The hallmark of a professional actor IMHO is to hide behind a mask. It is jarring if the mask slips, and the actor's true personality does not match the intended persona. This is chiefly what makes school and most amateur theatricals so trying.<br /><br />Metropolitan is witty, intelligently filmed and directed, pleasing to the eye, but the actors seem like high school amateurs - and like many high school plays, the male actors are unable to conceal their epicene nature - I don't have a problem with who they really are, I just want to have it concealed to ease my suspension of disbelief. As much as I liked this film, it seemed so stagey, the actors just did not convince me as they meaninglessly mouthed the director/author's acid epigrams.<br /><br />I will probably rent this again. And I will enjoy it again. But I will also mutter "So fake" as the puppets go through their paces.