It's finally here. My review.
So what’s so special about this movie? Besides being brilliant?
I was a bit skeptic in the beginning. Not due to the actors – but more due to the story.
It's about Donald Strachey. Private Investigator - and gay. And even if it may be a gay main character it's not 'your average gay movie'. It's not a movie about being gay it's more like a movie told from a gay perspective.
It’s got a very believable plot, and even when you think you know the answers something happens. The truth is not so easy to find. But Strachey does it. He’s focused. He’s determent. And even if his methods might not be legal all the time, he follows the clues no matter how unimportant they might seem. And that’s what solves the crime.
Opening sequence:
A woman is being followed by a man. We only see his shadow on the wall but we know he’s close. Slowly another shadow takes form behind the first. By the shape you realize it’s a cop and then the words: “Police. Put your hands in the air!” The woman being followed is also a cop and the man who was following her was: P.I. Donald Strachey (Chad Allen).
After the opening credits we’re outside a house. A person is sneaking around, then breaking into the house. Edith (Gabrielle Rose) is woken. Dorothy (Margot Kidder) walks downstairs to figure out what the noise is, only to find the perpetrator already gone, leaving only behind a trail of broken pictures and the message: “Dykes Get Out!” written on the wall.
Strachey is involved in a loving and monogamous relationship with another man, his husband, Tim Callahan (Sebastian Spence).
Tim’s ex-boyfriend from college, Andrew (Damon Runyan), is in town and is asking them both to go to a school board meeting supporting Dorothy Tim’s old Student Guidance Counselor. She’s accused (by parents) of “promoting homosexuality in the school” by giving a teenager “a number for some gay recruiting place”. The number was for “The Trevor Project” (a resource for gay teens contemplating suicide).
After the meeting Strachey, Tim and Andrew join Dorothy and Edith for a drink at their home (It may not be James Bond, but a considerable amount of Martini – Shaken, not stirred – were to be consumed). However a rock is thrown through the window carrying a message stating: “Get Out”.
Strachey decides to investigate the case. Unlike the others he doesn’t think it is kids acting out.
What seems to be a lot of different stories happening at the same time having no connection to each other, are slowly woven into each other making hints that they may all be connected but it is not until the end of the movie you figure out what it’s really all about.
It’s a very well rounded story. Not predictable. Certainly not boring.
It’s got dialogs and lines like:
Dorothy: “We don’t pick our fights. They pick us.”
___________________________________________________
Strachey: “Seems like a big decision [coming out] so late in life.”
Dorothy: “Late in life? Is that a euphemism for “You’re too damn old to come out of the closet”? Is that what that is?”
Strachey: “No. I just figured something must’ve happened.”
Dorothy: “Well, uh… let’s just say that I spent too many years being what other people wanted me to be, and I’d finally just had enough. And I went “To hell with what they think! I can only be who I am.”.”
____________________________________________________
And Strachey’s sidekick Kenny Kwon (Nelson Wong) is hilarious. This may be a movie about hate crime, murder and other evilness, but it is also – at times – a funny movie.
Kenny Kwon: “Please. I’m like a chameleon.” [Acting like a true movie detective hiding behind his sunglasses and a newspaper].
____________________________________________________
Kenny Kwon: “Someday, when I’m old like all you guys, I hope I have an amazing relationship, too.”
Strachey [sighs and shakes his head]: “Yeah…”
Kenny Kwon: “What? It was a compliment!”
____________________________________________________
It’s a story about how bad (and out of hand) things can get if you’re not honest with yourself and/or your partner. It’s a story about betrayal and lies.
It’s a story about coming to terms with whom you are or with whom the people you thought you knew are.
But it’s also a story about love and commitment and figuring out what’s right for you.
It’s released on DVD February 24th.
I highly recommend you watch it.
And if you love it as much as I did, you might want to know that there’s actually made 3 other movies in the “- Donald Strachey mystery” installment. Which I have to watch as well.
For more information go here or here.
