The Boys in the Band

Set in 1968 in an era before the Stonewall riots and the greater activism and visibility that followed, the film is a recreation of the hit broadway show which itself is adaptation of a play/movie back in 70s. It's a story that conveys the freedom of these men to cut loose amongst each other, while exposing festering grudges and one very toxic case of self-loathing. With an ensemble starcast led by Jim Parsons, I was really looking forward to this film

Michael is throwing a birthday party for his frenemy Harold, who describes himself as an "ugly, pockmarked Jew fairy", bringing together seven members of their extended group. First arrives Donald, who is upset since his doctor cancelled on him. It feels Michael has a slight crush on him. We meet the couple Larry and Hank who seem to be going through some fight and it feels that Larry and Donald share some history. Emory and Bernard fill n for the black and Latino flavor who are constantly being subjected to racism, homophobia and being effeminate. But a wild card emerges in the form of Alan, an old college pal of Michael's who happens to be in town, sounds distressed and wants to drop by, which Michael fears would mean outing himself. Michael's flailing aggression is channeled through a dare game requiring the participants to make a phone call to the one person they ever truly loved, with a point system based on the extent of their self-exposure. As you can imagine, emotions run high and dry leading to many fights and harsh words spoken by the end of night,

From the very first scene things are on a go go go. There is no relaxation among these people. Characters are introduced, their quirks, chemistry with each other and interactions. They seem more like frenemies than friends and there’s a constant static crackle of brittle bitchiness in the air. I actually was really enjoying the first half till the movie comes with its main event of playing the dare game. There’s a pleasure, certainly, in how electrified these back-and-forths are, as the camera zips around the apartment like an invisible guest. These men talk love, religion, and ageing. Interestingly, all the actors in this film are openly gay and very popular which makes this film very interesting. Some of the dialogues are really sharp and i quite enjoyed and laughed. Yes, the end gets too serious and a bit dark too. I wish I could understand better what were Michael's intentions behind playing the game. Does he want to hurt people or was it an innocent mistake (it did not look like that). Acting, as you can expect is razor sharp by everyone and they all fit their part. Every character has a different ending which also makes this film interesting.

While remaining funny and poignant, this story is more like a mirror to the late 60s where the life of a gay man was considered to be one of overwhelming sorrow, loneliness and bitterness. Even if you are not familiar with the storyline, it is still highly recommended to watch this film. (7/10)