★ 6 / 10
I think Roland Emmerich’s mistake here was tying
CinemaSerf
I think Roland Emmerich’s mistake here was tying this story so specifically to Stonewall. Had he just left it as an Armistead Maupin, “Tales of the City”, type…
I think Roland Emmerich’s mistake here was tying this story so specifically to Stonewall. Had he just left it as an Armistead Maupin, “Tales of the City”, type of structured drama then it might have worked more convincingly. It centres around “Danny” (Jeremy Irvine) who has been ostracised by his rural community and his own family after he was caught fooling round with his pal “Joe” (Karl Glusman) by two of their friends who wasted no time in sharing their discovery amongst their schoolmates. Evicted, he moves to New York City with little more than a suitcase and makes for the Stonewall Inn. Once there, he encounters a potpourri of characters who welcome him, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, and where “Ray” (Jonny Beauchamp) tries to help him get out from under his cardboard bedding and perhaps begin the process of fitting in/coming out. What now ensues is quite a messy drama that tries to be all things to all people, and to define a fairly volatile time in American history, but really ends up paying lip service to an whole gamut of stereotypes. The thing about stereotypes, though, is that they do usually have their roots in some element of truth and so some of the intolerance and bigotry on display here rings just as true as stories of police brutality - which was applied fairly indiscriminately, and of the venal attitude of organised crime. I’ve never been a fan of the concept of the LGBTQ etc. community as it often just ends up being some sort of anti-straight alliance that insists on trying to create a sense of community from a collection of individuals whose only common feature is not conforming to heterosexual norms, and I thought this did go some way to remind us that just because you are white and wholesome doesn’t mean you have any easier a ride than someone of colour, perceived to be from the wrong side of the tracks. The fact that “Danny” is a butter-wouldn’t-melt type, who is not lacking in courage, is a story worth telling in it’s own right. Homophobia isn’t an American thing - just read Quentin Crisp or Oscar Wilde, nor does it care about the colour of your skin, and as the film builds to what I thought was a reasonably historically accurate denouement, I felt it did take a topic that was still borderline taboo ten years ago and present the absurdity of discrimination and the frustrations and iniquities faced by those discriminated against into a mainstream that allowed people without any personal skin in this game to watch and evaluate for themselves. It’s not great, far from it, but even though he was given a very restricted role to play, I felt Irvine did well in taking this to new eyes and ears, and to be honest the die-hard queers and trans lobby were probably never going to appreciate this, anyway.
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★ 4 / 10
Unworthy
ferguson-6
Greetings again from the darkness. Dramatized versions of real life events are always a bit tricky, and hindsight often proves it's best left to the…
Greetings again from the darkness. Dramatized versions of real life events are always a bit tricky, and hindsight often proves it's best left to the documentary format. However, sometimes, a dramatized version helps us more easily relate to, and empathize with, those who were involved. That seems to be the approach taken by director Roland Emmerich in his re-telling of events so important to him and the LGBT movement
the Stonewall Riots of 1969.The Stonewall Riots of June 1969 are often cited as the beginning of the Gay Liberation movement. Of course, there had been many previous clashes between gays and police, as discrimination was so extreme that these folks were labeled as mentally ill, and it was actually unlawful for gays to be hired for many jobs. On the streets of many big cities there existed a melting pot of minorities and the LGBT community. Many were young and homeless, and did whatever necessary to survive. So how best to tell this story? Director Emmerich and writer Jon Robin Baitz put blonde, white, Midwestern, pretty boy Danny (Jeremy Irvine, War Horse) front and center. How insulting to those involved.To his credit, Emmerich does cast actors of various races to many roles, and he does seem to treat this as a sincere tribute or homage to those street kids who finally pushed back. Unfortunately, it's these characters that seem to be the drag on the story. Despite such names as Queen Cong, Little Orphan Annie, Quiet Paul, and the inclusion of real life activists as Marsha P Johnson (Otoja Abit), Bob Kohler (Patrick Garrow)
and other key players like Ed Murphy (Ron Perlman) and Deputy Seymour Pine (Matt Craven)
the film comes off more like a staged musical sans music. The closest thing to a real character is Ray, played with aplomb by Jonny Beauchamp ("Penny Dreadful").Having the Columbia University-bound pretty white boy as the focus might make it easier for mainstream audiences to connect, but it skims over the real struggles going on at the time. We see Danny at home with his worried mother, observant little sister (Joey King), and macho football coach/father (David Gubitt). Everyone is uncomfortable over what is not being said, and the breaking point occurs when a tryst with the star quarterback becomes public knowledge. Just like that, Danny is booted from home (Indiana, not Kansas) and lands on the streets of New York. The comparisons to Dorothy (gay icon Judy Garland) and the Land of Oz are obvious, and repeated numerous times for those a bit slow on the take.Christopher Street and the Stonewall Inn are the main settings. The mob involvement is noted, as is the desperation of the community, the use of flop houses, and the long-standing "quiet" demonstrations. Even the practice of gays trying to "fit in" to society – to prove they belong – by wearing suits and acting "normal" is addressed. The riots are reduced to a single evening in the movie, and of course, the pretty white boy gets to toss the first brick. As a 'roots of the movement' film, it's hard to believe this film won't create more anger and frustration than thanks and awareness. Fortunately, there are many exceptional books and yes, documentaries that provide a better perspective on the events that occurred more than 45 years ago. We do see the first Gay Liberation Parade held the following year in honor of the riots – a tradition that continues today. The closing credit sequence catches us up on the key activists, and even provides a startling statistic: 40% of today's homeless youth are LGBT.
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9%
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