Oh, Frank –
As Bob was writing, 2020 was not a completely shit year. Oh, it was bad. As in pandemic-striken, tinfoil-dictator, horrible-for-gay-rights bad. But, and it is a big 'but', we did get some good LGBTQ movies. Movies in which the protagonists didn't die of a terrible disease, or got killed by a bigot or ended up alone and sad. Movies that showed studios and even cable tv producers that Gay does not mean that nobody will watch.
Given that we were mostly confined to our homes (I have not been to a movie theater since late February) most of what has been shown has been streamed. This year we saw from Birds of Prey, with its bisexual Harley Queen, to The Prom, where Meryl Streep shows us why she's well, Meryl Streep. There were also The Boys in the Band, reminding us how some things stay the same and Happiest Season, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Ammonite told us love stories between women that left a mark. And those are only the ones I got to see. I know there's more.
On TV we got a whole bunch of holiday-themed and gay-centric movies (The Christmas House, Dashing in December, The Christmas Setup) telling stories of men in love during the holidays without the usual angst and looming disastrous ending they usually have. It was refreshing.
And we got Uncle Frank. A movie that I had been postponing because I was afraid it was going to be another tragic, angst-filled, southern-fried, sad gay story. It's set in the late sixties, for Pete's sake! And it seemed to have that coming-of-age-cum-road-trip air that sometimes spells tragedy in gay-centered movies. But after both Jimmy and Big recommended it, I gave in and sat down to watch it. It's on Amazon, though, so it may have a 'limited' reach.
And I'm glad I did. First, the art direction is super cool and the movie FEELS like the seventies. Then, the coming of age is not that of a young gay man, but a young straight woman, for a change. And third, even though there are some tropes and some trite moments, overall the movie is not weighed down by pathos and I was pleasantly surprised about how.. normal? it seemed to be.
Paul Bethany is the uncle Frank of the title and Peter Macdissi is the -foreign- boyfriend and they have awesome chemistry. They do go through some rough patches when Frank goes back south and the family discovers, that they are not just 'roommates'. Very predictable of the times -duh- and we also learn why Frank's dad was such a dick through some flashbacks. It can get heavy-handed.
The director is Adam Bell (True Blood, anybody?) and even though some people may find that the ending is way too easy after they give us those hard-boiled Southern characters and settings, I can understand why Bell decided to tell the story this way. To tell you the truth I was expecting tears. But I didn't get those. And I was happy.
So 2020 may have been a nightmare but it did have some bright spots, that's for sure. And I'm glad. Thanks for the recommendation, guys!!
XOXO
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You know you may force me to pop for Amazon Prime. I watched the trailer abs it looks like a very promising movie, and your review makes it even more enticing.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed a couple of the gay holiday movies. I look forward to more mainstream movies with positive LGBTQ+ characters making their way to the screen. We deserve to be portrayed positively on screen.
XOXO 👨❤️💋👨
Hahaha
DeleteMe? But bae, what did I do?
And I cannot wait until we have more representation. I'm not asking for a yearly Brokeback Mountain or Moonlight, but think Amazon and Netflix and Hulu should use their monopolies for good.
XOXO
2020 was not a completely shit year, also because your current POTUS has not been re-elected!
ReplyDeleteOtherwise it'd have been a tragedy
Oh, and he was close to being re-elected. It was only his abysmal performance both as president and as human being what prevented him from staying in power. This country is full of stupid, racist, soulless people.
DeleteXOXO
Had it not been for the pandemic that exposed his inadequacy, he would have been re-elected for a second time.
DeleteAnd it has freaking Margo Martindale in it???? She is one of my favorite actors!
ReplyDeleteShe takes things up a few notches, doesn't she?
DeleteShe does a great job, of course.
DeleteShe's one of those character actors who ALWAYS brings it.
XOXO
I liked it on many levels. I knew/know people from the backwoods like these people. It was very correct in reaction and toleration of his family.
