This
is a film that's hard to take, but it's so good. Brad (Jay Gillespie), a
gay young man in rural America, is gay bashed and gang raped (off camera) and left without his pants
in a cornfield by a group of young locals. One of them, Andy (David Clayton
Rogers), did not actively participate, as we are left to understand. He returns
after the others have gone and tries to help Brad, who's injured and in shock.
What
unfolds after that is a stream of lies and confidences and of desire and
regrets. Filmed and acted in a theatrical manner, with the imaginative use of
split screen and excellent expressionistic performances by the two young
actors, it poses some questions that are difficult to answer with an easy
"yes" or "no": Is Andy as morally reprehensible as the rest
of the gay-bashers? Is it possible for Brad to accept any sign of solidarity
from Andy,even if it's genuine? Is the fact that closeted Andy gets to stay
behind in this hellhole of a town while Brad escapes forever, punishment
enough? Each of us have our own answers, or keep asking the questions in our
mind. See it (you can watch the whole film here) and share your thoughts in the
comments section.
Grade: 10/10
Here's the complete film:
I haven't watched the film yet but can comment on the question of culpability even if one is a spectator and not actively participating. The knee-jerk reaction is of course you're part of the problem if you watch and do nothing but if you consider all the factors involved, things may not be so black & white. Mob mentality is a real thing and easy to get caught up in even when the actions are reprehensible. I remember way back to my high school years when I was an insecure lad wanting to be accepted by the cool kids or the jocks. They often made fun of the effeminate boys and though I may not have actually hurled insults of my own, I would laugh and snicker along with the rest. I traded a piece of my soul for a few moments of acceptance. I was weak, I even knew I was being weak but I didn't have the balls to speak my truth. Now, in my elder statesman years, I'm much more confident and proud of who I am to the point of actually interfering if I see or hear someone verbally or physically attacking someone else because of their sexual identity. Therefore, I feel like it would be hypocritical of me to tut tut anyone for their cowardice or inaction. However, the gang rape is a huge problem for me. I know deep in my heart, despite being more of a coward in my youth, I simply could not have stood by and watch something so despicable happen without at least trying to stop it. I guess what I'm getting at is, there are degrees to everything and though I might be more understanding in some instances, it really depends on the nature and intensity involved. Of course, bigotry in ANY form is a bad thing but in some ways, I get what those who remain silent are going through. I hate that this is still a thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks RM, as always I loved your reply. I do mainly agree, there are degrees of culpability and even though ideally we should all stand up whenever we see an injustice, but there are factors such as mob mentality, or even plain old fear that may hinder one from interfering. Still, as you mention, not doing the right thing weighs on one's psyche every time. I'd be very interested to read your follow-up comment after you watch the film. Enjoy your Sunday!
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