''eCupid'' is a 2011 American

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film directed by J. C. Calciano and starring Houston Rhines, Noah Schuffman and

Morgan Fairchild Morgan Fairchild (born Patsy Ann McClenny; February 3, 1950) is an American actress. She began acting in the early 1970s and has had roles in several television series since. Fairchild began her career on the CBS daytime soap opera ''Search for T ...

. The title is a

portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordseHarmony Eharmony (styled eHarmony) is an online dating website launched in 2000. eHarmony is based in Los Angeles, California, and owned by Nucom ecommerce, a joint venture of German mass media company ProSiebenSat.1 Media and American private equity ...

and

OkCupid OkCupid (often abbreviated as OKC, but officially OkC) is a U.S.-based, internationally operating online dating, friendship, and formerly also a social networking website and application. It features multiple-choice questions to match members. ...

. The film found success at a variety of notable gay & lesbian film festivals including The 29th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, The San Francisco Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (Frameline) and Newfest.

Plot

Marshall Thomas (Houston Rhines), an advertising designer, and his partner of seven years, cafe owner Gabe Horton (Noah Schuffman), who live in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, are in a rut. Gabe seems too busy for intimacy and Marshall is feeling the pressure of a frustrating dead-end job. Marshall discovers a

smart phone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, which ...

application called eCupid and agrees to install it without reading the terms of agreement (despite multiple warnings.) The application (voiced by

) proceeds to take over Marshall's phone and computer, and by proxy his life. Gabe finds out and the two split. eCupid begins arranging various encounters and situations designed to help Marshall find the things he thinks he wants: the recapturing of his youth via fun, romance and freedom.

Cast

* Houston Rhines as Marshall Thomas * Noah Schuffman as Gabriel "Gabe" Horton *

as Venus * Mike C. Manning as Myles * John Callahan as Mr. Hutchington *Galen Drever as Dawson * Matthew Scott Lewis as Keith *Brad Pennington as Richard *Gary Riotto as Carson * Chris Rubeiz as Jimmy *Andy Anderson as Chris 1 *Joe Komara as Chris 2 *George Gray as TV Announcer *Matthew Gittelson as Customer *Peter A. O'Riordan as Go Go dancer *Scott Pretty as Party Goer (uncredited)

Reception

Critical response

Robert Koehler Robert Koehler (November 28, 1850 – April 23, 1917) was a German-born Painting, painter and art teacher who spent most of his career in the United States. Biography Koehler was born in Hamburg; his family spelled their name Köhler until ...

of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' gave the film a mixed review, noting that it would "find an edge in niche markets" but that it featured "uninspired writing (and) acting".

References

Citations

Sources

* * *

External links

* *
2011 Los Angeles Gay & Lebian Film Festival

Newfest
2011 independent films 2011 LGBT-related films 2011 romantic comedy films 2011 films American independent films American LGBT-related films American romantic comedy films Films shot in Los Angeles Gay-related films LGBT-related romantic comedy films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films {{2010s-romantic-comedy-film-stub