DRUNKEN NOODLES

(director/writer: Lucio Castro; cinematographer: Barton Cortright; editor: Lucio Castro; music: Robert Lombardo, Yegang Yoo; cast: Laith Khalifeh (Adrian), Joel Isaac (Yariel), Ezriel Kornel  (Sal), Matthew Risch (Iggie), John Arthur Peetz (Cruising Man in Park), Guillermo Garcia Arriaza (Faun), Celine Costa (Gallery owner); Runtime: 81; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Julia Bloch, Jahhe Lee, Lucio Castro, Barton Cortright; Strand Releasing: 2025-USA/Argentina-in English and some Spanish)

“Highlights how much fun it’s to be gay.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
 
Argentinian queer filmmaker Lucio Castro (“After This Death”/”The End of the Century”) gives us a pleasing unconventional fantasy queer summer tale that highlights how much fun it’s to be gay. It takes place over two summers.

The college art student Adrian (Laith Khalifeh) gets into a number of self-discovery escapades when he sits-in for two summers in his uncle’s Brooklyn apartment when he’s gone and cat-sits. He encounters a food delivery cyclist Yariel (Joel Isaac), in upstate NY he meets the gallery artist doing embroidery art, Sal (Ezriel Kornel), and has a strained relationship with his boyfriend, Iggie (Matthew Risch). Adrian works as an intern at the local art gallery and cruises the local park at night, or goes online to the gay dating sites.

Each chapter features a love interest of Adrian’s.

The amusing non-linear film is aimed to please a gay audience, but is accessible to an open-minded mainstream audience.

It played at the Seattle International Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 6/30/2026  GRADE: B-
dennisschwartzreviews.com