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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2002)
I february 15.2002 - J u t an t 37 F ll M .........▼...... *" Transgressive ban and Charley limped through the queer filmiest circuit drawing plenty of raised eyebrows and little prospect of distribution. It wasn’t so much the subject matter per se; "intergenerational love” (aka pedophil ia) has been popping up in movies quite a hit lately. But audiences used to seeing such dra the film’s increasingly hypnotic spell. Both mas end in suicide or murder after much suffer ing by all parties might he disappointed. lead actors acquit themselves well in difficult roles, coming to life under the camera’s pitiless Low-key nearly to the point of torpor, Eban recording of their every tic and turn. This and Charley rejects the sensationalism inherent in this most enduring of cultural taboos. The film’s brings its own kind of tension as we get to know the characters and their title characters, a 29-year-old soc cer coach and a 15-year-old hoy, neediness. The prospect of are presented as consenting if their comeuppance becomes almost nerve-racking. hopelessly naive parties to what seems to he a dtximed affair. Love it or hate it, this movie at least should stimulate Set at the Oregon coast, the debate on a subject that’s been film follows Ehan’s (Brent Fel too demonized for rational dis lows) return in disgrace to his cussion. Angry and hurt at the parents after being fired for thought of losing Eban, falling in love with one of his Charley says with emshing students. At the local CD store sincerity: “I don’t think age he meets Charley (Giovanni Andrade). The two play guitar, should matter. W hen you’re read ptxztry and fall in love. 74, I’m going to he 60. W e’ll both he old men.” In the mist-enshrouded The film is most provoca coastal community, their rela H e’s old enough to be...his tive in its challenge of the tionship at first goes unnoticed, w ay older brother common cultural trope of allowing them furtive strolls on the beach and hand-holding walks in the coun older oppressor and younger victim. — Gary Morris try. O f course, the town is not as sleepy as it seems, and the affair eventually comes to the ' he Iron Ladies is based on the true story of a attention of their not-exactly-thrilled parents. volleyball team—composed of a lesbian Beautifully shot on digital video in Port coach, gay men, transsexuals, transvestites land, Astoria and Seaside, Eban arid Charley and one token straight— that came out of emphasizes mood and emotional nuance at the nowhere in 1996 to win Thailand’s national expense of action, a strategy that will alienate some hut reward those willing to surrender to championships. In his first feature, television E Be it love or sports, these cinema queers play by their own rules i commercial director Yongyoot Thongkongtoon has admitted to playing fast and loose with the hard facts, but what we see in the film is certainly a diverse and intriguing bunch, dramatized or not. Mon (Sahaparp Virakamin) is a volleyball enthusiast who frequently finds himself turned down at tryouts because he’s gay. His chipper, proudly girl ish friend Jung (Chaichan Nimptxmsawas) convinces him to try out for a team being organized by Coach Bee (Siridhana Hong- sophon). When both are selected, the rest of the players quit in protest. Bee asks Mon and Jung if they know any more open-minded players, and they eventually come up with, among others, a April, May and June flamboyantly gay army sergeant (apparently, “don’t ask, don’t tell” is one hassle Thailand’s government didn’t feel the need to bother with), a transsexual nightclub performer and a “straight-acting” closeted gay man. As Bee leads them to greater discipline and victory, petty rivalries and strife both internal and external test their solidarity. O nce the players finally get it sufficiently together to taste their greatest success on the court and prove their myriad detractors wrong, the homophobia of ill-meaning individuals in the upper echelons of the Thai sports world threatens to end their winning streak. T he most successful sequences are those in which we see the characters in action. Just as Raging Bull or Personal Best fascinated even viewers totally uninterested by boxing or track, one needn’t be a volleyball nut to get drawn into the film’s thrill of victory/agony of defeat quandary. Unfortunately, the sections of The Iron Ladies that do not take place on the court are rife with awkward, strident prosely tizing. Characters are repeatedly given grand- standing speeches, as if displaying a cross section of gay maledom kicking ass on the macho-domi nated volleyball court isn’t enough to let the audi ence know that the film’s “message” is one of diver sity and tolerance. Still, mixing this heavy-handedness into a are great ball handlers story .both simple and engaging doesn’t make The Iron Ladies any worse (or better) than a Rocky or a Days of Thunder. It’s a watchable, com petent, imperfect genre picture. — Christopher McQuain JH E b a n a n d C h a r l e y plays through Feb. 21 at Hollywood Theatre. For times call 503-281-4215. T h e I r o n L a d ie s phys Feb. 23 to 28 at Cinema 2 1. Call 503-223-4515. Bank of A m e rica Pops: BRIGHT LIG H TS ! BROADW AY! M u s i c by A n d r e w L lo y d W e b b e r & F r i e n d s Sat.. 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