By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Once again, Daniel Craig demonstrates his impressive range of talent in a role far different from the suave womanizer that is James Bond. “Queer” is based on the novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs, which is partially a sequel to his previous work, “Junkie.” While Craig provides a career best performance, it is not enough to make up for the director’s polluting vision.
The 1950s were not a time of tolerance in America, so William Lee (Daniel Craig) has chosen to live out his days in Mexico City where he finds acceptance amongst fellow American outcasts. He’s able enjoy his sexual proclivities and heroin addiction without fear of legal or societal judgment. Still, for an older gentleman, the lack of love weighs heavy on his lonely heart until a much younger Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey) arrives at this close-knit community.
Lee immediately finds himself smitten with the strapping young lad and explores a more intimate connection. Smoking like a chimney, drinking like a fish, and enduring crippling drug withdrawals, Lee fears his younger beau is becoming bored with his company. His search for a mind-altering drug that would enable a deeper connection with Allerton may not yield the results he has in mind.
After his iconic run as James Bond that spanned 15 years and five films, it is easy to forget that Daniel Craig is a diversely talented actor. He quickly reminds viewers of his impressive versatility in “Queer,” portraying this character with remarkable vulnerability. He beautifully conveys that deeply sad sense of loneliness in his eyes while also believably demonstrating various stages of inebriation. This is an emotionally complex performance that is worthy of an Oscar nomination in addition to the Golden Globe nomination he’s already received.
The other notable performance comes from supporting actor Jason Schwartzman, who makes a rare appearance in a film not made by Wes Anderson. He provides some limited, but much needed comic relief as the more flamboyantly outgoing friend to the main character. Drew Starkey, best known for his major role in the popular TV series “Outer Banks,” does a fine job as well, keeping his emotions and thoughts close to his vest to keep the main character and the audience guessing as to his true intentions.
Unfortunately, Daniel Craig’s sensational performance is overshadowed by director Luca Guadagnino’s sexualized vision. As he did with “Challengers” earlier this year, Luca foregoes storytelling in lieu of artistic style. He takes “Queer” one step further with shock-value imagery that makes “Brokeback Mountain” look tame and “Showgirls” tasteful in comparison. It wouldn’t be so distracting if there was a more cohesive story, but many of the scenes are fragmented and without purpose, leaving audiences jolted out of boredom with images purely designed to discomfort.
What could have been an emotionally deep film of love and loneliness ends up being a hollow mess due to poor execution from Luca. He slows the pacing of the film to a crawl at times amid pretentious symbolism that only serves to confuse his viewers. One of the only things this director does well is incorporate a soundtrack that features Nirvana’s “All Apologies,” which is an apropos inclusion since Kurt Cobain was a friend of William S. Burroughs. It is concerning that Luca has been hired to direct the remake of a modern-day classic, “American Psycho.”
Similar to radio shock jocks emulating Howard Stern to increase their audience numbers through generating controversy, “Queer” exhibits nothing at its core. Not even an Oscar caliber performance from Daniel Craig can elevate this production to a level of mediocrity. If you do see this film, be cognizant of who you go with, because the graphic nature of some of the scenes that border on pornography may cause a feeling of awkwardness.
This movie earns:
