In & Out (1997)
Seen on 26 September 1997 with Linda for $9 at the SONY Lincoln Square
As an acquaintance put it, "*In & Out* is good PR for the gay community in middle America." This is a very perceptive description of this high-concept situation comedy. Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline) is a high-school English teacher who about to get married. He lives in a small town in Illinois and the story takes place on the eve of the Oscars. One of the alumni, actor Cameron Drake (Matt Dillon), has been nominated for Best Actor. So, the whole town is watching and waiting to see if he will win. He does, and cites Howard as one of his inspirations, and he announces, "and he's gay." Howard does his best to reassure his newly t hin fiancee Emily (Joan Cusack), his parents (Debbie Reynolds and Wilford Brimley), his principal (Bob Newhart), and his friends and students that he is fact *not gay*.
But there is also the small matter of satisfying the media circus that camps out in the town the very next day.. One infotainment reporter--Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck)--is gay himself, and relentless hounds Howard about the status of his sexual orientation.
Without giving too much away, I can safely say that the characters are strictly l ight and fluffy. From Debbie Reynolds as the mother who claims she needs Howard's wedding the way an addict needs heroin, to Joan Cusack as the befuddled bride-to-be, there are a lot of harmless chuckles to be had here. Just about *everyone* is a stereoty pe here. What ensues is an exploration into "what makes a man a man" and it does so very humorously. A very memorable scene: Howard listening to a tape to "improve masculinity."
It all leads to an obligatory happy ending, obligatory since it is a comedy. It even has the feel of a *Mr. Smith Goes to Washington*; fairness must win the day.
Perhaps the most important aspect of this movie is that it garnered the number two spot for its opening weekend. This officially marks the end of the "invisible gay man" in the minds of the mainstream moviegoer. In a year when Ellen Degeneres comes out on national TV, *In & Out*'s number two status means more straight people are seeing positive gay images than ever before. I read recently that movies have to do well in the heart of America and if they do, they will succeed everywhere. Paul Rudnick, author of *Jeffrey* and the alter-ego of Libby Gelman-Waxner, is a funny and talented writer, which contributes greatly to this success. It might not be among the top ten mo vies I will ever see, but it is enjoyable, and its success at this time is very telling.
More movie reviews by Seth Bookey, with graphics, can be found at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2679/kino.html
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