45/21
In 1950s Mexico, an American immigrant in his forties lives a lonely life in a small American community. But the arrival of a young student prompts the man to finally have a meaningful connection with someone. Daniel Craig eventually convinced Luca Guadagnino to play Drew Starkey after watching audition tapes with Guadagnino and telling him “That’s the guy” upon seeing Starkey… William Lee: Get on your ass! Or what’s left of it after four years in the Navy.. Presented by The Graham Norton Show: Daniel Craig / Nicola Coughlan / Jesse Eisenberg / Kieran Culkin / Flo (2024). I’ve never seen ‘Southern Naked’ (1991), but I often think about it during 2024. The London Film Festival screening of Queer: this was probably to be expected, since William S Burroughs provided the source material for both films. In 1950s Mexico, William Lee, an American writer in the wrong… forties? Fifties? Spends his days drinking, shooting himself and having casual sex with other men. One day, a muscular, intelligent young man named Eugene walks into a bar and Lee is captivated. But what does Eugene want? Then there’s the telepathic drug… I’m not sure what director Luca Guadagnino is going for stylistically with this film. The sets are decorated almost entirely in block colours – dull red and olive green, for example – and have that vaguely unrealistic, clean Technicolor look that made you think they were paying homage to the films of the era in which the film is set. But if that’s the case, why the decidedly 1950s rock and techno soundtrack? Daniel Craig (is it my imagination or is he starting to sound like Sid James?) is stuck in the lead role, constantly having to deliver nonsensical speeches. Clearly not in his accent. Drew Starkey manages to deliver a more subtle performance as the manipulative Eugene and certainly looks ready. Lesley Manville is unrecognizable as the doctor living in the South American jungle – great job with the makeup team! This is the kind of movie that seems to me more about the art style than the narrative substance. It was good to see once, but I won’t watch it again.
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