I have a very low tolerance for treacly, saccharine-laced, smarmy movies involving kids, dogs, new attitudes, the magic of everyday life, hugging, feeling, and dancing in the streets. I want intriguing premises, surprising plot twists, and hot guys. So I'm not going to watch Cubby (2019) -- going through the trailer with the sound off was smarmy enough. But it is gay-themed, and for once it's not about a svelte, sophisticated, fey Manhattan lawyer and his fey clubbing friends.
The central character, Mark (Mark Blane), who I assume is also Cubby, is not svelte, not sophisticated, not fey, and not a lawyer. He's sort of chunky, masculine-coded, and autistic.
When he dccides to move out on his own, his mom and friend or caseworker Charles (Peter Kim, left) object. He doesn't have the social skills. And to move across the country, to New York!
But Mark/Cubby goes anyway. He gets a job as a nanny to a six-year old boy (whose name I can't find on the imdb). They bond over coloring books, glitter, and getting their faces dirty.
The trailer also shows arguments/hugging with the boy's mother, who apparently helps Mark/Cubby adjust to living on his own.
Meanwhile Mark/Cubby stalks a mysterious masculine figure he calls The Leatherman (Christian Patrick), who may be a hallucination. Although they do have a conversation in a bar.
He also starts dating Russell (Rodney Richardson, probably the top photo).
There are a lot of hugging, dancing in the streets, and "magic of everyday life" scenes. Not my cup of tea, but at least it breaks stereotypes.
Mark Blane, the writer, director, producer, and star, has produced several gay-themed documentaries, such as The Death and Life of Marsha P. Jones and Stonewall: The Making of a Monument. Also the tv series Hell in the Heartland: What Happened to Ashley and Lauria? Um...let me guess. Homophobic hate crime?
Not a lot of acting credits. Just Cubby, two shorts, and a tv series, Little Voices, "A love letter to the diverse musicality of New York. It explores the universal journey of finding your authentic voice in your early 20s."
Did someone really think it was a good idea to post that? The pretentiousness makes my eyes hurt.
What is an "authentic voice"?
ReplyDeleteCubby sounds great if you want something optimistic.
The trailer looks both cute and painful. This is the sort of Oscar bait vehicle that someone wrote hoping to get a name star. The guys playing Cubby is cute.
ReplyDelete