Video Blogs
TV Shows:
Find Articles On:
Who's onlineThere are currently 24 members and 826 guests online.
|
At The Movies: Surprise! I’m Gay!Mamma Mia! (2008)
What’s the story: Bride-to-be Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), raised by her mother Donna (Meryl Streep), has always wondered about the identity of her father. Finding a trio of likely candidates in Donna’s old diaries, Sophie invites all three men to her wedding, thinking that she’ll immediately know upon meeting them which one is her daddy. But things don’t run quite so smoothly in this ABBA-inspired musical. Cat’s out of the bag: For no real reason whatsoever, Harry — one of the three paternity potentials — suddenly has a boyfriend at the end of the movie. It’s touched upon briefly and explained even less.
Colin Firth and Amanda Seyfried Bold or Blah?: Just ridiculous, really. But then, it’s a movie full of people singing ABBA songs that only occasionally fit the flimsy plot. So someone just turns gay with no explanation? Why not? Put him in a sparkly suit and make him dance! How surprising?: Half a Monkey
Over Her Dead Body (2008)
What’s the story: Distraught over the death of his fiancée (Eva Longoria) just before their wedding, Henry (Paul Rudd) is sent by his sister to go talk to Ashley (Lake Bell), who works as both a psychic and a caterer. While Ashley tries to use her psychic abilities to summon the recently-departed bride, her catering business is handled — badly — by her bestest gay pal Dan. But as Ashley starts falling for Henry, Dan admits that he’s lied for years about being gay; he’s really straight and pretended otherwise just to be near her.
Lake Bell (left) & Jason Biggs Cat’s out of the bag: Uh, what? Even in a romantic comedy about a would-be psychic and a vengeful ghost, the character of Dan makes no rational sense whatsoever. The subplot is so clumsy and ridiculous that it makes the rest of the admittedly mediocre movie look sophisticated and funny by comparison. Bold or blah: The film pretends this plot twist is a daring one, but neither the script nor the actors pull it off. In what Bizarro world is Over Her Dead Body set, where people behave like being gay is a set of personality traits and catch phrases that can be adopted as easily as a Halloween costume? How surprising?: 2 Monkeys, minus one for sheer absurdity.
Duralde is the author of 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men (Advocate Books).
Submitted by on Sun, 2008-10-05 20:55. |
 Recent Comments
Recent blog posts
|
Welcome to AfterElton.com!
- Login
- Join Now!
News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media
Deathtrap
I remember being distinctly and pleasurably surprised when Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve were revealed as lovers - of a sort - in Deathtrap. Don't know how many Doogies it deserves for the reveal but it was a hell of a twisty film.
At least 4 Doogies
Yes, but...
Given that the twist is revealed in the kiss, the fact that it was the ONLY topic of conversation opening weekend basically spoiled the film, and literally turned it from a potential hit to a flop. Given the era it came out in (and that it was Superman - OMFG!!!), a kiss was too explosive to reveal a sensitive plot point. If I recall the producers called it "the 6 Million Dollar Kiss"....
---
re: Jason Biggs in Over Her Dead Body -- you can take off another half a Doogie for stereotyping, because of course she should have known he was straight because a real gay would be good at catering. Bitch, please.
Shall We Dance
In the romantic comedy 'Shall We Dance' with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez, Bobby Cannavale's character is revealed to be gay at the VERY end of the story. Cannavale plays a self-proclaimed Ladies Man, but it's kinda obvious (at least to Richard Gere's character) that he's gay, even though he doesn' tell anyone at first.
During the climactic dance tournament he shows up with a guy that's supposed to be his love interest and to make it even more obvious (to anyone who ddin't catch the subtlety before^^) he's shown dancing with that guy at a gay bar just before the end credits ;-)
Bobby Cannavale
I love this guy, he has played gay so many times its difficult to count now.
There is a bollywood type movie called The Guru where there is a reveal.
*Spoiler* The "guru" falls in love with a girl who is about to marry a fireman, the groom is not excactly sure and we get to see why. The wedding is happening and there comes Bobby Cannavale in full fireman garb to stop his man from getting married...and he does. It was kind of sweet.
