Queer is many movies in one. You’ve got my second favorite actor of the year Jason Swartzman doing a ‘if Tom Cruise’s character in Tropic Thunder was gay’ routine. If you were curious Anora’s Yuri Borisov, doing a Russian Ray Maxwell impression, my number one. You’ve got Lesley Manville doing a ‘if Shelley DuVall was still alive and in the Amazon jungle’ impression. You’ve got multiple music video moments (Nirvana! Prince!) pairing so well with men’s fashion.
And then, there’s the story, adapted from William S. Burroughs. The three chaptered story (Burroughs adapted by Justin Kuritzkes) was a little too disjointed for me, BUT I was moved in parts. I just wish the director (Luca Guadagnino) had reigned in the editing, especially in the first chapter.
The acting was superb and I mean that sincerely, even for the aforementioned comparisons. Daniel Craig is the lead and has to do cartwheels of theatrics. Drew Starkey, in the supporting, is equally strong.
The Cinematography was ultra rich, a feast for the eyes. The special effects in the hallucinatory scene were off the charts. And Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s score was equally sumptuous.
Well worth viewing.
