Dennis Cooper's sordid and sexual writing looms heavily over this adaptation, which is reliant on voiceover to retain the tone of his work. Though arty, seedy, melancholy and ambitious, Frisk is strained more than anything else. At its darkest, it distinguishes itself as a cross-section of gay life rarely shown in narrative film. But self-seriousness wins out, keeping this from feeling credible in moments that should be engrossing for mere shock value like an S&M experience that turns deadly. Parker Posey is outstanding in a demented supporting role.
