Writer/directors Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping seem weirdly unaware that their well-received debut pic (an expansion of their 2021 short) is such a catch-all of (not-so) New Queer Cinema clichés in every character arc & story beat. Not badly handled, and very well cast, it feels like an unintentional period piece. 1980s? (R-rated today, perhaps an X back in the day.) With George MacKay as a heavily tattooed ‘Boy-O’ type, hanging with his gang of carousing macho bros, but secretly cruising on the ‘DL’ for a quick lay. Enter Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Black Drag Queen, between sets, out of ciggies and off to the corner store for a fresh pack, still in full drag. Calling out MacKay for first ogling and now threatening him, he’s beaten up and left on the street. Turns out the appeal is mutual, just submerged. But before too long, domination tropes between alpha male and omega mate start to get complicated. Dominate male grows feelings; Submissive male gets off on rough treatment. Tucked in the relationship are the best scenes in the film with Stewart-Jarrett acting as if he’s also going on the ‘DL,’ but in the opposite direction from the opposing team. The worst scenes involve Stewart-Jarrett’s roommates, a throwback to ‘Fag Hag’ tropes, here split between a gal roomie as confessor and a male roomie in an underhanded play to bust up the inconvenient new coupling.* Discouraging to see something this retro get so much attention.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: *Sure enough, a ‘90s novel titled FAG HAG, with the same plotline, was optioned if never filmed. A 1998 film called FAG HAG unrelated to the book.
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