ReplyDeleteNow, a non gay movie on Prime which is a must see is "The Ride". LOVED the story, and I think you would too, Six.
I almost forgot, LGBTQ Nation lists Uncle Frank as one of the top five LGBT movies of 2020. Also on the list, was the documentary "Welcome To Chechnya". That was an eye opener!
DeleteI did see the latter Jimmy. That was an eye opener.
DeleteWell, it seems Adam Bell does know his South. It's scary how so many things have not changed there. Some people thought the movie was too ham fisted, but I thought it was probably pretty accurate. They kind of accept him, but still think he's going to hell.
DeleteAnd I watched Welcome to Chechnya. Heartbreaking.
XOXO
For the country, 202 was hell, for the Gays? Little rays of sunshine came sparkling through.
ReplyDeleteYes, there were some little things here and there that made 2020 less of a shitshow.
DeleteXOXO
I'm glad you enjoyed. An Alan Ball flick, how could it be bad? Plus, I'm with Bob: Add Margo and it jumps a few notches.
ReplyDeleteAnd, now we have a Ritz cracker commercial with gays??? Talk about hitting the mainstream. As a nation, we may actually be growing up. Well, 81,000,000 of us are, anyway. XOXO
Yes, it was actually pretty good. And the supporting cast is of course great.
DeleteWe have all kinds of commercials with The Gays. Starbucks, websites, insurance... One million moms are always busy.
And I think America has a LOT of space to grow. Remember how many still voted for IMPOTUS...
XOXO
I hear ya on the Cheeto Voters....I thought I'd concentrate on the more positive half of the country. XOXO
DeleteYay for positivity!
DeleteIt boggles the mind. Really. The cult-like behavior. I have never trusted stupid people in large groups TBH...
XOXO
Thanks for that tip!!!!!!! How many times do you hear that?? I followed up with Giovanni s Room, and they can get me the DVD...because you know how stubborn I am about Amazon. Since prides will most likely be a wash this year...i plan on just viewing all gay movies I haven't seen.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha not that often, trust me.
DeleteAnd I think you'll like it. And I feel you with Amazon. I only watch when I can bum it off someone. Bezos has enough money already.
And that's a great idea! A gay-movie-filled Pride!
XOXO
I better check if my free trial of Amazon Prime is over . . . . I'd like to see this movie! It looks like Paul Bethany gives an awesome performance. He is an under-rated actor.
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteHahah I should have suggested bae to do that.
Paul Bethany is super good here. There is a scene with a cigarette that had me hypnotized. Remember him in The DaVinci Code? He should do more movies.
XOXO
I’ll have to look into the free trial. Thanks for the tip!
DeleteWatched Prom. Bah. Bad music. It all sounded derivative and the same. Too much 'Glee' and not enough musical theatre. The leads were all fine, though I thought Nicole was under utilized. It was pretty... maybe too much so. Maybe Ryan has jumped his shark? I dunno. It left me wanting... something else. :) Meryl sounded great. Electronics are a marvelous thing. I think Ryan's world is a little too white-washed for my world. Fake is fun, but that is all he seems capable of . All of his stuff is blending together into one big star f*ck. I tried to watch The Politician and made it until the kid went to New York... the minute he's singing Billy Joel in a bar with all these scrubbed clean kids cheering him on I was like... Ugh. Need me some reality. Do bad rom-coms count? Kizzes.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHA
DeleteLove it. I thought it was fun, but you know I know nothing about music theater. I think that Ryan digests these things for the public at large and they sometimes come across as a little too Glee for people's tastes.
I do agree that Nicole was under used as the chorus girl with the Fosse heart.
And I will have to agree that Ryan's world is a tad too white. He kind of made up for that in Hollywood, and it was a good start.
I have only watched the first episode of The Politician. And bad rom-coms are my go-to when I'm bored!!!
XOXO