Gray Matters

Written and directed by Sue Kramer this romantic comedy tells the story of a coming-out in a very different way, as Gray (Heather Graham) first love is Charlie (Bridget Moynahan) who is about to get married to Gray’s brother (Tom Cavanagh).

I believe this movie has to be commented from two different points-of-view, one as a lesbian interest movie and the other as a mainstream movie, as it was marketed as a mainstream movie.

Let’s start with the lesbian interest label. This is by far the best movie in this genre that I have seen and I believe is a big leap from other recent and old movies. Probably it’s the most positive, nice and attractive coming-out ever filmed up-to-date and it is quite close to real life in many ways than the evident story line of the brother’s bride-to-be twist that may not be that fortunate within the story and later the writer had problems to resolve in the second half of the movie. Perhaps has the highest production values than any similar American films and definitively this is no low budget film, even do is not a high budget film. Then, this is the first positive American movie that has a cast of known, with some even popular, and one academy award winner (Sissy Spacek) actors.

I believe we all know why someone decided to do mainstream marketing for this movie, they want to make money. But this movie was not ready for mainstream marketing and just read movie critics comments and you will see the obvious flaws this movie has. The story is weak and unbelievable, the comedy at times is terrible, the director had troubles resolving the story, etc. etc. Most of what critics say is true; especially when their main frame of reference is formed with all the mainstream movies they have watched.

If I had to write about this movie in the same frame of reference of the movie critics, I have to agree that the movie is not that good; but my frame of reference is wider –seen quite a lot of lesbian interest movies- and obviously if this movie belongs to this genre, I have to objectively compare it to other movies in the same genre.

Maybe Brokeback Mountain changed something in this genre and now they are doing the worst possible they could do, rush into make this genre mainstream with any movie that someone may believe it can succeed. This does not make me happy, as obviously the movie was a commercial flop in theaters and this does not help for the constant improvement of this genre.

Let’s go back to the good part and I will admit that I could change a few things in this movie like the terrible slapstick comedy moments, Heather Graham over acting in some scenes, Tom Cavanagh was miscast (he always be Ed for me) and the feeling that someone from a studio or the producer messed the screenplay; but I loved Gloria Gaynor I will Survive performance, loved the music, even the dancing, liked the good cinematography with quite nice views of New York City, loved watching attractive characters and when the movie was over I wanted more.

This movie makes a sequel so easy and if someone does it right it could even go mainstream into another movie or television sitcom.

A must be seen movie only if you have seen lesbian interest movies before.

Last, do you have an idea of what I am doing after finishing here? Well, I am going back to watch it again! And again…