Concerning Queer: Reflections on HBO"s Looking
HBO’s recently aired series Looking ended just as it started: with an unanswered debate about the meaning of queer culture. Fourteen years into the XXI Century and we are finally able to air a primetime series about a group of young men living in San Francisco, who just happen to be gay. The LGBT community seems divided by their verdicts on the series, not only because Looking is centered solely on male characters but also because it lacks the stereotypical queer character that has been over-explored in film and television history.
Many call it the next major step in society's readiness to accept homosexuality. Others call it a sure sign that the radicalism of 'queerness' is dead. Overwhelmingly, critics call the series dull, monotonous and boring, a description not typically associated with anything gay. Can a boy-meets-boy story be anything other than camp?
Director Andrew Haigh, in his highly acclaimed and amazingly crafted feature Weekend (2011), portrays an ordinary boy-meets-boy story that is uniquely styled and, frankly, a big gulp of fresh air in LGBT filmography. The film is not excessively homoerotic, the cinematography is simple, and the characters are a representation of an earlier generation of film where the story is mainly structured by dialogue (think Richard Linklater’s Before Sunset and Before Sunrise). In other words Weekend is stripped of stereotypes aimed at major audiences. In a sense Weekend sails away from our idea of 'queer'. When trying to define cinema that depicts homosexuality through a route not often taken, it is no surprise that Haigh was selected to direct 5 episodes of HBO’s Looking.
The main problem of this series, however, is not its portrayal of gay single culture or its subjects but in its rhythm. It feels as if it is still trying to find and define itself as a series, while at the same time attract a major audience, not unlike how its gay characters navigate society. Hopefully it will grow along with its sister show Girls, another HBO series that has increased in popularity over its three seasons.
Looking may not share the same fate. It only aired for eight weeks. For those who have yet to connect with its possibilities, Looking tells the stories of Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez) and Dom (Murray Bartlett). The three have absolutely no problem with their sexuality, yet struggle with business, relationships and decisions in their daily lives. In their 'normal' lives, they seem to say: "We are here, but not that queer", while at the same time they slide perfectly into another stereotype in the making, the gay hipster.
Supporting actor Russel Tovey once said: “The only thing I can give to young gay people is that when I was growing up there were no role models that were blokey, that were men. Everybody was flamboyant and camp, and I remember going, ‘That's not me, so even though I think I am gay, I don't think I fit into this world”.
Following Tovey's lead, why should one idea of 'queer' represent an entire culture? One must not forget that there are still many ways of seeing gay men and gay culture beyond the stereotyped characters portrayed in most conservative media.
The conclusion I find is simple: Being gay is just like being in real life. The fact is, in spite of progress made and wider cultural acceptance of homosexuality, there are still those that aspire to live a life without a great connection to queer culture. And there are still those who unfortunately aren’t able to accept it because they live with disadvantages of being queer on a daily basis. It is obvious that Looking's view of a 'normal' gay life will not help those that are not out in any traditional way. However, in its sluggishness, Looking may prove to be widely beneficial in its insistence on pointing out the mundane, which is the reality of our daily lives. The title 'Looking' seems appropriate then to reflect on the meaning of queer culture, as before any other definition there is a person.
Carlos Lopes is a London-based film critic, filmmaker and guest author. His series 'Concerning Queer' questions the meaning of our gay lives through popular film and cinema.
Many call it the next major step in society's readiness to accept homosexuality. Others call it a sure sign that the radicalism of 'queerness' is dead. Overwhelmingly, critics call the series dull, monotonous and boring, a description not typically associated with anything gay. Can a boy-meets-boy story be anything other than camp?
Director Andrew Haigh, in his highly acclaimed and amazingly crafted feature Weekend (2011), portrays an ordinary boy-meets-boy story that is uniquely styled and, frankly, a big gulp of fresh air in LGBT filmography. The film is not excessively homoerotic, the cinematography is simple, and the characters are a representation of an earlier generation of film where the story is mainly structured by dialogue (think Richard Linklater’s Before Sunset and Before Sunrise). In other words Weekend is stripped of stereotypes aimed at major audiences. In a sense Weekend sails away from our idea of 'queer'. When trying to define cinema that depicts homosexuality through a route not often taken, it is no surprise that Haigh was selected to direct 5 episodes of HBO’s Looking.
The main problem of this series, however, is not its portrayal of gay single culture or its subjects but in its rhythm. It feels as if it is still trying to find and define itself as a series, while at the same time attract a major audience, not unlike how its gay characters navigate society. Hopefully it will grow along with its sister show Girls, another HBO series that has increased in popularity over its three seasons.
Looking may not share the same fate. It only aired for eight weeks. For those who have yet to connect with its possibilities, Looking tells the stories of Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez) and Dom (Murray Bartlett). The three have absolutely no problem with their sexuality, yet struggle with business, relationships and decisions in their daily lives. In their 'normal' lives, they seem to say: "We are here, but not that queer", while at the same time they slide perfectly into another stereotype in the making, the gay hipster.
Supporting actor Russel Tovey once said: “The only thing I can give to young gay people is that when I was growing up there were no role models that were blokey, that were men. Everybody was flamboyant and camp, and I remember going, ‘That's not me, so even though I think I am gay, I don't think I fit into this world”.
Following Tovey's lead, why should one idea of 'queer' represent an entire culture? One must not forget that there are still many ways of seeing gay men and gay culture beyond the stereotyped characters portrayed in most conservative media.
The conclusion I find is simple: Being gay is just like being in real life. The fact is, in spite of progress made and wider cultural acceptance of homosexuality, there are still those that aspire to live a life without a great connection to queer culture. And there are still those who unfortunately aren’t able to accept it because they live with disadvantages of being queer on a daily basis. It is obvious that Looking's view of a 'normal' gay life will not help those that are not out in any traditional way. However, in its sluggishness, Looking may prove to be widely beneficial in its insistence on pointing out the mundane, which is the reality of our daily lives. The title 'Looking' seems appropriate then to reflect on the meaning of queer culture, as before any other definition there is a person.
Carlos Lopes is a London-based film critic, filmmaker and guest author. His series 'Concerning Queer' questions the meaning of our gay lives through popular film and cinema.
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