The Rainbow Bridge Motel tracks the budding nuptials of Dean & Darren, an Arizona couple, heading off to their dream wedding in Niagara Falls at the Rainbow Bridge Motel, the self-proclaimed, “#1 Gay Wedding Destination.” The Boys are shocked to discover they have booked themselves in a run-down, motor lodge sandwiched between two chemical plants run by some crazy guy named Shibbawitz and a Burmese refugee family that helps him.

“And that’s just the beginning!” said Scott Rubin writer, co-director & the actor who plays Shibbawitz. “There’s still the huge challenges of this same-sex wedding — uncertain wedding protocols, disapproving relatives, religious barriers, secret lives resurfacing – combined with the catastrophic venue, you have a horror movie – we chose a comedy!” 

SNAPSHOT REVIEW

Twenty minutes into this film I thought, oh no, another “gay movie” that’s going nowhere. Well, the remainder of the movie proved me so wrong. This is a hilarious romp with so many recurring characters, that’s they are hard to keep track of. While Dean and Darren are the main characters, it’s the others that make this movie memorable. While the movie is shot in Niagara Falls (USA), there are several references to Canada, with even one of the grooms being Canadian. The comedic mishaps are non-stop from the boys’ initial arrival into a seedy motel that the owners decided they wanted to capture some of the same-sex marriage market. The themed rooms are stereotypically funny, and the motel staff offers enough chuckles to have their own spin-off. The updating of the outdoors motel vacancy sign to reflect all letters of the LGBT alphabet is something to watch for as well. However, the most hilarious part of the film is when Fran, Darren’s religiously challenged, unsupportive mother, Fran arrives on the scene. Mel Gorham offers up the most outstanding, comical performance I’ve seen in a long time. Honestly, this is LOL material. Overall, this turned out to be quite a surprise, and I’m definitely looking forward to more from Scott Rubin and his team of misfits!

Chris Modrzynski and Cole Burden
The Rainbow Bridge Motel had its World Premiere at the Buffalo International Film Festival (BIFF) on October 7, where it played to an enthusiastic audience and won the 2018 Best WNY Feature Film Award.
 
Wilson Heredia
 The offbeat, indie comedy stars beloved, Wilson Heredia – Tony Award Winner for Best Actor in Rent, Diane Gaidry – star of the iconic, lesbian indie, Loving Annabelle, and famed Real World star Ruthie Alcaide – one of the very first women ever to publicly come-out while on television.
 
 Diane Gaidry
 There are numerous memorable comic performances, including Hollywood veteran & 90’s Miramax Films’ fixture, Mel Gorham, who delivers a brilliant portrayal of Fran, Darren’s religiously challenged, unsupportive Mom. “It’s a role of a lifetime! Career changing!” said Gorham of playing Fran. By far, the best performance of the whole film!
 
 Mel Gorham
 Starring as the couple on their wedding mis-adventures are newcomers: Cole Burden (Beautiful Creatures), and Chris Modrzynski (One Life to Live). Break-out star, Scott Rubin (National Lampoon’s longest serving Editor in Chief) stars as the clueless, in-over-his-head motel manager. “We wanted to do a movie that blurred the lines between Gay & Straight entertainment, a film that both worlds could find funny and bring us closer together. I think we achieved our goal,” said Alcaide, who plays a transitioning newlywed at the seedy motel.
Ruthie Alcaide as “Russell”
Shot on location in Niagara Falls, The Rainbow Bridge Motel is the first film to ever shoot on the iconic Rainbow Bridge. “You could live your whole life without ever being a part of something special, for us we knew from the start that this was special, even bigger than us and now we get to share that magic with audiences everywhere,” said the film’s co-director, J. Garrett Vorreuter.

THE RAINBOW BRIDGE MOTEL is available from Gravitas Ventures on DigitalHD and DVD, and is also available on iTunes.

 

 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.