New BBM review

[stevme]

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/entertainment/default.asp?ArID=119480&AC=True

[Aussie Chris]

Hey, cool review, I enjoyed reading that.  Thanks stevme!

[j.U.d.E.]

Yes, thank you. Liked it too.

I like the sentence: "..it's funny how the most controversial thing about the film is how uncontroversial it is."

But for some reason I don't like it when they keep saying something along the lines of: BBM is a universal love story. It just happens to be two men. For some reason the 'it just happens to be', annoys me.

I like the 'every once in a while'.. 


~ j U d E

[newyearsday]

I agree Jude. It's a way to dismiss or diminish the important, undeniably crucial factor of their being a gay couple, because it still brings up all the discomfort and denial that people have about same-sex eroticism and love. So they dismiss it with the "it just so happens to be" comments. At the same time, if that makes more people watch it, and then come to change their minds about what it means to be gay, then so be it. The definitive article/review about that is of course, the NY Review of Books one by (I think?) David Mendelsohn, "An Affair to Remember." Correct me if I am wrong, someone.

[TJ]

I appreciate the link to the article. Thanks

With Jay Leno's gay-cowboy gags safely behind us, it's finally possible to take a clear look at one of last year's most controversial movies.

Oh, I seriously doubt that about Jay Leno stupid jokes, aka "gags"; because both he and David Letterman are still telling the same hateful jokes about what former US President Bill Clinton did more than 6 years ago in the Oval Office.

When other politicians still in office do something similar to what Clinton actually did in the privacy of his own residence (the Oval Office is the President's home office), the stand-up comedians and/or talk show hosts mentiion Bill Clinton when they make fun of the other politicians.

In the strictest narrowest definition of the love relationship with two men and how they feel about themselves when not together, it is not a gay love relationship. Homosexuals who are in denial of their sexual orientation are not happy about it and they are definitely NOT gay!

[RouxB]

I don't have that same issue with the "It just happens to be two men"-but I'm not a gay man.
In my head what I hear is there is nothing wrong or weird or abnormal about two men being in love-in a sense it "normalizes' the relationship. I interpret the comment to mean "get over it-men fall in love with men and women fall in love with women all the time and heterosexuality is just one way to move through the world.

None of this, however, is meant to minimalize or trivialize the oppression of gay/lesbian peoples in our society or that message as delivered in the movie.

I could be wrong-it has happened before!

 

[Aussie Chris]

None of this, however, is meant to minimalize or trivialize the oppression of gay/lesbian peoples in our society or that message as delivered in the movie.

I could be wrong-it has happened before!

I don't think you're wrong Ruby.  The problem with the statement is that it tends to "down-play" the gay content in the hope that the straight world will see something they can relate to and want to go see it.  I don't think it's done to cast aspersions on the gay theme itself, it's more for those that are not gay.  It's a double-edged sword though.  To down-play the gay premise of a film can be taken too far and unsuspecting people can be taken off guard.  I don't know how many times I've read the back of a cover of a video with a gay theme and the word "gay" is never mentioned.  You see things like "special relationship" or "strong bond" and you have to read between the lines or at least already know there is a gay theme.  Even the back of my copy of Close Range says "...but suddenly companionship becomes something else on Brokeback Mountain: something not looked for, something deadly..." - I mean really, this could be rustlers for all we know!

[Lynne]

But for some reason I don't like it when they keep saying something along the lines of: BBM is a universal love story. It just happens to be two men. For some reason the 'it just happens to be', annoys me.
~ j U d E

I think I'm with you on this, Jude...I did think this was a decent review, but the 'just happens to be' also riles me.

It reminds me of our poll about our 'least favorite criticism' where I chose "It's only a big deal because it's about gay guys."  To be fair, pretty much all of the typical criticisms annoy me, but this one bugs me the most.

I'm sure part of my irritation stems from feeling like the gay relationship is being trivialized.  Both Ruby and Chris have described that well in earlier posts.  The powers-that-be seem to think that the basic premise has to be soft-pedaled to minimize offense and maximize appeal to the masses (read: profit).  I can almost see the focus groups and marketing spin-doctors at work.

But my objection is also from a purist, literary perspective.  You might as well say that the central conflict of the work is of no importance.  And because conflict is central to drama, etc...everything other single part of BBM that is so perfectly crafted is trivialized by association.  Then the movie becomes unworthy of our energy.  So, I guess I think that this reviewer put forth a noble effort but is still missing the big picture.

-Lynne