LGBTQ People Revealed 8 Queer Films That Were Done Wrong And 9 That Were Done Right, And It's Hard To Disagree With Them
We asked LGBTQ members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which movies perfectly captured the queer experience, and which ones totally missed the mark. Here's what they had to say:
🚨Warning: Potential spoilers ahead!
1.Done right: But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)
"It was funny, heartwarming, and sent a message to stay true to yourself in the face of oppression. It also had a happy ending, which is rare for queer films."
2.Done wrong: Call Me by Your Name (2017)
"A big fat no to Call Me by Your Name. The age gap was really gross, and made viewing the whole relationship dynamic uncomfortable (Elio is 17, and Oliver is 24). Who thought that was ever an OK thing to put out into the world?!"
"They could dress it up in the prettiest Italian village all they want — Elio was still a a child, and Oliver was a grown man. It was well acted, but the love story was borderline predatory — again, ELIO WAS LITERALLY A CHILD!"
3.Done wrong: Jenny's Wedding (2015)
"When they cast big names like Katherine Heigl and Alexis Bledel, I thought there'd be more substance to the movie, but there was barely any romance — the story focused on a coming-out story, when that's always the main plot in queer media."
"The whole movie is about Jenny’s straight family coming to terms with her being a lesbian. The main couple — Jenny and Kitty — have no chemistry and no character. It’s a movie made entirely by straight people, and I wish I could have that hour and a half of my life back."
4.Done right: Moonlight (2016)
"Moonlight presented a story that displayed the intersectionality of being queer and Black, but it still felt predominantly coming-of-age (rather than coming out of the closet). The themes extended beyond queerness, to the more universal feelings of being alone and being loved — this was the kind of movie that stood for representation AND acceptance, and it was done beautifully."
5.Done wrong: Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
"The worst has got to be Dallas Buyers Club. I’m sick of Hollywood awarding cisgender actors like Jared Leto for their 'brave' choices to play a transgender character, when it’s such an over-the-top, unrealistic performance that’s out of touch with the lived experience."
6.Done right: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
"If you were to compare Ammonite to Portrait of a Lady on Fire, you'd see right away that the first one served the male gaze, while the second one did not. Portrait of a Lady on Fire did an amazing job of building intimacy without actually being voyeuristic — the result was altogether intricate and powerful."
7.Done right: Love, Simon (2018)
"I loved how the movie showed that it's OK to be afraid to come out, even if you're sure everyone in your life will be accepting. The movie was diverse in its casting (even though the lead was played by a straight actor), and Simon and Blue weren't portrayed in a stereotypical light."
8.Done wrong: Stonewall (2015)
Roadside Attractions
"Stonewall. Stonewall. Stonewall. The real Stonewall riots majorly featured POC, transgender women of color, and lesbians, but the lead character in the movie was a cisgender white man — not to mention Marsha P. Johnson's role was literally featured for comic relief. It was horrible."
9.Done wrong: The Prom (2020)
"I'll start with the obvious and universal criticism of casting James Corden — I think we can all acknowledge how horrible that was. The other issue that stuck out to me was how horribly the conflict was resolved — not only were the two queer characters such awkward stereotypes of queer women, but the protagonist just ended her hometown's anti-gayness with...a song? In no world is empathy that easily taught. I get it's a campy musical, but I'll always feel like this was just a really queer movie made by (and for) really straight people."
10.Done right: Saving Face (2004)
"I think Saving Face did an exceptional job of navigating the complexity of being out but not accepted, and yet still feeling dedicated to your family. The plot around Ma wasn't something you'd typically expect to see in a movie, and helped explore another side of 'forbidden' love."
11.Done right: Booksmart (2019)
"Booksmart is a classic in the making — I loved how Amy's sexuality was never a big deal, or a deal at all, really. She was just a relatable teenager who happened to identify as a lesbian."
"Amy never had to do a coming-out scene to her parents or her friends — she just was who she was, and they made her storyline about dating just like any 'normal' teen. It was so refreshing."
12.Done wrong: Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013)
"The sex scenes felt very much like they were made for men — I think I would have liked to see what a female director would have done with the graphic novel."
"I HATED Blue Is the Warmest Colour for exactly that reason — the sex scenes were so over-the-top and unrealistic, I completely lost interest."
13.Done wrong: The Handmaiden (2016)
"The Handmaiden was so male gaze-y — it could have been a great opportunity to represent East Asian women as regular people instead of stereotypical sex objects. It completely pandered to that [straight] audience."
14.Done right: Pride (2014)
"Pride was really well done. It was based on true events that occurred in '80s UK, so some terminology might've felt dated, but the characters were full, complex humans, and the story was about much more than coming out. In fact, that was the best part of the movie: It highlighted the extended history of the LGBTQ community standing in solidarity with other marginalized groups."
15.Done right: Appropriate Behavior (2014)
"Appropriate Behavior showed that being bisexual doesn't make life or romance any less challenging, especially when you're in the closet to your conservative family. It was done without being overly depressing or discouraging — plus it starred Desiree Akhavan, who is bisexual (she also wrote and directed the movie)."
16.Done wrong: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
"I've always had a hard time with Brokeback — it was beautifully made, but it was ultimately just a deep dive into the trope of the tortured queer man who ends up getting killed for it. It's gay trauma for the straight gaze."
"I know Brokeback was ahead of its time and the actors are both good people, but I just don’t think it should be regarded as a gay 'classic.'"
17.And done right: Carol (2015)
"The movie did a brilliant job portraying WLW relationships — from infatuation to desire to meaningful connections — it was also one of few queer movies that actually had a happy ending. Carol didn't surrender to the queer media trope that LGBTQ characters must have a tragic finale, and I, for one, was relieved to watch that."
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Which LGBTQ movies do you think were done right or wrong? Tell us in the comments below!
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