Sex, the City, and Showtunes

The Big Gay Musical

Directed By: Casper Andreas & Fred M. Caruso

Starring: Daniel Robinson, Joey Dudding, & Jeff Metzler

It is no secret that gay cinema has been in a slump ever since Brokeback Mountain proved that it could be bankable; most gay-oriented movies are packed with handsome young men in varying states of undress, but lack fully-developed stories...or even stories at all. The Big Gay Musical has those aforementioned men (as seen above), but it is more than just eye candy. Telling the story of a new off-Broadway production called Adam and Steve Just the Way God Made 'Em, it is an uproariously funny movie that broadly covers a variety of issues, from the spread of HIV to the religious conspiracy to convert homosexuals. The play being put on in the movie states that, because Adam and Eve were bad and ate the fruit that God forbade them from eating, God went back to the drawing board and created Adam and Steve. They were cultured, handsome, and liked art...and their favor from God made Eve angry. She decided to write a book talking about how much God hates the gays...and, best of all, she says, five-thousand years later, they won't even know who wrote it! I'll give you one guess what book that is. You see, beneath the fluffy exterior and pretty boys that populate this movie, it has a strong bite behind its humor and, with its aim set firmly on religious wingnuts and the ex-gay movement, it starts attacking and rarely lets up.

But, The Big Gay Musical also extends to the personal lives of those performing in the play, particularly those playing Adam and Steve. Adam is played by Paul (Daniel Robinson), a gay man who has just gotten out of a relationship because of a false, hateful, but believed rumor about him; he just wants someone to love him and, as he populates a local showtunes karaoke bar and an online dating website, he discovers that that isn't an easy task. Steve is played by Eddie (Joey Dudding), a gay man who hasn't told his ultra-conservative parents that he is gay or that he is appearing in a play they would consider blasphemous. Together, as friends, they traverse all of the many obstacles that face the gay subculture. Its handling of some of these topics can be clunky, with too many themes being presented in a relatively short amount of time, but it is nonetheless a very charming and thoughtful movie. Some might argue that it is only preaching to the choir, as no homophobe I know would ever watch a movie called The Big Gay Musical, and they would probably be right. For those who might be willing to listen to a viewpoint other than their own, it might convert them, though even they might be turned off by its flamboyancy, a biproduct of its sheer boldness to depict certain niche aspects of the gay subculture. I found that admirable.

The performance of Adam and Steve Just the Way God Made 'Em, which takes up about half of the movie's runtime (and for good reason), is simply delightful. It is the kind of play I wish was real, and seems like something you could actually see off-Broadway. Featuring characters like a rather gaudy God and an evangelical woman named Patty-Maye (Liz McCartney, in one of the movie's most stand-out performances), it is as sharp-toothed as it is sexually-charged. Many Christians will be offended by what they perceive as its frank and direct attack on their faith. Certainly, some of this movie's barbs are aimed at the Bible, but most of them are aimed at people who exploit the Bible to fuel their own self-righteous hatred. For example, the ex-gay movement, a misleading and downright dangerous practice amongst some Christian organizations, is skewered in scenes where young men, prancing around in short shorts and tight-fitting shirts, sing showtunes about becoming straight while they gawk at each other. Frankly, any Christian who approves of or believes in the ex-gay movement deserves to witness the mean-spirited treatment that The Big Gay Musical gives it. This movie might be offensive, but if you are offended by it, you probably deserve it.

The Big Gay Musical is propelled by strong performances from all of its leads, as well as surprisingly skilled song and dance routines. Having watched two big Hollywood musicals recently (The Princess and the Frog and Nine), I can safely say that this movie, with a more limited budget, has much better songs to keep its narrative bubbling along. It says something for this movie that I actually wanted to buy its soundtrack as soon as the credits rolled. There is a real effort that is evident throughout the movie's brisk, but well-paced runtime. Whereas many filmmakers tackle the gay subgenre as they would a softcore porno, The Big Gay Musical tackles it exactly as its title suggests...in a "big" way, going above and beyond what is expected to deliver an altogether great cinematic experience. There is sex and some male nudity, though nothing too blush-inducing. It is all tastefully filmed and used to enhance the movie's handling of its dark and dramatic topics, without feeling exploitative. The script is insightful and moving, the performances are good, the music is catchy and involving, and the message behind it all is one that still needs to be heard. It is sad to say that we still live in a time when movies about acceptance must be made in order to inspire people to love their fellow man, but so it is...and The Big Gay Musical is a truly remarkable movie that delivers that message with heart and humor.