"Out in the Silence" is an earnest work. The low-key film-making is not dazzling or kinetic; however, the subject is important and worthy of study. Yes, it is predictable but is surprising at the same time. How much ever we think we are growing in terms of our thinking, the fact is there are still so any small towns and so many people that would do anything against homosexuals.
Joe Wilson, a resident of Washington, DC, where same-sex marriage is legal, weds his partner. Perhaps in a conscious desire to stir the pot in his hometown, Oil City, Pennsylvania, he sends a wedding notice to the local newspaper. Predictable hate-filled letters to the editor are received and published. Help comes in the form of Kathy who is a mother of a young teenage boy CJ who happens to be gay and who is constantly bullied at school. They meet and Kathy tells Joe all the details about CJ and how suddenly he no longer is a school jock but just a faggot. Joe's interactions with local pastor is the highlight of the film on how even small changes in people's thinking can help. We also get to see the life of a lesbian couple who have been living in the same town for a long time and command respect. It seems people have problems when it comes to marriage and being out and open about their sexuality. The mother Kathy takes the school board to the law and finally gets justice and things start improving for CJ in life.
CJ brought a certain zing and liveliness in this film which could have been a little boring at times. His struggle and his mother's quest to get justice for her son was real. I am shocked to see that we are in 21st century. After watching the documentary, I wish I could something for the gay community and back in my country do something to make people ore aware of the whole situation. By God's grace my life has been relatively less harsh compared to some that we see in these films but if all of us could do a little bit, then lives of growing teenagers struggling each day of their life would be much more easier.
This documentary is definitely an eye-opener for all those who still think that being gay is against Jesus. (6/10)
"Out in the Silence" is an earnest work. The low-key film-making is not dazzling or kinetic; however, the subject is important and worthy of study. Yes, it is predictable but is surprising at the same time. How much ever we think we are growing in terms of our thinking, the fact is there are still so any small towns and so many people that would do anything against homosexuals.
Joe Wilson, a resident of Washington, DC, where same-sex marriage is legal, weds his partner. Perhaps in a conscious desire to stir the pot in his hometown, Oil City, Pennsylvania, he sends a wedding notice to the local newspaper. Predictable hate-filled letters to the editor are received and published. Help comes in the form of Kathy who is a mother of a young teenage boy CJ who happens to be gay and who is constantly bullied at school. They meet and Kathy tells Joe all the details about CJ and how suddenly he no longer is a school jock but just a faggot. Joe's interactions with local pastor is the highlight of the film on how even small changes in people's thinking can help. We also get to see the life of a lesbian couple who have been living in the same town for a long time and command respect. It seems people have problems when it comes to marriage and being out and open about their sexuality. The mother Kathy takes the school board to the law and finally gets justice and things start improving for CJ in life.
CJ brought a certain zing and liveliness in this film which could have been a little boring at times. His struggle and his mother's quest to get justice for her son was real. I am shocked to see that we are in 21st century. After watching the documentary, I wish I could something for the gay community and back in my country do something to make people ore aware of the whole situation. By God's grace my life has been relatively less harsh compared to some that we see in these films but if all of us could do a little bit, then lives of growing teenagers struggling each day of their life would be much more easier.
This documentary is definitely an eye-opener for all those who still think that being gay is against Jesus. (6/10)
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