MovieChat Forums > Almost Normal (2005) Discussion > Anti-Gay Flick?

Anti-Gay Flick?

posted 18 years ago by alucard1-1
36 replies | jump to latest

Okay... evidently several people here like this movie, however, I was sort of disturbed by it.

As a gay man, I was a little shocked that the main character, initially 'gay,' after waking up in this alternate reality, changes his stripes and becomes straight.

Now.. I know we've all used the arguement, 'What if everything was reversed'? But this story went further. It seemed to me that the character was gay, only because it was 'different' than the norm, and so was straight in the alternate reality. To me, this is a slap in the face. He was supposed to have been the same person, since he had all his memories. So how is it that he just decides that he's now straight? Isn't that an idea gays have been fighting since '69? The fact that its NOT a choice we make, other than to be ourselves?

The acting was decent. I did not like the story.

For the other 'mo's out there that watched this... what's your take on that?

[–] trayce 18 years ago

I agree... I liked the movie but found it confusing. I like how the story twists so that heterosexuality is considered "abnormal" but then when he "switched sides" so easily, didn't he indeed make that choice? Weird...

Was the theme intending to convey that bi-sexuality is truly natural or was it to show homophobics the flip-side or that we make do choices on who we want to have relations with and homosexuality is a choice?

Overall I liked the film but it seemed like it was inconsistent....BTW I am a mostly heterosexual female....lol

[–] Violet_Loves_Iliona 17 years ago

Bisexual. One word... Do you say or write ho-mo-sexual? :P

[–] alucard1-1 18 years ago

I suppose Anti-Gay is a bit harsh, but I, too, did not get a clear understanding of the message.

And it did sort of give be a bad feeling the way the main character 'flipped' the way he did...

[–] theowl63-1 18 years ago

I am also a gay man and I was also quite baffled by this film and it's overall message. It seems as though in his dream (I'm assuming he's dreaming as he is recovering from the car accident) he has created this 'alternate reality' in which gay is the norm and straight is... abnormal.

And so if he is gay in reality, in the alternate reality he's supposed to be straight? But if he retains all of his memories from the 'real' world, wouldn't he still be a gay man in this alternate reality?

I don't necessarily think this film is anti-gay. I actually think they were trying to show straight people in our society how we as gay people are perceived/treated in our daily lives. I just don't think it was done very successfully. And, unfortunately, most of the people who will go see this type of film are gays.

I actually wish the cheerleaders had been all boys, however... and the girls were the football players. Something like that. Some of the acting was a bit over the top (Brad's mom), but I liked the scene at the end in which Brad and Roland do end up together. Yay-! A happy ending in a gay film-!

[–] SknkinJuan 18 years ago

Wow... well hmm... these are all interesting comments - If any of you have seen or rented the DVD (assuming it's been distributed - I really didn't pay attention), I was the audio engineer who recorded commentary by Mark Moody (the director/writer) and Sharon Teo (the editor). I was just checking out some information on the film to bring it back into my memory - resume writing and all that - but I thought I'd share some inside information with you all...

Mark Moody - IS - a gay man, and he is most assuredly not anti-gay. The message of the film was supposed to be a 'what-if everything were reversed' and homosexuality was the norm, then straight people would want rights too. I think overall, Mark was trying to use some farce and humor to keep everything a little lighthearted and really remind his audience to not take things too seriously - and to kind of show how silly it is to separate groups of people by sexual orientation in terms of rights and things.

Anyway - NOT ANTI-GAY. I'm sure Mark would be disappointed that you took it that way :(

[–] TAthena 18 years ago

I liked the movie, not the best, or most thought provoking, but it was fun.
I was very upset that he all of the sudden found himself attracked to girls, or at least, that one girl. But the movie never said that he turned straight, at the end he sees that one guy and they look at eachother rather other-than-Platonically, IT could be suggested that he is bisexual with a strong preference to men. Or maybe, if you want to go to a much deeper level of interpretation you could say that Being gay in the normal world made him an outsider, and in the reverse world he was normal, so he had to become an outsider again to learn to be happy with who you are, whether you fit in or not.

"the cheese is old and moldy...where is the bathroom?"

[–] alucard1-1 18 years ago

"Wow... well hmm... these are all interesting comments - If any of you have seen or rented the DVD (assuming it's been distributed - I really didn't pay attention), I was the audio engineer who recorded commentary by Mark Moody (the director/writer) and Sharon Teo (the editor). I was just checking out some information on the film to bring it back into my memory - resume writing and all that - but I thought I'd share some inside information with you all...

Mark Moody - IS - a gay man, and he is most assuredly not anti-gay. The message of the film was supposed to be a 'what-if everything were reversed' and homosexuality was the norm, then straight people would want rights too. I think overall, Mark was trying to use some farce and humor to keep everything a little lighthearted and really remind his audience to not take things too seriously - and to kind of show how silly it is to separate groups of people by sexual orientation in terms of rights and things.