Bobby is great and such a sweetheart.The Guru
Never quite saw it that way
I never read the "Yes, it's odd, isn't it? All these years we've been single and proud of it and never noticed that two of us were, in effect, married all this time" speech as them not having noticed that Gareth and Matthew were gay, or even a couple, but that they had all been quite confirmed in their bachelorhood, even Gareth and Matthew as they could not marry at the time the film was made. I saw it as a comment about how a relationship can creep up on one, particularly a relationship that can never be solmenized by marriage vows. And that Charlie was only just realizing that this, well, gay (in the traditional sense of the word) couple were, in fact, a quite serious couple.
I guess I saw it as more a political comment than a coming out moment. I realize Gareth and Matthew weren't at the center of the movie, but I felt they were giving their due as a couple. Their relationship wasn't back burnered any more than the relationship of obviously married heterosexual couples who are supporting players is back burnered when they aren't introduced in the first reel as a couple.
Yeah, I always saw it as
four weddings and a funeral
I agree. This was no "gay" reveal. It was a statement that could be read as a subtle political comment, like Jonathan said. But I'm not even sure if it did matter at all that it was a gay couple - because you could also read into it that it's not the actual formal marriage that gives you the status of a "married couple" or defines your relationship at all. (think about how Charles and Carrie ended up not being married)
Or that all were just fooling around with their loves and lifes and only recognized the grown-up relationship when it was too late.
And I would actually disagree that Matthew and Gareth were back burnered.On first sight, maybe. But especially Matthew was the character who gave this whole film a sort of depth. He was the anti-hero, the best friend but total opposite of Charles - he was the stable, caring one - sort of the heart of this film. And as that just there, quiet in the background, taken for granted.
And it was the difference between the loud, dramatic and shallow (straight) marriages, fights & characters and the quiet, stable and supposedly longterm-relationship plus the warmth both Matthew and Gareth displayed that made this film a bit more than just another screwball-comedy.
Bury me to that poem
Loved the movie. Thought the fact that the relationship wasn't shoved in our faces quite nice. And when he does the poem at the funeral...tears. I knew then I'd love to have someone read it at my funeral. FOUR MONKEYS
Half a Doogie's better than none
afhickman
"The mountain has wings."
I liked all your choices, and agree with most of your ratings, but I must disagree with you about "The Mexican," one of the least entertaining movies I've ever sat through. Gandolfini brings a momentary spark to the proceedings, not to mention some much needed dignity, but it's too soon extinguished. Two dead gays (the only gays in the film) at the end merit half a Doogie at best. To top it off, Roberts and Pitt only share about twenty minutes screen time! No winners in this one: it's a Mexican standoff.
And I must disagree with afhickman about "The Mexican"
A gay Gandolfini revealed though Jukia Roberts' gaydar is off-the-charts delightful.
Only 3 Doogies for Some Like It Hot?
I think not!
You have to put the film in context. It was set in the 1920's and shot in the late 50's, playing fast and loose with gender, sexuality and cross-dressing. Jack Lemmon's character starts the movie as straight - a womanizer like his pal Tony Curtis. After being wooed by millionaire Oswald, Lemmon's character gets totally into the idea of marrying him. One of the funniest exchanges in the film goes...
Jerry (Jack Lemmon): Have I got things to tell you!
Joe (Tony Curtis): What happened?
Jerry: I'm engaged.
Joe: Congratulations. Who's the lucky girl?
Jerry: I am!
A moment later Curtis yells at Lemmon: "Why would a guy wanna marry another guy?"
To which Lemmon snaps back, "SECURITY!"
The movie ends with Oswald's complete nonchalance at Jack Lemmon's big reveal. I say the Some Like It Hot merits at least four, if not five Doogies.
Harry in Mamma Mia!
It's strange that this aspect of the Harry character was changed in the movie version of Mamma Mia! In the stage version, there were several hints that Harry might be gay, and in the end he declares that his family is with his partner Laurence (or Nigel). In the movie, some of the hints are still there, but the partner is gone and Harry picks up hot young Greek meat at the end. A little creepy really. It was a much more positive portrayal in the stage play, though it's still closeted until the reveal at the end. Probably 2.5 or 3 Dougies.
Cinema is a more visual medium
Revealing an off-stage paramour can work in the theater because the audience is conditioned to expect things will happen off-stage. The reverse is true of cinema--we've been conditioned to expect things to be visualized almost entirely. This is why Harry gets a Greek boy-toy.
Personally, I think it's a great reveal: compared to the vast majority on this list, it's a reveal of absolute joy, which everyone shares. Besides, I don't think there's a man alive, gay OR straight, who wouldn't succumb to the beauty of Juan Pablo Di Pace.
