erastes

So, I watched "Edge of Seventeen" last night.

I was pleasurably surprised, actually. it was a low budget movie, so I wasn't expecting much, so it was nice to actually enjoy something about which I had no expectations .

The unknown (to me) cast seemed to do very well, I particularly liked the main character, Eric, who slid very effortlessly into the gay scene of the time. It wasn't as if there wasn't a place for him to go - so he was lucky in that regard, but I did like the way he (in a very unstated and male way, imho) struggled with his choices, and experimented as if he could Un-Gay himself. I had a friend in the 80's who struggled with his sexuality, and did exactly what the main character did - slept with his best (girl)friend - confusing true affection and friendship with love but luckily for him it didn't destroy their friendship.

I also loved the Fag Hag Angie (I had to smile actually, that the "gayer" people were segregated into the Diner and the particular wing of Ohio State University) who takes them under her wing at the theme park. The characters in the gay bar were also well portrayed, you had a glimpse of pathos there, that in such a small pond they were stifled and trammelled and that although a lot were looking for love, all they were going to get was sex. But this wasn't hammered in like perhaps other films would have done, it was subtle, and well done.

I loved the scene with his mother when he came out to her, the love she had for him really shone through and I was choked up. It wasn't really necessary to see the subsequent scenes with the rest of his family, I think I could imagine them.

Angie gives Eric some stellar advice too, "take some time" - he's so young and has a world of experiences joy and hurt to deal with.

I was expecting it to be downbeat and depressing, was expecting it to spiral out of control, but I'm rather glad it didn't. There must be 1000 tales of families who reject their sons for being gay, sons who kill themselves or throw themselves into New York in an effort to find a place where they can belong, so I'm very glad that this dealt with it in a more upbeat fashion. While you still felt sorry for all the characters - Eric, Maggie, Eric's mother - you had a real feeling of hope that the love that his parents had for him could overcome their worries and concerns, and that Eric had learned a little and that he was optimistic about his future as the film's ending showed.

Oh and hot sex scenes, particularly the rimming in the car, that was so cute.

If I had any quibbles about it, it was surprising that Eric kept insisting that everyone used condoms - having been there in that era, AIDS wasn't an issue (here at least) in 1984, and it was very sensible of him, and very UN hormonal teenage boy. Would he really have been concerned with STD's? Perhaps - I don't know. I wanted to SMACK Rod. Smack smack smack. I also wanted to biff Maggie for NOT being the best friend she obviously thought she was, he may have made some bad choices, but she could have seen how very confused he was. But then, she was young too, I guess.

All in all, highly enjoyable. It may have taken me 8 years to see this film, but I'm glad I did.