Kevin Kline
Howard Brackett
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Comedy
A midwestern teacher questions his sexuality after a former student makes a comment about him at the Academy Awards.
Top Billed Cast
| Release Date | 1997-09-10 |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 1h 30m |
| Directors | Frank Oz, Rob Hahn |
| Producer | Scott Rudin |
| Writer | Paul Rudnick |
The movie is hysterical, it really is a funny film, and one that tries its best to stand up for Gay Rights back in the late 90s when Don't Ask Don't Tell was the height of Gay Rights.
Unfortunately people are reviewing this with an eye to the present and claiming that it stereotypes Gay men, and it does to an extent, but I do believe that a lot of the single star reviews would have made the same complaint no matter what they did with the lead character.
The fact is, for its time, for its era, it was part of the wave of films and TV shows that helped to normalize homosexuality in America, and it's that normalization that, more than any activism, helped for the Civil Rights victories we are seeing in the present.
To shun it over politics is literally to bite the hand that feeds you, especially since it has a clear message that homophobia is wrong and it was movies and TV shows like this that helped bring the attitudes and views on homosexuality that everyone supports today.
But, honestly, none of that matters. What matters is entertainment, that is why movies are made. Even informative movies have to have an eye towards entertaining the viewers if they want to actually be watched.
And, this movie is entertaining. This movie is hysterical, even if the masculinity tape was a bit of a stretch of the imagination even for a comedy, it still was a stretch that won one or two laughs from the audience.
Ultimately, it is a funny film that will entertain. So try to leave your political baggage at the door, and, if you can't, realize that it was films like this that helped normalize the views the American public has towards your political agenda...and then sit back and enjoy a funny and uplifting film with a strong moral.
— GenerationofSwine