Anyway - NOT ANTI-GAY. I'm sure Mark would be disappointed that you took it that way :("

As I said, I admitted that "anti-gay" was too strong a comment...

As far as distribution, it appears as tho it is available on DVD. I, myself saw it on cable, and had no commentary to go by.

My basic point was the film <itself> did not give a clarification, or rational reason for why the main character was gay in "real life" then switched after waking up after the car wreck.

I also mentioned the 'what if everything was reversed' issue... but as I said, the way it is portrayed in the film, it sort of makes it look like being Gay is in itself a choice to be made. That being 'gay' was just a choice to be made to be different. This is what I came away with from the film. I did not understand the message the film was trying to make.

Could you offer some insight to what was said in this commentary?

** edited for typos **

[–] imdb-11083 18 years ago

I took it as a funny movie, with no specific messsage. I just enjoyed looking at all the cute guys, especially Tim Hammer, how come he doesnt have much of a career ..... I would think the guys and gals would rally around him ;)

[–] gothy_punkish 18 years ago

I watched this movie with my gay/lesbian/bisexual youth group a few weeks ago. We all enjoyed quite a bit, didnt take it all that seriously, really. But I dont think its an anti-gay film, i think its just telling us that no matter who you are, theres always going to be someone to insult you and think your strange.

[–] Bgb217 17 years ago

I don't think this movie was smart enough to be anti-gay, lol. I liked the movie, enough, was entertaining. In other hands, it could have been WONDERFUL, though.

-Bryan

[–] SknkinJuan 18 years ago

Yeah... Actually, I'd have to go back and listen to the master to to tell you what was in the commentary, but ultimately, I think the point Marc was trying to make was that either way, the protagonist was the outsider and that if the situation was reversed he'd still be an outsider and I believe the moral was that one should accept who they are and be comfortable with it (and I believe the lesson he learned at the end was to quit whining about being gay because it's who he is and that should be alright with him). I really can't comment on flaws in the film, I really had nothing to do with its creation other than that I worked as an audio engineer at the school the editor (Sharon Teo)teaches at and I recorded their commentary. Anyway, all I was really trying to say was that if the impression you had gotten was that the film was Anti-Gay, I'm quite sure that was never Marc's intent. Whether or not he was successful is obviously debatable.

I'm sorry if you were hoping for a more complete answer, I don't really have the time to pull the master of an hour and a half director commentary and listen to it for the sheer purpose of enlightening people on IMDB about a film I didn't make (and incidentally am not even credited on this site for being at all involved with).

[–] dmsnla 18 years ago

I didn't interpret it as anti-gay but rather all over the place and tried to do too much. It tried to address gay being the norm. Then it had to address every single person in his life as the opposite. The straight friend who turns on him turns out to be a gay straight-basher. He gets to kiss the football jock but then decide (and it was odd how they did it) that he was straight and loved his best friend. This seemed to play on the idea that she may have been in love with him in the original reality and had only married his brother. It just seemed all over the place.

[–] Violet_Loves_Iliona 17 years ago

I liked it for each of the plot points you've just described, I definitely didn't consider it all over the place at all... I thought I wouldn't be that into this film, but I really liked it!! :)

[–] Big Ox 18 years ago

I could not agree with alucard1-1 more. I for one hated ALMOST NORMAL! This smirk-fest of self-congratulatory nonsense should have never been made. I especially despised the line near the end of the film, where the star indicates that what one wants, isn't necessarily what one needs. This would be all right to say in the context of choosing what brand of peanut butter you like most, but it is very insulting to dismiss one's sexual orientation in such a casual manner. It is one of the most self-hating lines in gay movie history. I have had many homophobic clergy say the exact same thing to me about liking other guys when I was a teenager. It was doubly offensive hearing it from the mouth of a gay man.

[–] mfafilm 18 years ago

Big Ox,

Sorry you were so abused by the film Almost Normal. Yet have to point something out here.

Brad says, "It seems all my life I've always been wanting. But what I want, isn't necessarily what I need." He does not say "one" he says "I." Very big difference. And that line has nothing to do with one's sexual orientation.

It's about one's individual journey to find happiness, peace of mind. At the beginning of the story, Brad thinks it's the world that fixes one's inside and makes one normal. But discovers that it is more complicated than that.

Brad is going to be different no matter what world he lives in. Therefore, Brad has to learn that being NORMAL will only come through him and his self-acceptance. The phrase "what I want isn't necessarily what I need" is not about choosing a brand of Peanut Butter. Rather, telling someone to get over one's self. Accepting life on life's terms. If you can't understand that, then you for sure will never understand this film.

Almost Normal, in its most simplistic explanation, is trying to make a point about what Normal is by creatively "dicking" with the audience. Making them have to think what the story is trying to say.