Check out my blog: http://radicalsexy.blogspot.com/
I agree, personally I like
Almost Famous
The movie about a young Rolling Stone reporter who goes on tour with a band. I only saw it once so I don't know the exact details, but I seem to remember a near plane crash where all the band members start making dying confessions, one of the band members (played by Jason Lee) admits he is gay. The plane crash was averted and the gay twist was never mentioned again.
Funny, because I'm actually
And a few more (SPOILER ALERT)
The two cops who've been shadowing Madonna throughout "Who's That Girl" come out at the end of the film and confess their feelings for each other.
Another couple cops (I think...) in "The Blues Brothers" are falling through the air in a car, and one turns to the other and says, "I've always loved you" before impact.
Bradley Cooper and Michael Ian Black as the camp counselors who are secretly in love (and get married in a forest ceremony presided over by Janene Garofalo) in "Wet Hot American Summer."
The biggest twist of them all, Jaye Davidson in "The Crying Game" opposite Stephen Rea.
Alex Karras as Squash, Jame Garner's bodyguard, in "Victor Victoria," who falls for Toddy (Robert Preston). At one point Garner goes glove-to-glove in a boxing match with a French champion, who's also gay.
Ving Rhames as the scariest, baddest dude on the firefighter's squad in "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry." Unfortunately, the moment he comes out, he immediately embraces his inner "girl" and becomes significantly more flamboyant.
William MacNamarra in "Doing Time On Maple Drive," which seems like it'll be a story about the one "normal" kid introducing his fiancee to his family, including alcoholic brother (Jim Carrey), sister contemplating a secret abortion, and tightly wound perfectionist parents. Carrey's character, especially, gets a lot of screen time. And then MacNamarra's fiancee (Lori Loughlin) finds a secret letter, and...
Cher in "Silkwood," who comes out halfway through the story and has a one-nighter with a serious femme.
"The Lost Language Of Cranes," which seems like it's a story about a young man and his partner and their rocky relationship--until we meet one of the men's parents, specficially the father (Brian Cox).
And in one of the most peculiar yet strangely moving examples, a man in the thriller "Last Night"--in which the world is going to end in 24 hours--decides that he's going to indulge in his every unfulfilled sexual whim. One of the last things he does after bedding several women is express a wish to finally have sex with a man. His best friend can't go that far, but they do share a kiss--perhaps the one authentic emotional connection of love he experiences.
ANOTHER SPOILER
Wonderful post. It's seems ridiculous that some of the movies on your list were left out of the main article.
Another shocking gay reveal to me was the thuggish club owner in Stonewall, who we find out is involved with one of the drag queens. The result of his self-loathing is one of the most disturbing things I've ever been surprised by in a film.
Great list
Hey - Where are the Doogies???
No, a reader pointed out
No Way Out
Will Patton in No Way Out
I don't recall such a scene as you describe, but the character played by Will Patton is indeed outed, but by another character, a CIA inspector, I believe--he's eliminated as a suspect in the murder of Sean Young's character because he's gay.
Check out my blog: http://radicalsexy.blogspot.com/
It's entirely possible
Another possibly overlooked
Diane Keaton's film LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL has a gay reveal when we find out one of the assasins, the cute blond boy, has been sleeping with one of the officials, before garroting him. The film is otherwise unremarkable and was a bomb.
INSIDEGUY
Speaking of Diane Keaton
Surprise!
In the tradition of this article's topic, I am now appearing late amongst the comments to reveal that I, am in fact, gay.
Please try to conceal your shock.
SPOILER ALERT
Academy Award winner: American Beauty
The militant dad/murderer.
Loved the movie. Hated the stereotyplical reveal of the overly macho character. Loved the response of Kevin Spacey charcater to being hit on by a guy; very nonchalant and freindly.
one that i remember from back in the day
george wendt's character (one of alec baldwin's poker buddies) in the movie 'outside providence'. i dont remember much about the movie except that part.
Bobbyjoe
Were you outing yourself... or QUISP? 'cause I think he's been out since about 1967... no monkeys (sorry).
"Does this cocktail glass make me look fat?"
Rolling Kansas
During a road trip, collegiate pothead Kevin (Charlie Finn) announces to his friends that he's gay. They respond with "WTF! That's impossible! You're crazy! You can't be gay!", etc., etc. It happens early in the movie, so it's not exactly a third act reveal, but I think it counts because Kevin has to keep announcing it. His friends never believe him.
In Saving Silverman...