Steve, I agree with the point you’re making – I haven’t seen the film but everything I’ve read about it indicates it was very well done, the homosexual aspect as far as titillation was very downplayed, and the focus was on the emotional harm these men inflicted on their families and themselves. Everyone I’ve talked with who has seen it said it was emotionally gripping and a beautiful film. If I were a more artsy sort of person, into “film” instead of just movies, maybe that would be enough to make me overlook my main problem with the movie.
I won’t see the movie for the same reasons another poster touched on – I really think it’s a beautiful, well done film with a manipulative agenda behind it. I don’t like being manipulated. I’m pretty good at seeing it coming and avoiding it and I won’t willingly subject myself to it. I believe the film is an insidious and very effective attempt to work mainstream America’s emotions and make them more sympathetic to the idea that homosexuality is a morally neutral alternative lifestyle and to the idea of same sex marriage. I have had homosexual friends, I dated a guy who it turned out was trying to overcome his same sex attraction with me ( I failed miserably
) – I know real life, genuine people who struggled in so many ways with this. That’s different from being fed a set storyline which I strongly suspect is intentionally promoting a certain agenda.
Like others have said, I’m also very sympathetic to those who struggle with their sexuality. I’ll probably get flamed for this, but I also believe that some people are just born homosexual and don’t choose it. These people carry a burden that seems so unfair to me that it’s one of the first questions I’ll ask God if I ever get to meet Him. I am very upset to hear of hate crimes and nastiness and discrimination against homosexuals – that is just wrong. But, it is also not just an alternative, morally neutral lifestyle and same sex marriage is an oxymoron.
Anyway, that’s my take on it.
