POWDER
A film review by Jonathan Abbey
Copyright 1995 Jonathan Abbey
I left the theater thinking POWDER was one of the best movies I had seen in a long time. Seemingly aimed at teenagers, with a moderate case of children's movie simplicity, the movie nonetheless resonated strongly for me.
POWDER was enjoyable to me for the cinematography, for several of the characters, and for the strong sense and presence of the unknown, both in terms of Powder's strange powers, and in terms of Jeremy's unknown identity and place in the world.
It is the only movie that I can think of that specifically spoke to being a young adult growing up and feeling isolated for being very smart and not straight enough. The movie features an estranged adult gay son and his father, and a frankly homoerotic scene involving a character who had already been shown to be interested in women as well.. that is, a character who does not yet understand his place in the world in many ways.
The movie gave the very clear message that it might be okay to be different. Really different, not just skinny and awkward around the cheerleaders. And the performances by Mary Steenburgen, Jeff Goldblum and Lance Henrikson felt very earnest and caring. They seemed to love and truly accept Powder, different though he be. This sounds like a common theme, and it is. But rarely have I seen a movie that so well captures the feeling that one has no place or hope for place as well as this one does. Certainly I've not seen one that is this brave in the situation it sets up, nor so caring in the acceptance given to the differences inside that can keep one isolated and without connection to community.
Obviously, how you perceive this movie will depend a lot on the degree to which you empathize with the main character. If you are in the closet or in confusion and turmoil about your sexual identity, you may find this to be an extremely powerful movie. I did.
It troubles me that Victor Salva has done the things he has done, and that he may continue to be ill. It troubles me greatly because I fear that his sickness may be seen as coming through in a movie that is by it's tone aimed at teenagers and which does feature an explicit and unapologetic (and unexplained) instance of homosexual longing on the part of the main character. Had Salva not had a child molestation conviction, this movie might well have stirred up a homophobic reaction among many, but it's loving tone and message may have come through. With Salva's past behavior and conviction, I found myself wondering after the fact (after reading every post on our news spool about peoples' opinions about the movie) if any difference in sexuality really should be considered to be wrong. If we all agree that pedophilia is an illness, however natural it may seem to come about, then what logical reason is there for accepting that homosexuality is not itself an illness? This linkage between homosexuality and pedophilia, already strong in many peoples' minds, seems unfortunately likely to be strengthened by seeing this movie.
-- Jonathan Abbey jonabbey@eden.com Austin, Texas
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