It's the day before Christmas, the day before John's 21st birthday. He's a prostitute on Santa Monica Blvd in L.A., and he wants to spend that night and the next day at the posh Park Plaza Hotel. Meanwhile, Donner, a lad new to the streets, wants John to leave the city with him. John spends the day trying to figure out how to deal with Donner's friendship.
Acting
Arquette's jittery desperation, Haas's devastating stillness.
Cinematography
Hazy LA Christmas lights against grime—beauty in the gutter.
Writing
Dialogue that sounds improvised, lived-in, heartbreaking.
Director
Scott Silver
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was one of the first mainstream films to center gay male prostitutes without moralizing, released the same year as 'Trainspotting' and 'Breaking the Waves.'
Shot on actual Santa Monica Boulevard with real hustlers as extras—Silver had to stop filming when LAPD harassed the cast, blurring fiction and reality.
US