So what’s so special about this movie? Besides being brilliant?
I was a bit skeptic in the beginning. Not due to the actors – but more due to the story.
It's about Donald Strachey. Private Investigator - and gay. And even if it may be a gay main character it's not 'your average gay movie'. It's not a movie about being gay it's more like a movie told from a gay perspective.
It’s got a very believable plot, and even when you think you know the answers something happens. The truth is not so easy to find. But Strachey does it. He’s focused. He’s determent. And even if his methods might not be legal all the time, he follows the clues no matter how unimportant they might seem. And that’s what solves the crime.
Opening sequence:
A woman is being followed by a man. We only see his shadow on the wall but we know he’s close. Slowly another shadow takes form behind the first. By the shape you realize it’s a cop and then the words: “Police. Put your hands in the air!” The woman being followed is also a cop and the man who was following her was: P.I. Donald Strachey (Chad Allen).
After the opening credits we’re outside a house. A person is sneaking around, then breaking into the house. Edith (Gabrielle Rose) is woken. Dorothy (Margot Kidder) walks downstairs to figure out what the noise is, only to find the perpetrator already gone, leaving only behind a trail of broken pictures and the message: “Dykes Get Out!” written on the wall.
Strachey is involved in a loving and monogamous relationship with another man, his husband, Tim Callahan (Sebastian Spence).
Tim’s ex-boyfriend from college, Andrew (Damon Runyan), is in town and is asking them both to go to a school board meeting supporting Dorothy Tim’s old Student Guidance Counselor. She’s accused (by parents) of “promoting homosexuality in the school” by giving a teenager “a number for some gay recruiting place”. The number was for “The Trevor Project” (a resource for gay teens contemplating suicide).
After the meeting Strachey, Tim and Andrew join Dorothy and Edith for a drink at their home (It may not be James Bond, but a considerable amount of Martini – Shaken, not stirred – were to be consumed). However a rock is thrown through the window carrying a message stating: “Get Out”.
Strachey decides to investigate the case. Unlike the others he doesn’t think it is kids acting out.
What seems to be a lot of different stories happening at the same time having no connection to each other, are slowly woven into each other making hints that they may all be connected but it is not until the end of the movie you figure out what it’s really all about.
It’s a very well rounded story. Not predictable. Certainly not boring.
It’s got dialogs and lines like:
Dorothy: “We don’t pick our fights. They pick us.”
___________________________________________________
Strachey: “Seems like a big decision [coming out] so late in life.”
Dorothy: “Late in life? Is that a euphemism for “You’re too damn old to come out of the closet”? Is that what that is?”
Strachey: “No. I just figured something must’ve happened.”
Dorothy: “Well, uh… let’s just say that I spent too many years being what other people wanted me to be, and I’d finally just had enough. And I went “To hell with what they think! I can only be who I am.”.”
____________________________________________________
And Strachey’s sidekick Kenny Kwon (Nelson Wong) is hilarious. This may be a movie about hate crime, murder and other evilness, but it is also – at times – a funny movie.
Kenny Kwon: “Please. I’m like a chameleon.” [Acting like a true movie detective hiding behind his sunglasses and a newspaper].
____________________________________________________
Kenny Kwon: “Someday, when I’m old like all you guys, I hope I have an amazing relationship, too.”
Strachey [sighs and shakes his head]: “Yeah…”
Kenny Kwon: “What? It was a compliment!”
____________________________________________________
It’s a story about how bad (and out of hand) things can get if you’re not honest with yourself and/or your partner. It’s a story about betrayal and lies.
It’s a story about coming to terms with whom you are or with whom the people you thought you knew are.
But it’s also a story about love and commitment and figuring out what’s right for you.
It’s released on DVD February 24th.
I highly recommend you watch it.
And if you love it as much as I did, you might want to know that there’s actually made 3 other movies in the “- Donald Strachey mystery” installment. Which I have to watch as well.
For more information go here or here.
On the Other Hand, Death on PhotoPeach
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