I’ll never dictate to someone their own life experiences, but I don’t know if I get the outrage. Brandon is treated with great humanity in the film and he chooses (as he did in real life) the best of several ****ty options that were afforded to him at the time. It’s not a comment on him that he lived a life that required some subterfuge. It’s a comment on our effed up society then and now.
As far as a cisgender heterosexual female playing the part, I agree that the main problem is that it’s not an even playing ground for transgender and non-heterosexual people being cast either as characters that resemble themselves or as cisgender heterosexual characters. Having said that, a brilliant performance is a brilliant performance. Swank gives a stunning performance and proves she was the right casting choice for the movie.
Some of my favorite movies are Milk, Philadelphia, The Normal Heart and Longtime Companion. Movies in which either some or the majority or all of the gay characters are played by heterosexual cisgender males. I can acknowledge the unfairness in the industry yet those moves and those performances still affect me deeply.
Miles2Go2 said: "I’ll never dictate to someone their own life experiences, but I don’t know if I get the outrage. Brandon is treated with great humanity in the film and he chooses (as he did in real life) the best of several ****ty options that were afforded to him at the time. It’s not a comment on him that he lived a life that required some subterfuge. It’s a comment on our effed up society then and now.
As far as a cisgender heterosexual female playing the part, I agree that the main problem is that it’s not an even playing ground for transgender and non-heterosexual people being cast either as characters that resemble themselves or as cisgender heterosexual characters. Having said that, a brilliant performance is a brilliant performance. Swank gives a stunning performance and proves she was the right casting choice for the movie.
Some of my favorite movies are Milk, Philadelphia, The Normal Heart and Longtime Companion. Movies in which either some or the majority or all of the gay characters are played by heterosexual cisgender males. I can acknowledge the unfairness in the industry yet those moves and those performances still affect me deeply."
I agree with every single thing said here. I also think its good that heterosexual cisgender males take on these roles, in hope to bring more people into the performance/movie/work of art they are participating in. I know a lot of my straight male friends who admire some actors, especially some from the MCU like Chris Evans, RDJ, Hemsworth, etc. Id love for one of them to play a gay character someday as my friends honestly might be more into it. That may speak to my friends and where we're at as a country, but gotta make steps somehow.
I think if the people outraged over this show saw the show for themselves, they'd laugh at themselves for ever complaining in the first place. Its probably the "lightest" show on Broadway right now other than maybe Lightening Thief.
Jarethan said: "Not sure I understand your point, but I would say that the Lilli Cooper song you referred to (started in the subway) was IMO one of two good songs in the show. The other was the comedy number by Sarah Stiles, but it was played one too many people times for me. I dint think Tootsie had one good song.
I would have loved a straight comedy in an 800 - 1,000 seat theatre.
"
lilli cooper has a lovely voice; we disagree on that song. My only point there was that i found the staging of, even in the inclusion of it, as completely out of left field, extraneous to the plot (if not confusing) --- none of which was done "intentionally" by the production. if the above poster thought that this was done on purpose to be underwhelming, then they, not i, missed the "point of the show."
its a good book undone by wide-eyed producers who tried to make it bigger and splashier than it ever should have been. liked the cast. wish it nothing but the best.
JDonaghy4 said: "Jarethan said: "Not sure I understand your point, but I would say that the Lilli Cooper song you referred to (started in the subway) was IMO one of two good songs in the show. The other was the comedy number by Sarah Stiles, but it was played one too many people times for me. I dint think Tootsie had one good song.
I would have loved a straight comedy in an 800 - 1,000 seat theatre.
"
lilli cooper has a lovely voice; we disagree on that song. My only point there was that i found the staging of, even in the inclusion of it, as completely out of left field, extraneous to the plot (if not confusing) --- none of which was done "intentionally" by the production. if the above poster thought that this was done on purpose to be underwhelming, then they, not i, missed the "point of the show."
its a good book undone by wide-eyed producers who tried to make it bigger and splashier than it ever should have been. liked the cast. wish it nothing but the best.
joined:8/10/17
joined:
8/10/17
Posted: 10/9/19 at 2:21pm