Arts & Entertainment

William S. Burroughs’ unfinished novella, Queer, tells the story of an alcoholic, junkie American writer named William Lee, who, while escaping legal issues in the States, finds himself among other expats in Mexico City circa 1950. He spends his time at a local watering hole or cruising for men in the streets. There he meets and falls for a handsome fellow expat who may or may not be gay. Their connection fuels the story as they go on a surreal journey to better understand their true natures. It’s a semi-autobiographical narrative as told through Burroughs’ prickly yet emotional Beat Generation rhythms. 

Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) and Challengers screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes seem like the ideal team to adapt Burroughs’ work considering their adeptness with the spectrum of sexuality and sensuality. The results, while often experimental and distancing, not only stay true to Burroughs’ voice, but they also feel cinematically original and thrilling.  It may play like a mashup of Death In Venice, Apocalypse Now, Altered States, Naked Lunch, and Burroughs’ own life, but it also has a beautiful love story at its core. 

Daniel Craig, doing the best work of his career so far, shatters his suave, stoic Bond image with his gloriously unfiltered William Lee, which not coincidentally served as Burroughs’ early pen name and alter ego. Craig finds a deep well of anguish and passion in this particularly abrasive, difficult man. William stalks the city, often under the influence of one substance or another, zeroing in on men with abandon, such as an early encounter with a local played by singer Omar Apollo. The nearby watering hole, presided over by a hilarious, foppish man named John Dumé (Drew Droege in full Pre-Stonewall, gossipy, Judgy Judy mode), brings Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), a former soldier and enigmatically sexy man, to William’s razor sharp attention. Despite several heated sexual encounters, Eugene’s orientation doesn’t come into complete focus. 

We also meet William’s friend Joe, an unrecognizable Jason Schwartzman, who steals every scene he’s in with his tales of chasing men. One could easily see a bit of Seth Rogen in his purposefully silly portrayal. His kicking up of his feet in one moment served as an excellent bit of physical comedy.  

Around the midpoint, the film switches tone drastically as William and Eugene embark on a long journey through the jungles of Ecuador to find a mind-altering drug which may deepen their relationship. Lesley Manville, also unrecognizable here, gives a startling performance as a researcher of the substance known as yagé (aka ayahuasca). As our main characters travel through the heart of darkness, the film gets trippier and trippier as they literally pour their hearts out, culminating in a truly moving finale.

One could easily dismiss this film as pretentious, and in many ways, it is, but for me it serves as subterfuge to undercut what is ultimately a very simple love story. It’s hard to spot the conventions when faced with such a unique tone. Guadagnino and his extraordinary cinematographer, Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, Challengers), seemed to have studied Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Conformist and combined its aesthetic with Edward Hopper’s paintings to present perfectly composed, immersive frames for our characters to inhabit. I wanted to live in this world. Making his feature debut as a production designer, Stefano Baisi offers up one gorgeous set after another, all filmed in Italy. Between this film and Emilia Perez, also set in Mexico yet shot in Europe, as well as The Substance, with France subbing for Los Angeles, it feels like we’ve entered an era of can’t-quite-put-your-finger-on-it cinematic strangeness. Menswear designer J.W. Anderson outdoes his feature costuming debut in Challengers with a stunning array of high-waisted pants, knit polos and other Mid-century creations. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross switch gears completely from their propulsive Challengers score with something more lush and romantic. Their score gets augmented by anachronistic yet fascinating needle drops by the likes of Sinead O’Connor, Nirvana, and Prince. The work of the crew all adds up to a wonderfully visual and aural experience. 

While so much of the story draws from Burroughs’ own life experiences, including a reference to the purportedly accidental shooting of his wife Joan, the filmmakers really shine when exploring the layers of attraction and love. Some may find it silly, and they definitely take risks, but I felt the connection. Sure, the film contains plenty of nudity and sex scenes, but the real heart of this film lies with what’s happening between our two lead actors’ ears. 

Starkey serves as a steady, quiet force opposite Craig. He gives very little away while drawing you in, striking that hard to define movie star balance. You completely understand why William wants to figure him out and literally go to the ends of the earth for an answer. When all is said and done, however, this film belongs to Daniel Craig. I won’t soon forget his final scene, highly reminiscent of David Bowie’s work in The Hunger, but very much its own thing as it provides a heartbreaking view of his soul. Queer may feel like an acquired taste for some audiences, but for me, it felt like something bold, fresh and equal parts nihilistic and tender. 

By Glenn Gaylord, Senior Film Critic

Queer opens in New York and Los Angeles on November 27th, and in theaters everywhere on December 13th from A24.