A Revry original, Unconventional is a really well-liked queer dramedy that feels totally different from the usual stuff. The heart of the story is about two pretty eccentric queer siblings and their partners trying to build a family that doesn't follow the traditional rules. It takes a super raw and unfiltered look at queer life, diving deep into things like mental health, addiction, and how complicated identity and relationships can get. It’s not afraid to get messy or show people at their most vulnerable, and it really pushes boundaries while showing a lot of different queer experiences. The first season has nine episodes, and each one is about a half-hour long. The story centers on Noah, a grad student who’s been struggling for years to wrap up his PhD. He’s been with his husband, Dan, for nine years, and they’ve recently gotten married and moved to Palm Springs. While they're trying to figure out how to start a family and have a baby, they decide to shake things up by in...
The film is set in late 19th century in France. Son of a viscount and a Roma prostitute (both deceased), Serge is intelligent, sweet, talented, and alienated by his family due to his heritage. Upon being sent to his new school, he rooms with Gilbert, a gorgeous loner of a boy who sells his body for reasons unknown. He is ostracized by the school's pupils and professors for sleeping with most men in the school. We are never told the reason. His promiscuity is the result of a lifetime of neglect and abuse, as perpetrated chiefly by his ostensible uncle Auguste Beau. The man has physically, emotionally, and sexually abused Gilbert since he was a child. His manipulation of Gilbert is so significant that Gilbert believes that the two are in love. Despite threats of ostracism and violence, Serge perseveres in his attempts to bond with Gilbert, and the two eventually become friends and lovers. Gilbert is unable to escape the trauma of his past, and descends into a life of drug use and prostitution.
Honestly it was a little odd to watch an anime film not set in Japan. The insights and references to nineteenth century rural France add to its charm. The two main characters are realistic and it's nice to watch something different in the Boy's Love landscape. This story centres around how the young characters deal with their burgeoning sexualities, especially in regards homosexual desire and love in a society where love and sex between two men is considered taboo. The story also has a second major theme: that of dealing with the past. Either the version I saw, or maybe I am lacking context here, but the film seemed rushing from one scene to another. Gilbert comes out more as a slutty boy who just loves sex in an all boys school (imagine what would happen with such a boy today) and also its not really clear as to why Serge falls for him eventually. Anyway, the reason I saw the film was for pure nostalgia and curiosity how was a gay storyline handled back in 1987. I have to say it was no holding back when it came to sexual scenes. (3/10)
Comments