Movie Breakdown: The Boys In The Band
Pre-Screening Stance:
I’ve never seen any of the adaptations (on or off-Broadway) of The Boys In The Band, so I’m looking forward to checking it out.
Post-Screening Ramble:
For a film that gets off to such a warm, energetic start, The Boys In The Band sure leaves you beat to shit. The central character is Michael (Jim Parsons), a screenwriter with self esteem issues and a mountain of debt, and he’s hosting a birthday party for a fella named Harold (Zachary Quinto). In attendance are a variety of also-gay friends, Donald (Matt Bomer), Larry (Andrew Rannells), Emory (Robin de Jesus), Alan (Brian Hutchison), Bernard (Michael Benjamin Washington) and Hank (Tuc Watkins). Well, I say friends, but this lot is better described as frenemies. While the companionship they share does register as legit, the safe zone that it provides them (as gay men in the late 60s) also makes it seem like a necessary evil. This puts a real hard limit on the group’s tolerance for each other, and as tensions at the party rise, things get meaner and more emotional. No stone is left unturned – whether it’s Harold’s life-long over obsession with his appearance, or Michael’s faith, or how Donald lives with his parents, or Hank’s now-dissolved marriage to a woman, it’s all put front and center. Some handle their exposure well. For example, Donald being called out for living with his parents is met with a quip – “It’s OK, they’re gay!” On the flip side of this, Michael is fully weighed down by regret (and riled up by the unplanned presence of his former college roommate, Alan, played by Brian Hutchison), so he lashes out the hardest. It really is an emotional roller-coaster, but the drama never soars to a point where it loses its impact. Director Joe Mantello keeps things moving and always seems to shift to a new subject before things start to feel too heavy. Another boon here is the dialogue, which is oh-so-very sharp. Even though it’s not a light movie at all, I’ll likely revisit it just to soak up all the snappy chatter.
The Boys In The Band is a good one. It’s got great performances and it’s certainly an all-around well crafted film. Just try to prepare yourself for the haymakers it’s going to throw at your feelings.
One Last Thought:
Zachary Quinto is fantastic in this movie. In fact, his performance is so great that it made me feel bad for only ever thinking of the guy as new-Spock.
