The Pandemic Soul

Newsweek has a great article (I read it in print, but you cheapos can read it here) about the movie I keep talking about — Brokeback Mountain. Long-and-short: movie about two gay cowboys who fall in love. Based on a short story which I haven’t read, but I hear it ends tragically. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger.

Anyway, the Newsweek article praises Ang Lee’s work, but questions whether or not middle-America is going to go see it. I question that myself… very much. I don’t even know if it’s going to show here in Little Rock on opening day at all, although I know it’s going to open at the local indie-type theater in February. But even if it did, could I really imagine all that many guys walking into a theater with this subject matter? Yeesh, no.

The Newsweek article says the target audience for the movie is women, and I assume they think that these women are going to draw their metrosexual male friends to see it with them while they cry about the fact that they once were in love with this totally hot guy who turned out to be gay and… (etc.) The gay audience is certainly not big enough, or motivated enough to carry the movie. The article does say, however, that they have secured international distribution for the movie, which they are saying means that they’ve already broken even.

But I do hope that however, whenever, this movie opens that people DO drag their uncomfortable spouses, fiances, boyfriends, and just-plain-friends to see it. Because, listen: I don’t care if you’re a Republican (Lindsey, I’m talking to you!) or a Democrat (Riffle!), the fact of the matter is this is groundbreaking cinema. This is a movie that is dealing with blue-and-red American stereotypes, and it’s turning them on their head. Not only that, it’s being promoted by some respectable marketing money. You need to be there when the first movie that really means anything in gay cinema. I mean, my god people! We’re talking about two teeny-bopper hearthrobs actually MAKING OUT on screen! We don’t even get to see Will peck his boyfriends on TV, and he’s like twice Ledger’s age!

I’m not saying this is going to change the world, but it’s going to shake up some assumptions. If this movie makes money, it will show that all those that have come before it and failed (Alexander!) were just the product of poor writing. If this movie makes money, it will prove to me that America isn’t as closed-minded as I think we are.

And damnit, everyone needs to go see this film because if you don’t I will hate you forever and leave shit-bombs on your front porch!