So it had to happen. Not the movie, me weighing in on the subject. I suspect I’ll have occasion to way in more after I’ve actually seen the movie. At the present point, I’ve just read the story and seen the preview. Bear that in mind.
First off, I think it’s horribly named. I haven’t been able to look at a poster, or read the title, without seeing the word “bareback” once. It still flies out of my mouth from time to time, which I’m really not in favor of. One big thumbs down there.
But more seriously folks.
I have a friend who noted that, it wasn’t so long ago, that “gay” themed art/literature was criticized for not expressing universal themes, which of course is a display of utter homophobia. I mean really, love stories are love stories, right?
Now, all anyone can say about Brokeback is that it expresses universal themes. Which on the simplest level I think, displays reviewer’s good intentions while safely avoiding engaging with the content of the movie. I would submit that very few movies deal with universal themes: Brokeback Mountain, Bridget Jones' Diary, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, Erin Brockovich, and Ladies in Lavender, don’t deal with universal issues. They’re still good, though. What about Far From Heaven, I mean it’s depressing but the guy comes clean and goes to live with his lover, and that wasn’t
I mean, really, actual gay cowboys,
I guess I’m just holding out for the day that an urban gay romantic comedy called about high powered executives leading double lives called: “Teamroom Traders,” to be praised as having “universal themes.”
Having said that, the story didn’t thrill me. It was a delightful short story. If it were any longer, I probably wouldn’t have read it, but it sort of felt like she was writing a novel and got slapped with a word limit. But it worked, so there’s that.
I was sort of pissed off that she/they needed to resort to death to catalyze the story. Queerness isn’t tragic, we know that. So why are all the “great” queer love stories, tragic? Blame it on Romeo and Juliet if you must, but that’s a cop out, As You Like It and All’s Well that Ends Well were perfectly good plays and not all tripe like. If Strong women can be portrayed outside of the Hedda Gabbler/Emma Bovary/Edna Pontellier archetype, then queer love can be portrayed outside of the death drive. Just saying.
Maybe I’ll have more to say after I’ve actually seen it.