’re constantly undermined by the film’s various ill-conceived aspects (including a bizarre undercurrent of fantasy that doesn’t receive any kind of a payoff).

* out of ****