MovieChat Forums > My Year Without Sex (2009) Discussion > what was the point of the gay son?

what was the point of the gay son?

posted 15 years ago by dave_rave_flava
7 replies | jump to latest

Look, I'm queer, so it's always a relief to find a gay character in a movie. But I just got really frustrated with this movie, as there was absolutely no point in making the son gay.
The part that confused me most was when gets approached by some potential child molester; we think the worst is gonna happen, but the tension is for nothing as in the end he's perfectly fine.
Now, I'm not saying this kid should've been molested or something, and I'm not saying the director should have turned this into a queer coming of age film or whatever, but directorially speaking, having this little subplot that had no conclusion, and frankly no point, was just irritating.

[–] Xcalat3 15 years ago

pointless, like the rest of the movie

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] CitrusWithFuschiaTrim 15 years ago

Was he even gay? It seemed to be just another of the many instances of things sexual being foisted upon every character by external forces whether they welcomed it or not. He hadn't even reached puberty and seemed bewildered by suggestions that he should be doing anything other than follow football obsessively. I'm not entirely sure he wasn't just 'pre-sexual'. (Although I guess I could have overlooked something more conclusive.)

This also seems consistent with the still younger daughter receiving ridiculously premature advice about the selection of a husband.
_____
I suppose on a clear day you can see the class struggle from here.

[–] grinderVegan765 14 years ago

Why does it need a point? In reality people have gay children, I think the point of adding in that characteristic of that character but not harping on it or centering an entire plot point about it was to show that a persons sexuality is not a defining feature of their personality, and I find it more refreshing when it's alluded to but not explored than when it turns into the only thing the character is worth.

sad to be alone in the world, isn't it?

[–] blackurge9 13 years ago

I agree with Brodie Sevigny. I guess I wasn't watching closely enough because I never picked up that he was supposed to be gay. If that was their intent I think it would be refreshing to have a character like that just happen to be gay without it having to be a plot point, just like in real life. I'm all for gay coming-of-age movies, but really, outside of those movies gay kids still don't exist in the mainstream cinema. It might be nice for gay kids that age to see a character who isn't in turmoil and isn't there to be someone else's fabulous sidekick.

[–] IFeelPossessed 13 years ago

And there was me thinking he was just a child being portrayed as a child, not yet understanding his emotions or having to much concerns about sexuality. A marvellous contract to Ross and Natalie's friends kids, who were the same age but already more sexually aware. He is an emotional child who loves football. Kids grow up all too quickly nowadays, as indicated when his 8 yr old sister tries to dress like a 16 yr old at the start.

The potential child molester at the cinema did have me wondering what next disaster was going to happen next...luckily nothing.

[–] dendee11 11 years ago

I don't think they portrayed him as gay . I thought that, unlike his friends, his sexual curiosity hadn't peaked and that's why he left the movie . I'm glad they didn't take the molester incident further.

[–] henrimaine 10 years ago

Why on earth does the original poster think the boy was gay? Nothing in the film gave any indication of that. As for the molester, we don't really know what happened with him, maybe the molester took the boy somewhere, maybe he tried something, maybe they just had a talk, maybe the man wasn't even a molester.