Greek Pete

This is a curious but very well made film. The protagonist Pete is a very likeable fella, a modern day Robin Hood, good hearted and handsome too. Actually he has a haunting effect on the viewer. The Direction is first class as is the photography. Its a slice of life of the London underworld or gay escort life so come to think of it why is it called 'underworld', its just how it is, frank and explicit in parts and very sad in others. It has a flimsy story line, who cares, and the beauty of it is that most of it is adlibbed, so its very spontaneous in feeling. You cant help but love Pete, he is part artful dodger and part lovable father of this tribe of friends. I enjoyed it immensely and so will you, if this is your interest level, and its at an artfully crafted level too, its very truthful. This guy has to work, within London's sex industry, very hard in a city that knows no pity and is way too stressful, overpriced and challenging for young handsome youth.. Its charming, sweet, pitiful and poignant at the same time. I enjoyed it immensely.

Oh dear, another ugly verite kind of film with strung-out hustler boys sitting around smoking. OK, so I tried to watch it, really I did, but I couldn't understand their babbling in the first part. In the second part I could, and that was worse. Couldn't finish it. Wish I could have my evening back.

Pete Pittaros has both charm and aplomb, not to mention an unusually sane attitude toward being a sex worker, including some notion of the career limitations of his job. Unfortunately, this film has failed to find a cohesive point to make. Cut to about a third its present length, there might be an interesting short feature here. Alternatively, a real narrative arch (and supporting actors willing to subordinate their stories to Greek Pete's) might make it worth expanding this picture. But I doubt it. It's amazing that Pete can service all his clients and still find the odd moments for romantic connections with his cocaine-sodden buddies; still, it's hard to guess what he sees in them beyond their having somewhat better dancing skills than he does. It would be a shame to miss his oft-repeated devotion to finding a suitable house to nest in. But once you see that, feel free to "fast-forward" through most of his scattered conversations with a loose pack of hustlers, mostly indistinguishable from one another.

Good movie, but a bit prudish.

Reality show, which tries to make you think it is real but you know it is made up. If you like reality shows then you will like this, Pete is likable and his pals are enjoying the taping so for this kind of film it is OK. I could not follow it though, I do not like this kind of video as I find them hard to concentrate on. Also, in this one, the Cockney accents were way to thick for me to understand everything they were saying. Not to mention, the "flashings" were covered up (like trying to protect the innocent or something) so you couldn't really tell if anything was happening or not. I barely got past the first 15 minutes, but that is just me. It seems well filmed and was not jittery and the acting seemed real so if you like this sort of movie you will enjoy this one.

This is an amazing movie. Once you realize the provenance of this movie, it goes from being a jewel to a real gem. I watched it thinking it was a documentary, experiencing guilty thinking at how exploitative it was, but enjoying it as a voyeur (it’s like a car crash you can't take your eyes off). I felt genuinely sorry for the hustlers - they are young, probable drug addicts and exploited financially and sexually by older clients. I was watching chickens going to their own barbeques. But simultaneously I was mesmerized at Greek Pete's objectivity to being a hustler. He wants to succeed, make money, buy a big house – he even tells his mother how good he is, wanting her to be proud of him, and then says maybe his father would find what he does funny. Its bizarre. And there is a lot more …. Then you see the ending credits, and hey - is this a documentary or a movie made to look like a documentary? It's Andrew Haight's first movie. He directed “Weekend” (a great gay movie) and co-created, co-produced and directed the HBO TV series “Looking”. This movie shows Haight’s first directorial steps into brilliant film making.

Simply a waste of time. Movie meanders with no predictable path.

I'm just going to state right off the bat that this version on Amazon Prime is edited. Therefore, having said that, in my opinion, the film could have been a lot better if they would have left in the sections that they censored out. After watching it on here, I found the sections that are censored out elsewhere on line. Some reviews have said that Greek Pete is a crossing of documentary and fiction. I'd say that would probably be true had they left in the censored material. As it is on Amazon, it's a documentary. There's nothing in this film that's new. Nothing that I haven't seen or heard before, nothing shocking. Greek Pete doesn't seem like he wants out of his life, or that he's ashamed or burdened by being what he is or what he does for a living. He is what he is. It is what it is. The end.

Offen gesagt habe ich in diesem Film nichts dokumentarische gefunden. Eher eine seichte Geschichte die vielleicht mal annähernd passiert sein könnte. Neben der schlechten Bildqualität kommen schlecht gemachte Kameraeinstellungen. Es ist ein komplett leienhafter Film. Selbst die "erotischen" Szenen sind plump und einfach gemacht, kein Stiel und Flair. Die Darsteller zeigen keine Ausdrucksweise und selbst wenn es gewollt ist, so erscheint der gesammte Streifen unprofesionell um nicht zu sagen dilettantisch gemacht. Hinzu kommt das Drogen bei Escorts sicher keine Seltenheit sind, jedoch mit soviel Freude konsumiert wird das wohl in der Realität auch nicht!

Described as a `docu-drama', using real escorts and improvisation, this could have been recipe for disaster. However, what unfolds is a simple story of people struggling to get on with their lives in extraordinary circumstances. Pete is an engaging and honest lead, with a puppy-like enthusiasm for whatever is thrown at him. We're quickly drawn into his and his friends' world, which is shown warts and all, yet without resorting to voyeuristic titillation. The boys' search for love, security and ultimately acceptance through the fug of their chaotic lives is presented in an even-handed way, leaving the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Filmed with a hypnotic beauty that belies the subject matter, this is a film to lose yourself in. Ultimately I came away with a sense that these boys are neither to be pitied nor admired, but must simply be seen to be making the best of what they have, and I think that's something we can all identify with.

Must say I was a bit disappointed. Know just as much about "escort-life" now, as I did before.... A bunch of youngsters talking a lot, without saying much ! But 3 stars for a charming Pete !!!

Mi aspettavo sinceramente molto di più leggendo le recensioni avute in UK. La storia di un escort gay abbastanza anonima e che di certo non racconta nulla di particolare se non evidenziarne lo squallore. Girato i presa diretta e con attori non professionisti, scene al limite del porno... Insomma noia mortale.

Auf diesen Film des britischen Regisseurs, Produzenten und Drehbuchautors Andrew Haigh bin ich durch seine umwerfende TV-Serie LOOKING und den nicht weniger großartigen Spielfilm WEEKEND aufmerksam geworden. GREEK PETE ist sein erster Film - ein Dokumentarfilm über einen Callboy mit einigen relativ freizügigen Szenen. Das Leben eines Sex-Workers mit ganz bürgerlichen Zielen und Träumen - eher depremierend und ein bißchen langatmig. Kein Vergleich zu den beiden oben genannten Arbeiten des Briten.