Before
Natasha Lyonne was the awesome Nicky on Orange
is the New Black, she was the awesome Megan in this indie film, which is
somehow campy and scathing at the same time.
Sure, it’s a bit cheesy, a bit preachy, but it’s a fine satire on heteronormative
conversion therapy.
Pretty,
sweet, church-going cheerleader Megan is blindsided when her family and friends
stage an intervention to drop a bombshell on her: she’s a lesbian. Her parents, who assure her that they just
want her to be “normal” and “healthy,” send her to True Directions, a two-month
program that promises to de-gay her.
Despite Megan’s initial insistence that she has nothing in common with
the other teens in the program, she soon takes a hard look at her own
sexuality. For a while, she’s a model
participant, but a reluctant friendship with another girl grows into something
much deeper, and for once, Megan realizes she can’t simply do as she’s told.
As with
Nan in Tipping the Velvet, I like
that Megan comes into her sexuality unawares.
She’s not just resistant when her friends and family confront her – she
literally doesn’t know what they’re talking about and doesn’t believe them. She hasn’t been wrestling with secret
feelings that she’s ashamed of. Rather,
she carries on modestly with her boyfriend in a disinterested manner, assuming
that no one really likes kissing and
everyone looks at other girls. She doesn’t
think of herself as “wrong” until other people start putting their prejudices
on her.
Tonally,
it sometimes feels like two different films.
A lot of the True Directions stuff is cranked-up-to-11 satire, including
lessons on “appropriately” gendered activities and a simulated how-to on
heterosexual loving featuring flesh-colored body stockings with Adam-and-Eve
leaf designs over the naughty bits. Conversely,
Megan’s blossoming romance with Graham is sweet, grounded, and sexy, an earnest
coming-of-age love story. Both halves
are great on their own, but while they don’t always gel together, I don’t think
the film would be as compelling with only one or the other. It ultimately needs both, and I forgive any
cohesion weirdness in order to get them.
Similarly,
heavy material is dealt with in the midst of the campiness. True Directions’ methods are patently
ridiculous (and horrifying at times – the kids have devices they’re supposed to
shock themselves with when they have “inappropriate” thoughts,) but for some of
the teens, their families will only welcome them back if they complete the program
and come out straight. Even something as
silly as a bored Megan ineptly making out with her boyfriend is tinged with
sadness, because she thinks that’s all love is and doesn’t realize she could
have so much more.
In
addition to Natasha Lyonne, who’s equally hilarious and affecting, the film
costars Clea DuVall (I always remember her best as Georgina in Girl, Interrupted) as the girl Megan
falls for. RuPaul appears out of drag as
an “ex-gay” conversion therapist, and the movie also features Michelle Williams
(I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I love everyone from The Station Agent,) Melanie Lynskey
(Pauline in Heavenly Creatures,) and
Dante Basco (Rufio!)
Warnings
Language
(including homophobic slurs,) lots of sexual references, sexual content
(including an artful sex scene,) drinking, and smoking.
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