Anyone who watches gay independent films or especially American gay independent films know that a coming out story is a dime a dozen. But that's only if the coming out in question is a white middle class Midwestern boy. Those are a dime a dozen. There are some members of the gay population who do not get their coming out stories shown quite as often. Two films I watched over the weekend share a different kind of coming out story with some degree of success.
Boulevard tells the coming out story of a 60 year old man played by the late great Robin Williams in his final film role. His character, named Nolan, comes to a point in his life that he can not go on any longer living a lie. Many men have sort of a second adolescence when they come out after their teen years. I came out when a I was 23 and I definitely had a second adolescence that wasn't always such a good thing. that isn't always a good thing. Nolan has a bit of a second adolescence himself which causes him to make some choices that could have him lose his job, his wife,--everything. One night Nolan befriends a hustler named Leo, and the film does a nice job showing that even though they gradually get a little closer throughout the film, Leo always still sees Nolan as a way to make money and not much more.
Nolan's meeting with Leo serves as the catalyst that eventually forces Leo to live his truth. After awhile the male prostitute plot gets a little tired, and the film is best in Robin William's quieter moments of anguish. His best acting is not in his interaction with the hustler, but also with his long suffering loving wife played excellently by Kathy Baker. Boulevard is a decent film elevated by what should be regarded as one of Robin Willuam's best performances.
Another population we don't see represented enough in gay movies is black men. Patrick Ian Polk has made a career of trying to right that wrong with independent films like Punks and TV series like Noah's Arc. He continues to tell gay African American men's stories in Blackbird, the story of a religious teenage boy named Randy in small town Mississippi.
Blackbird has a lot going well for it. It does a great job showing a religious teenager coming to terms with his sexuality, then dealing with his parents, and ultimately falling in love. That would be enough of a movie in itself so it is frustrating that there is so much more. Too much. The film is based on a book which I haven't read, so all the other parts may have come from the book. It ultimately deals with abortion, being clairavoyant, a missing child, STDs, changing a gay person back to straight. Like I said, It is too much. It doesn't need all that. Polk's created a world where Randy dealing with his sexuality, surrounded by his friends and his family (Mo'Nique and Isaiah Washington are best in show as the parents. ) and that should be enough. All the rest of the sub plots feel unnecessary and at times make the film go over the top into after school special territory. There is a good film inside Blackbird it just struggles a bit getting passed the other subplots in the film.
Boulevard 7 out of 10
Blackbird 6 out of 10
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