I think anyone who is gay, or is with friends with me, and maybe if they are not; are familiar with the Matthew Shepard story (at least in US). There have been a couple of some very amazing films that can give you the context. The Laramie Project was created from over 200 interviews conducted with Laramie residents before, during, and after the trials of the two boys who killed Shepard; the interviews create an amazing cross-section of American views on homosexuality, religion, class, privacy, and so much more besides. This film is not easy to watch. With an all star cast of many many known and familiar names and faces, who become the voices of the inhabitants of Laramie, this film has an emotional power that is hard to describe.
Shot in a documentary style, the film follows the members of the Tectonic Theater Project, a theater group from New York City, as they conduct interviews with citizens of Laramie just after Matthew Shepard’s murder. As you may know, Shephard was a 21 year old gay boy living in Laramie, Wyoming, who was approached by two guys at a bar namely Aaron and Russell who proceeded to kidnap, rob, and beat him, eventually leaving him to die, tied to a fencepost in the rural outskirts of the town of Laramie. In the film, through multiple interviews of town residents, Matt's friends, people who knew him or even did not know him, his sexuality is approached in many of the interviews, and is the subject is met with mixed reactions, some positive and some negative. Although the movie initially depicts many of the town’s residents as being reluctant to talk about the tragedy, the citizens eventually open up to the theater group members, displaying (in detail) their complex opinions on homosexuality, and sharing the ways in which the tragedy impacted their personal lives. More importantly, these residents talk about the town Laramie, as they know and won't as what media is making it out to be. We literally see almost everything unfolding in front of us. The town people willing to speak or unwilling to speak, the bartender, the sheriff and her mother, the doctor's perspective, the media circus, the anti gay protests; everything. And then in the later half, we also get witness the trails of Aaron and Russell. The re-enactment of the trials uses the exact original transcripts, and personally was the more interesting part for me, because I wasn't sure what really happened with the two accused. While difficult to watch, particularly during the jury’s viewing of Aaron McKinney’s confession, this attention to detail was necessary in order to help make the film as effective as it was. The readings by family members, two separate verdicts for the accused, the acting, the direction, its a great film.
When the film started, I wasn't sure of how this will all pan out, but soon enough, I was completely into it. I had a slight confusion around the film being an actual documentary or not, but 10 minutes into the film, everything was clear and obvious. Originally this was a play lasting almost 3 hours, so cutting it short to almost 90-100 minute film was never going to be an easy task. Not only does the film document the facts and events of the tragedy, the iconic “moment” style of The Tectonic Theater Company carries through and key moments/sensations are forced upon the audience like with the play. Even the use of well known actors and actresses does not diminish the power of this history. The film’s presentation of LGBTQ life in Laramie was phenomenal, providing the audience with a straightforward depiction of how the topic of homosexuality was seen by the people of Laramie at the time. The honesty exhibited in the interviews translated perfectly to film, forcing viewers to think critically about their own views on homosexuality, whether they be positive or negative. While challenging to remain neutral and present the accounts of real life persons, the script tries to show both sides and lets the audience decide how to react. The end result is powerful, emotional, and a sight to experience; this film adaptation retains all of that while providing additional opportunities.
There is no happy ending for anyone involved in the tragic murder of Matthew Shepard. Even though his murderers were caught and sentenced, even though Laramie became more aware of the needs of its LGBTQ residents, even though a community was brought closer together in its grief. I know I am too late in seeing this film, something I should have seen a long time back. The film has allowed the tragic murder of Matthew Shepard be told around the world and that too from a totally different perspective, which is not only very difficult to watch but also faces audiences to question their own beliefs and morals. An absolute must watch tragic yet powerful story, which is not an easy viewing experience. (8/10)
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