‘Queer’ is unhinged Luca Guadagnino. Following a loitering, pathetic queer man looking for sex at any cost. He desperately needs companionship and ends up developing an honest relationship with a young man, Eugene (Drew Starkey, but the story ends up a more interpersonal journey of self-discovery for both characters.
Lee (Daniel Craig) is splendid. Deranged, painfully lonely in the eyes and flirtatious movements. This might serve as Craig’s best, as he’s playing against type and I like this version better. He can play feminine and vulnerable, unfortunately, this script is overlong and says little about their livelihoods. Only the auyaschu scene raises the floor, but it fails to take off and is rarely engaging.
Craig gives a worthwhile performance, as does Starkey who is more contained but self-assured compared to Craig’s patheticness. Jason Schwartzman delivers a scene stealer as another gay man living vicariously in Mexico. Beautifully shot on film, the production design, costuming, and general craftsmanship are at a high level. Guadagnino has become a proficient director but he needs more precise editing (like in Challengers) to block out the boredom. The alienated tone and look of the film make for an unorthodox aesthetic but one that I found effective for this type of story.
Review: ☆☆☆½ (80)
Verdict: yellow light weird
Weird Cinema 