Finally, FINALLY, I found a good gay movie!
The name of the movie is "Bros" and I saw it last night on my Netflix DVD rental.
Oh, not that there hasn't been some excellent gay themed movies ("Brokeback Mountain", "Boys In The Band") but they all ended badly. Spoiler alert!
This one doesn't end badly. The gay characters don't kill themselves or get killed in the end. How refreshing! Even more refreshing this is actually a well written and well acted movie about gays.
Believe it or not straight folks, most gays aren't like the folks you've seen in "Will and Grace" episodes. "Jack" isn't your typical gay guy although he is funny (at times, his Cher impression is fantastic). But so often gay themed movies are played by straight actors. What's up with that? Are there no gay actors? Well we KNOW the answer to that question. Of course there are many gay actors, many still in the closet but the way our culture is now is that if an actor is gay most of the movie going public will not accept him (or her) in a straight role. Sad but true. The brutal truth, homophobia still reigns in the land.
Back to this movie. It has been SO LONG since I've laughed out loud at a scene in a movie and believe me folks, there are plenty of scenes in this movie to get you laughing. And for my gay followers, this is one of those rare movies that UNDERSTANDS US. You know what I mean. It's obvious it was written by gays and acted by gays. Here's a fact for my straight friends, nobody can laugh more at our (gay) foibles than gays ourselves. And this movie GETS it!
There are also some sweet tender moments in this movie as there should be in any ROM-COM movie.
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| Me (tall, slim guy far right with head turned) in Provincetown with my friends Gino and Bob circa 1979 - those were the days! |
Another thing I liked about this movie is when they went to my favorite gay resort Provincetown, Mass. I was prepared to see scenes Toronto Canada. I remember how disappointed I was when I first saw that long ago "breakthrough" gay TV series "Queer As Folk". It was supposed to take place in Pittsburgh, PA, a city where I came out in the winter of 1963. Pittsburgh's downtown of Grant Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Forbes Avenue isn't big. I worked at the Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel right on the Golden Triangle in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. Try to imagine my immense disappointment when I couldn't recognize even one street scene of "Pittsburgh" in "Queer As Folk". I did some checking and sure enough, the series was filmed in, wait for it, TORONTO, CANADA! Thus it was with great pleasure when the story of "Bros" shifted to Provincetown, they actually filmed there! Downtown Provincetown isn't that big either and I actually recognized every scene, including the place where I used to stay in the summer of the Fabulous Seventies.
And one more thing I liked about this movie that didn't insult my intelligence like most movies and almost all of the lame gay movies I've seen over the years, was the sex scenes weren't gross. No swapping spit, sweaty limbs, grunts and groans. The only nipples you're going to see in this movie are men's nipples and after all folks, especially my gay friends, wasn't that our little secret all these years that the media never hid men's nipples? They don't in this movie either but they manage all the intimate scenes tastefully.
And of course there is an overall message in this movie. BE YOURSELF! Some may like you, some may not. SO WHAT! Just be yourself and who knows, you may find someone you likes you just as you are even if you aren't the mythical "California Blonde Swimmer", a fact which I never understood. The California Blonde Swimmer type never did anything for me. Troy Donahue? What was THAT all about? Rock Hudson didn't even turn me on and that was before he came out. Sure, he was very handsome. I saw that. Just like I could look at a beautiful woman but to arouse my hormones? Never worked. I like to get to know the guy I'm with. Of course looks comes into it but the personalty is Number One. I have to click with that personality. Lucky for me I found someone after all these years. We click.
After seeing a movie like this I've often thought my life could be made into a movie. Of course it would fail at the box office like this movie did. Yes, this movie failed at the box office even though is was rated in the 90% category by both critics and the audience who saw it. Let's face it folks. Not every movie can be about car chases and violence for thirteen year old boys. I find those movie very boring. Pat likes them though. I much prefer "Downton Abbey". Pat doesn't like "Downtown Abbey". He says it's boring "looking for Lady Mary's teapot." I get it Pat.
So if you want a good old fashion ROM-COM movie with genuine laughs and a few tender moments and a worthwhile message and an intelligent script and well acted, this movie is for you. Granted there are no "bankable" stars in this movie but I think you'll find the all the characters likable and most of all believable.
Enjoy!
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| Me in Provincetown 1979 |
