Come Out, Come Out.
Whereveah You Are!
by Tallulah Givehead
Sweet
l'il
Elmo hayuz inspired me to review a few films
about coming out. Yes. Ah know, it's late and Ah
should hayuv done this on the 11th ... but Ta hayuz
been so busy.
Today Ah will start with a cute movie
"Edge of Seventeen." Called "The wisest, most
thoughtful American film about queer youth to come
along in ages..." bah the LA Weekly
"Edge of Seventeen." is as much a travelogue of
early eighties life as it is about lead character,
Eric's (played with deadpan earnestness by
Chris Stafford - Who hayuz not been in the
acting scene since 2002) coming out.
Takes a summer job serving food at the local
amusement park. He shares his work duties with best
friend/sort of girlfriend Maggie (Tina
Holmes) and openly gay Rod (Andersen
Gabrych - a gay actor's dream come true.). They
flirt (all three) throughout the summer leading to a
climactic party when Maggie and Eric are drunkenly
making out on the sofa while Rod opens Eric's zipper
and fools around. All the while this is happening
Angie (the amazing
Lea DeLaria), their supervisor at the amusement
park looks on. She's a total dyke and leads Eric by
the hand through the local gay spots.
Eric comes out to his mom in a tear-filled, very
real scene and is rejected by the lovelorn Maggie.
Several hot bedroom scenes, lots of kissing and some
beautiful boys later Eric is a confirmed fag. The
cruel Rod is out to get his rocks off and plays with
Eric's puppy love. The whore! The style and music of
the 80's are crucial to the film. As Eric comes out
he becomes more and more eccentric in his dressing
and grooming habits. Although the film is a
low-budget affair, it's a winner because the
emotions are real and raw, the film speaks truths,
it doesn't preach and it's a totally entertaining.
Tallulah Givehead is
a Fabulous drag queen living in Portland, Oregon
(Lord only knows why!) writing reviews of gay film
by day and tearing up the stage by night. You
can read her reviews here as well as at her blog,
QUEER VUE MIRROR.
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