When I watch a lesbian-themed film, I try really hard to like it. Because there are so few examples of this sort of story, where a lesbian relationship/romance/love is the main focus, I'm always eager to have a great time and praise it endlessly. However, I don't like to be fooled and, somehow, I feel fooled with this kind of movie.
Let me explain.
Because so many of us (lesbian and bisexual women) long for more visibility in the arts and in society as a whole, I think that in general we're more willing to accept any fair representation as a good one and give the film a high rating no matter what. In my opinion, though, that works against us. It tends to keep the standard low. Yes, Imagine Me And You is, I guess, cute in an über-conventional way: the actors are fine, London is charming, the main characters are of course incredibly beautiful (and there's the handsome and amazingly understanding guy for the bi-straight crowd as well!)... But really... Why should such laziness portraying a love story deserve so much praise? Because it's directed at a traditionally ignored or badly-treated group of people? Yes, thank you for that, oh dear producers and writers, but why not try and really sweat a credible lesbian love story the next time? Please???!!!
***WARNING: SPOILERS!!!***
A bride walks down the aisle, catches a glimpse of an unknown woman standing in the church and, KABOOM... she's so smitten that her long-time relationship begins to fade in earnest and her sexual orientation is... huh... where is it? Because, naturally, she had never seen and/or met and/or befriended an attractive woman before EVER in her life. Yes, I believe you can have a crush on someone you've never met before. Love at first sight? Maybe, maybe not, but that's not the point... We're talking about a 100% straight girl in her late twenties who all of a sudden, at the mere sight of an unknown female at her own wedding, becomes... confused... Childish? Well yes, but it's only human. If we were to buy it, of course. And we will, but only because we're starving for lesbian story lines, particularly successful ones where the more lesbian character doesn't end up dead or severely traumatized.
Then they fall in love. Oh, so unavoidable. What the Lena Headey character, who was an out and proud lesbian before and surely got to know and love a few interesting women (oh, her friend in the film, Eva Birthistle, would have been a MUCH better match!!!), sees in the character of Piper Perabo (of Lost & Delirious iconic fame -another film I can't totally see the point of-) is a mystery to me. They seem to have little in common. Their chemistry is, in my eyes, awful, although from other reviewers I find out this is very subjective. Their scenes together are, well... Hardly there. They get to kiss, thank God, but nothing else. No, I don't want porn or anything but some sexual tension and real longing would be a nice change! There's much more feeling when the superhumanly-good husband is there, trying to figure out what's going on.
The final reunion was, to me, close to an embarrassment. I'm sorry, I'm as romantic as the next person but I'm tired of those happy endings where a convenient song plays and they get together for ever after an hour and a half of pure air (ie: virtually nothing).
Then there's the husband. Such a nice, affectionate guy. We care about him. Who wouldn't? He doesn't even complain to his cheating lesbian wife once! Wow. I want one of those. Where should I buy?
***END OF SPOILERS***
I'm giving it a 4/10 because, deep down, I still want to support any lesbian story, even the most clichéd, innocuous, dull ones. It's hard for me to give less than that, because I'm always watching out for more. The main problem is, there's rarely more, just "more of the same". It's best summed up by what Ylene Chaiken, the brain behind The L Word, said when asked why not continue with the series: "I'll miss the community of The L Word, but I was personally ready for it to end. Jennifer Beals did joke that someday Bette and Tina would have grandchildren -- but I think all of us agreed that it was best to go while we were still relatively young and sexy." The idea that when a few typical lesbian stories like coming out, adopting or getting pregnant together, transitioning, getting over lesbian breakup etc. have already been more or less gracefully thrown in, there's nothing else to say and we better pack in is sad and unproductive. Heterosexual-oriented series go on for years and years delving into different and same plots and not having to justify their own existence. When we learn to do the same and to demand quality and genuineness, we'll have won much more than a quota of films per year.
Let me explain.
Because so many of us (lesbian and bisexual women) long for more visibility in the arts and in society as a whole, I think that in general we're more willing to accept any fair representation as a good one and give the film a high rating no matter what. In my opinion, though, that works against us. It tends to keep the standard low. Yes, Imagine Me And You is, I guess, cute in an über-conventional way: the actors are fine, London is charming, the main characters are of course incredibly beautiful (and there's the handsome and amazingly understanding guy for the bi-straight crowd as well!)... But really... Why should such laziness portraying a love story deserve so much praise? Because it's directed at a traditionally ignored or badly-treated group of people? Yes, thank you for that, oh dear producers and writers, but why not try and really sweat a credible lesbian love story the next time? Please???!!!
***WARNING: SPOILERS!!!***
A bride walks down the aisle, catches a glimpse of an unknown woman standing in the church and, KABOOM... she's so smitten that her long-time relationship begins to fade in earnest and her sexual orientation is... huh... where is it? Because, naturally, she had never seen and/or met and/or befriended an attractive woman before EVER in her life. Yes, I believe you can have a crush on someone you've never met before. Love at first sight? Maybe, maybe not, but that's not the point... We're talking about a 100% straight girl in her late twenties who all of a sudden, at the mere sight of an unknown female at her own wedding, becomes... confused... Childish? Well yes, but it's only human. If we were to buy it, of course. And we will, but only because we're starving for lesbian story lines, particularly successful ones where the more lesbian character doesn't end up dead or severely traumatized.
Then they fall in love. Oh, so unavoidable. What the Lena Headey character, who was an out and proud lesbian before and surely got to know and love a few interesting women (oh, her friend in the film, Eva Birthistle, would have been a MUCH better match!!!), sees in the character of Piper Perabo (of Lost & Delirious iconic fame -another film I can't totally see the point of-) is a mystery to me. They seem to have little in common. Their chemistry is, in my eyes, awful, although from other reviewers I find out this is very subjective. Their scenes together are, well... Hardly there. They get to kiss, thank God, but nothing else. No, I don't want porn or anything but some sexual tension and real longing would be a nice change! There's much more feeling when the superhumanly-good husband is there, trying to figure out what's going on.
The final reunion was, to me, close to an embarrassment. I'm sorry, I'm as romantic as the next person but I'm tired of those happy endings where a convenient song plays and they get together for ever after an hour and a half of pure air (ie: virtually nothing).
Then there's the husband. Such a nice, affectionate guy. We care about him. Who wouldn't? He doesn't even complain to his cheating lesbian wife once! Wow. I want one of those. Where should I buy?
***END OF SPOILERS***
I'm giving it a 4/10 because, deep down, I still want to support any lesbian story, even the most clichéd, innocuous, dull ones. It's hard for me to give less than that, because I'm always watching out for more. The main problem is, there's rarely more, just "more of the same". It's best summed up by what Ylene Chaiken, the brain behind The L Word, said when asked why not continue with the series: "I'll miss the community of The L Word, but I was personally ready for it to end. Jennifer Beals did joke that someday Bette and Tina would have grandchildren -- but I think all of us agreed that it was best to go while we were still relatively young and sexy." The idea that when a few typical lesbian stories like coming out, adopting or getting pregnant together, transitioning, getting over lesbian breakup etc. have already been more or less gracefully thrown in, there's nothing else to say and we better pack in is sad and unproductive. Heterosexual-oriented series go on for years and years delving into different and same plots and not having to justify their own existence. When we learn to do the same and to demand quality and genuineness, we'll have won much more than a quota of films per year.