Hate Crime (2005) - LightShed 10

Very good movie.  Very easy case for a LightShed 10. 

It is a great thing that the title gives you a peek into the plot of the movie.  You will need to be prepared because the movie hits close to home.

In the movie, Seth Peterson and Brian J. Smith are nice gays, about to get married.  Chad Donella is a homophobic guy who moves in next door.  He is the son of a pastor, played by Bruce Davison.  The movie starts with a dog on a leash, running alone, and you'll be glued to your seat for the rest of the movie.  That constant state of tension that good thrillers deliver.

At first, the plot seemed straightforward, and I think that was great.  I kind of needed that simplicity because I knew I was about to get a punch in the stomach and I didn't want to worry too much about much else.  But there's more to the plot.  Interesting twists.

Now to the gay movie review.  The movie provided a great and harsh criticism of the way religious groups have kidnapped the bible and morals in the US.  The movie shows a homophobic religious group but also let us know there is a god who doesn't hate fags.  All shot in Texas.

In one scene, the gay couple looks into wedding bands and finds acceptance from the store clerk.  In another scene, Brian Smith's mom offers her own egg to the couple, she wants a grandson so badly.  I know, a little weird, but very sweet and loving.  I almost cried here.  Also,the gays are trusted enough to babysit a boy.  The gays are willing to take parenting lessons.  They get along great with other neighbors.  To top it all off, the homophobes are portrayed in a bad light.  Super yay!

I have been very glad and optimistic with the recent crop of gay movies.  Hate Crime joins Loggerheads in that rank.  The movies are very different but share the same great pace and colors (I love the greens in both movies).  Hate Crime is also serious fare, also gut wrenching (albeit for different reasons).

The couple is cute and comfortable in their skin:

The homophobe:

The movie does provide a bit of skin, but less than your usual gay film.  Great, more skin would have been unnecessary and sort of in the way of the important message of acceptance. 

I think this movie, more than any other I guess (even more than Bent), hits close to home because it's so contemporary.  Homophobia is present in various forms still today.  Very present.  Kudos for Tommy Stovall (he wrote and directed).  You guys, do hope for the movie to play in a theater near you.  Watch the trailer here.

Way to start Tommy!  I can't wait for your next flick. 

I have a few more words to say about the gay content, but they may sort of spoil part of the surprises in the movie, but I'll be far from revealing any major plot twists or the ending.  So read on or get out now and go see this movie.

Our main gay goes pink pistol.  I am all against guns, but you can't help the feeling of "good for him" in this case.  So, initially you may think our gay is vindictive.  But trust me, it's all justifiable here.

Also, I wasn't too thrilled that the homophobe turned out to be gay.  Not surprised, but not happy.  Anyway, it is easy to take that as yet another criticism for a hate filled society.  You can actually see that the movie closes in even more on homophobia by having the homophobe be gay.  Why would he be a gay homophobe if it wasn't for social pressure.  The homophobe was brought up in a prejudiced family, a family using their interpretation of the bible to help repress society and their son:

Anyway, the light is abundantly positive, enough to eliminate any potential harm the gay homophobe may cause on people's minds.

Comments

[Adrian Hamilton]

There's a lot of repressed people in this world, if 'Hate Crime' the film invokes the masses to find true love, peer pressure could become a thing of the past and people could flower.

[Queer Beacon]

I loved that too Greg! There was that great scene with the two sermons going on at the same time. Super.

[Greg]

A friend and I saw this last year at a festival in Newport Beach, complete with a performance of the film score's composer. Great film, and one thing I enjoyed was how the two diffeent churches were portrayed: Bruce Davidson's is dark as is his message, while the church that Brian and Seth attend is full of light, love, and acceptance.