Queer: Strange, Odd, An Identity, A Book and now a Stunning Film

Queer uses honest performances, a fantastic soundtrack, gorgeous cinematography, and a good dose of surrealism to present its own definition of the titular word.

Life while being gay can negatively be described as moving through life while being chained by a few particular anxieties. This isn’t exclusive to sexuality or a specific subset of people. But being gay or queer (pun intended) invites a few exclusive feelings. There’s the anxiety of meeting someone and not knowing how they feel about you. There’s the additional anxiety of wondering if they can reciprocate feelings, not even considering if they want to. Rejection stings worse after months, years, or decades hovering in a self-imposed emotional and sexual stasis. But within these breakups, these fissures, these unfinished paintings, people tend to take what they’ve learned for themselves and leave residue on the other person. Queer addresses all of this in a spectacular film that uses honest performances, a fantastic soundtrack, gorgeous cinematography, and a good dose of surrealism to present its own definition of titular word.

I’ve always thought Daniel Craig was a great actor. I haven’t seen him in many things (Bond remains a blind spot), but he’s always great whenever I catch him. He’s on another level here as William Lee. He makes the character feel alive with the amount of physicality he dedicates to the role. Craig is always doing something onscreen, which adds to Lee's nervous, fidgeting nature. Drew Starkey’s work as Eugene Allerton compliments his performance. Eugene feels written as a cipher, but Starkey makes him seem so textured. There's so much to learn from how he acts around Lee. Their chemistry is so naturalistic it feels close to peering through a window at something you shouldn’t be seeing during their intimate moments. Jason Schwartzman and Lesley Manville are also good in their time and complement the lead two's choices. The soundtrack is another aspect of the film that greatly compliments the performances.

Luca Guadagnino’s films are known for having incredible soundtracks. I even have the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack somewhere, and I still would say it’s one of the best I’ve heard. Queer doesn’t disappoint with multiple choices that range from inspired to genius. A common criticism of his work is that he doesn’t develop character or have much plot outside his style. I beg to differ and feel that the style is often also the substance for him, especially with music. The songs played in Queer accentuate the choices the lead actors make and are also just good songs in general.

Queer‘s cinematography evokes the fifties or, to be more specific, films from that period. A while ago, I noticed that the lighting in some scenes from the trailer felt very old-school and intentional. I was happy to see that this all beautifully came together within the film. The wide shots feel impeccably designed, from general set dressing to blocking. The close-ups feel stunningly achieved with intimate character interaction, sexual or otherwise, presented to the viewer plainly as if begging for deeper analysis. It helps the characters feel so much like unique, honest people. The colors of the costumes, set, and general color grading often blend to produce a hypnotizing effect. It's beautiful in a way that almost has to be artificial, but it still feels believable. That effect, of course, is in line with an aspect of the movie I think has been rarely acknowledged: its surrealism.

I’m a big fan of surrealism and the general concept of queerness, so what this movie does is breathtaking. It’s often grand and done suddenly without much explanation or warning. The sequences all look amazing and remind me of the Suspiria dream sequence. I would say I don’t want to avoid spoiling it, but the truth is I haven’t grasped all of it. That’s the central weakness I can find within this masterwork. It’s so artfully dense that it’s easy to get lost in what you see, which makes me hesitant to declare this perfect like I’d love to do. It’s all wonderful, though, and wonderfully communicates ideas of longing and acceptance.

Queer uses honest performances, a fantastic soundtrack, gorgeous cinematography, and a good dose of surrealism to craft a beautiful movie. Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey make a pitch-perfect pair, and supporting performances from Jason Schwartzman and Lesley Manville complement their work. The music is fantastic and another tool that makes the effect of the film so engaging. The cinematography effectively takes the viewer to another time and occasionally what feels like another world with its more surrealistic attributes. This surrealism works more than it doesn’t, and I found it breathtaking nonetheless. I’ve been very excited to see this movie for a few months, and I’m happy to say it exceeded my expectations. It feels like a film I’ve been waiting for and one I can’t wait to sink my teeth into and digest. It’s also a new favorite of mine, and finally, to be succinct after all I’ve just written is a triumph.