We saw the movie "Queer" last week. The movie is by the famous William S Burroughs, a leader in the Beat Generation movement. It is overtly homosexual in nature, and although it was written in 1950, it was not published until 1985. Burroughs himself died in 1997 when he was 83 years old.
It is a very visual, quiet, introspective, and symbolic movie. It tells the semiautobiographical story of a man in the 1950s who moves to Mexico to escape criminal charges in America. The man is gay but older—Burroughs himself was 47 at the time. He is an alcoholic drug addict. Combined with this, the character is gay in Mexico City when gay bars where primarily places for men to meet others and often prostitutes.
Daniel Craig is fantastic in the role, which is a world away from 007. There is a lot of gay longing, and some very restrained gay sex implied, but nothing offensive. Crazy and illogical but not offensive.
The object is his desire in this movie is a very buttoned-up younger man, who may or may not be a prostitute. He is played by Drew Starkey - an actor I didn't know. He plays one of the "kids" on Outer Banks. He is stunning. His switch from aloof object of desire to a man in love with "Will" is a subtle work that is all the more impressive due to the limitations of the emotion of the role.
I loved Queer, but I hesitate to recommend it. It is a slow burn. The last 1/4 takes place in Ecuador, trying to find the drug Yāga - ayahuasca as it is known now- and and then following the truths it reveals. It ends dreamlike, drowning in symbolism. But both Ed and I enjoyed the move.
I am also so glad I don't live in a world like that. My Grandfather was apparently very worried I would grow up unhappy if I was gay. This was the quality of life for gays back then, I understand his feelings.
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