There are times these days where it seems like we've lost sight of the thing that forms the core of this country. Freedom. Freedom means people live the lives they want to and make their own decisions without concern for what others think of those decisions. Small Town Gay Bar makes that argument skillfully by letting everyone in it be free to say what they think.
I imagine most people are not going to enjoy sitting through this movie. That's not to say it is a bad movie, but instead to say that it is the sort of keenly observational film that will put people at unease by showing off parts of life and behavior that a lot of people would rather not admit were there.
Sidney Lumet is 83 years old and not only still proving himself a masterful director but also proving himself as someone willing and able to work on the edge technologically, shooting the film digital instead of film. I only mention that detail because you probably won't notice, which says an awful lot.
The two or three of you have bothered to read this column in the past have no doubt come to the conclusion that my efforts to become a filmmaker crashed and burned and that's why I didn't write anymore about it. That's half true. I didn't crash, because I never got off the ground. The burning part is entirely accurate though.
It's hard to imagine a much more convoluted tale than that of Jacques Vergès' career. He is the lawyer who has defended and spoken for pretty much the worst people on earth. The idea that everyone deserves a fair trial with legal representation is a noble one that Vergès pushes to the most disturbing extremes. His list of clients is a rogues gallery of terrorists, thuggish dictators and warlords, with standout names like Carlos the Jackal, Slobodan Milošević and Klaus Barbie. The movie even starts off with Pol Pot giving Vergès a character reference.
Lars is a determined loner. His sister-in-law literally has to tackle him to get him to come to dinner. He dodges would be friends with a goofy smile and awkward silence. Lars wants very badly to be left alone, if only people would let him. His solution is to order Bianca online. She's one of those sex dolls that aspires to look real. Apparently she's fully equipped for whatever kinky stuff Lars might want to try with her. Except he doesn't want any of that. He introduces her as a parapalegic immigrant and moves her in with his family.
