Gaying up the Bard and a chuckle-inducing farce
By:

Stephen Miller

     Small miracles can change a person’s life if one truly grabs a hold of the opportunity offered. Here are two delightful films that don’t waste their luminous magic on timidity.

Were the World Mine

(Starring Tanner Cohen, Wendy Robie, Judy McLane)

****

     When a film does something truly unique, it is easier to forgive its flaws.

     Based on an earlier short called Fairies by the same director, Tom Gustafson, Were the World Mine combines A Midsummer Night’s Dream with modern gay fabulousness into a homespun DIY movie musical. So, if the plot borrows from Dead Poet’s Society, and if the writing sometimes leans toward embarrassing homo cliché, there’s still some neat stuff in here. The premise alone is charming, and most of the musical numbers are actually quite lovely.

Timothy (Cohen) is the gay offspring of a recently divorced mom (McLane). Both mother and son are trying to make their way in the world; she is attempting to sell cosmetics door-to-door, and he fights to fit in at the private school where she has enrolled him. When the school’s mystic of a drama teacher (Robie) casts Timothy as Shakespeare’s famous Puck in the school play, he finds the formula for the famous love potion buried in the Bard’s text. Much melodic hilarity ensues as Timothy proceeds to turn the whole town upside-down à la Dream, except even gayer.

     Truth be told, every so often there’s a clunker in the dialogue, acting and transitional scenes. Also, the choreography and costuming can be a bit heavy-handed in their campiness. However, the Pierre et Gilles-style art direction is admittedly nifty. More importantly, the filmmakers possess the knowledge that musical fantasy is basically escapist entertainment; Timothy’s fairy tale (pun intended) of queerifying the world is one every GLBT person has probably had at one point or another.

     A fascinating subplot is how, after Timothy comes out as gay, his mother must also out herself as the parent of a gay son. McLane plays this with surprising pathos and humor.

     Also, instead of grappling with his own sexuality, Timothy works to find his place as a homo in a small conservative town and private school. A little love potion and Shakespearean magic are just the things to help him out.  In that one magical aspect, this flick suggests that modern gay cinema can now explore a conflict besides the same old coming-out story. That uniqueness alone makes this a film worth seeing.

     Were the World Mine has its world premiere at the Florida Film Festival on Monday, March 31, at 8:45 p.m. at the Regal Winter Park Village Cinemas in Winter Park. It is also playing Wednesday, April 2, at 9:45 p.m., at the Enzian Theater in Maitland. For tickets and more information, visit www.FloridaFilmFestival.com.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

(Starring Francis McDormand, Amy Adams)

****

     There is already something automatically magical about combining the sage and wiry charm of Francis McDormand (Fargo, North Country) with the shiny glitter of Amy Adams (Junebug, Enchanted). Given the right story—and Miss Pettigrew is mostly it—the chemistry between these two actresses should be amazing.

     The story is set in London just before World War II. McDormand’s Miss Pettigrew is a failed governess who’s lost job after job. She’s wise and very capable, but her fusty appearance and moral superiority are a little off-putting. When her employment agency refuses to hire her out anymore, she steals a contact card from them. However, when she reaches her destination, she finds that the child she is to care for is more metaphorical; Delysia Lafosse (Adams) is a full-grown American actress with a flair for the dramatic. Lafosse is also a stunningly beautiful social climber in possession of a well-worked libido.

     Within the delightful day that the film takes place, both women set about to transform the other. The dowdy Miss Pettigrew, while hiding her true identity, morphs into an attractive and adept social secretary. Delysia learns something about responsibility and choice. Of course, they both find some level of romance, but the more important plot here is one of self-discovery.

     One wants to fault to film for being a light and frothy comedy, but to do so would be to deny the pleasure of the basic genre. Miss Pettigrew is stylish with clever comedic acting, classy costumes and a jazzy score. McDormand’s makeover is hilarious yet believable, and Adams remains as bubbly as just-uncorked Champagne. If this farce isn’t quite explosive, and if the plot is a little predictable, at least for an hour and a half, it’s good solid fun.

     In fact, this lighter-than-air premise—with its mistaken identities, fast-paced blocking, and recurring jokes—is the stuff that several very successful musical comedies are often made of.  Perhaps the makers of Were the World Mine have their next gay-friendly project.