Queer takes place in Mexico City in 1950. William Lee is an opioid addicted homosexual American expat, who meanders the local bar scenes day and night searching for intimate connections with younger men. He is searching for validation and scraps of love that could temporarily lift him from the shackles of being unseen. When he meets a former American soldier, Eugene, Lee believes he may have found the strong connection he never envisioned for himself. William becomes completely infatuated by the idea of being close to him, meek and unsure of himself as he tries to express his desires through coded glances and awkward gestures, anxiously asking for reassurance from his one queer friend on whether or not Eugene is one of them. The two begin spending time together, even when it is clear that Eugene doesn't think of Lee in the same way he does. Yes, they do get physical and have sex but Lee's obsession slowly becomes an addiction, unable to tell between healthy and unhealthy desires, and he loses himself in a delusional hope that engulfs him entirely. Lee and Allerton are at different stages in life, both in age and romantic interests, yet Lee wants more out of their relationship, specifically a way to reach him telepathically. Over the course of many months and years, they embark on a shared, but often confrontational, spiritual journey within the closely-knit American expat community of Mexico City, and also via an exploration into the thick jungles of South America (which is where the whole film completely falls apart for me).
My big problem with the film is that besides the first half, the film failed to connect with me at an emotional level. In the second half, set in South American adventure, the film turns into this adventure fantasy film format, which I just did not enjoy. It feels like you are watching a different film altogether. I was very confused by the explicit and artistic introspection of love beyond sexual identity from the lens of a devastating relationship. Perhaps the point here is that an addict’s consciousness gets blanked out by years and years of substance abuse, but audience doesnt care at this point IMO. The film's inability to fully flesh out its hero’s psyche––feels all the more conspicuous: a failure of the imagination. Daniel Craig's portrayal of self-destruction fueled by a deep loneliness is fantastic to watch. The film takes a slow-burn approach to unravel its crushing truths about Lee's background and the weight of his loneliness is reflected in his daily routine involving getting wasted, every kind of high, and railing men. And his infatuation with a younger Eugene is flirty to watch. Eugene plays the mystery man perfectly. His aloofness and rejection of any intimacy, physical or not, has you curious as to what his deal is. And the actor carries this youthful, suave demeanor, coupled with an ominous gaze that keeps the viewers on their toes. Sadly, as a film I had extremely high expectations and they came crashing down midway through the film and was never recovered. (5/10)
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