In a world today where most film have been "dummied down" or simply "spoon feeding" the audience, it's no wonder some people are slightly confused with Almost Normal and its message.

[–] voidasunder 18 years ago

Im not sure what movie you were watching, but the one I watched just didnt seem to be that deep.
What I got for it was this guy has issues with being gay in the first place. Mid life crisis, wishfully wondering what if he was straight because being gay seemed to hard for him. Then the Bizarro world happens, except it didnt match up. Why would he go straight when its all happening in his mind and he knows what he likes. He was a gay guy.
When the chick asks him how sex with her was, he made it sound like the best thing hed ever done and could ever do, but he didnt seem to realize he was straight till 2/3rds into the movie.
His excuses for not going wiht the guy he had the crush on didnt reflect him being straight. That whole going straight thing just seemed forced. Done for a diliberate effect and to heck with making a cohesive movie. It just wasnt believable to me. Why would he go breeder like that, when all the gays we see are straight sin out reality. And all the Queers seem to be the straights. Except his GF. I guess it can be chalked up to his warped mind trying to figure things out.
Then at the end he runs into his dude hiking and he seems like hes grooving on him again. Plus it seems like the dude remembers the other world to.
I just dont think the themes were really carried out completely. And the focus was all over the place. The movie tired to be too much. Comedy, drama, morality play, tounge in cheek, coming of age- I dont know. It was just too busy to me. I just dont get why the main guy went staight. Wouldnt it have been better if hed have stayed Queer and fought for Hets rights as a gay man? And why did all the people at the dance turn straight? (except the principal) If they were going to mak e it that cheesy, why not give it mor of a John Waters slant. Screw trying to keep it based in realtiy at all. Just have fun with it and let the moral come out, but let the fun be paramont. IV e seen worse movies. This one just needed more focus. The acting outsone the script for the most part. Sometimes you forget this was supposed to be happening in the 70s and the acting seems like someone trying to act liek they were 30 years younger.
I think that But Im a cheerleader had the kind of vibe this movie should have had.
But thats my opinion. Not anti=gay, but brother had issues with his sexual identity.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kowwin 18 years ago

I thought that movie was aweful. The acting...eh, not so good. and the plot...non-existant. and I thought it was kinda anti-gay in a way...Boo

[–] mike852846 18 years ago

Yes, the film had its flaws, but overall I found enjoyment with it, possibly because most of the characters were likeable. I think had they re-written the script just a few more times they could have come up with a great film, but instead they were obviously too keen to get it made asap. I agree it was a little confusing and some things didn't make sense "If girls were meant to be with guys then girls would like football" - there are plenty of girls out there who DO like football. Also, as someone else mentioned, it would have been better with the guys being the cheerleaders whilst the girls played the sport - also the whole showering business was a bit of a palava - we shower with the same sex cos we got the same parts, not cos we're not supposed to be sexually attracted to them. Like I and many others have said, there were alot of flaws but it was still and 'nice' little film, and the ending was definately a feel-good one.

[–] saboruto 17 years ago

I think you guys all missed the point. It seemed to me that the "universe" or whatever caused him to go into his little mirror world was trying to teach him the lesson that it's important to accept who you are, and that being the same as everyone else isn't as important as being yourself. The universe granted his wish by putting him into a world full of people like himself, but he was still different. If he'd stayed gay in Gay World, he never would've realized that it's ok to be yourself. Instead he would have only learned that fitting in is a good thing, and that's not necessarily a positive message.

In the end, he realized that it's more important to be yourself than to be everyone else, and that's when he was able to go home. And after he learned this important lesson, he found his happiness.

Ultimately the message is that you should be happy being yourself, even if that makes you different. That's a very gay-positive message!

[–] Violet_Loves_Iliona 17 years ago

Perfectly said. I think that the people who have said disbarraging things on this forum about the film are really reacting to their own life issues, and ignoring that this film isn't like their life.

I think they're just venting about their lives and maybe that helps them but I'd hate to think that the filmmaker ever read any of this! :(

[–] koolaid123 17 years ago

I think you missed the point of this film

It was about the character learning that no matter where he goes he will always be different and that he needs to except himself for who he is.

The main idea was that he didnt have a choice. He will always be different,

Formerly known as wiccan_dude666

[–] orthohawk 17 years ago

I don't think it's Anti-Gay at all. In fact, it's affirming; no so much of being gay, but being who you are, whatever that is.

It's Brad's "destiny" to be different; whether it's gay in a str8 world or str8 in a gay world. His "mission" is to accept himself as different. And he does come to that conclusion at the end. Sure there's help in the form of....whom he ends up with....but he does learn to accept himself.

[–] soccersx21 17 years ago

I'm gay and took no offense. When he was gay, he just wanted to be straight. His wishes come true in the new world, yet he still isn't happy. I took this to mean that it doesn't matter if you are gay or straight, but that being yourself is what will bring you happiness.