From stage to screen: ‘The Boys in the Band’ comes to Netflix
Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone
“The Boys in the Band” is a brilliant story about seven gay friends who gather for a party that turns serious, uncovering truth and heartache through a surprise guest and a drinking game. Originally a play by Mart Crowley, “The Boys in the Band” premiered on Netflix on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
The cast includes many prominent actors, such as Matt Bomer (Donald), Jim Parsons (Michael), Andrew Rannells (Larry) and Zachary Quinto (Harold). These actors worked well together to create an astonishingly well-done film.
The story follows main character Michael, who is planning a birthday party for his friend, Harold. The party starts off without a hitch, the only tension being between lovers Larry and Hank (Tuc Watkins). Harold has not yet shown up to his own party, but it is typical for him to be late. However, the party gets thrown off the rails when a surprise visitor shows up unannounced: Michael’s old college roommate, Alan, played by Brian Hutchison.
Alan does not know that Michael is gay and makes it obvious upon arrival that he disapproves of Michael’s more flamboyant friends. Tensions rise, resulting in Alan punching one of the friends, Emory (Robin de Jesus). Shortly after, Harold finally arrives. As the night goes on, people keep drinking and buried thoughts and tensions are revealed.
Realizing that everyone at the party, including Michael, is gay, Alan says he is going to leave the party. However, highly intoxicated, Michael refuses to let him leave until they play a game: He challenges everyone to pick up the phone, call the person they love and tell them that they love them. It is unclear where this new resentment and cruelty has come from in Michael. It seems to be a response to the judgement from Alan, but Michael is also hurting friends he cares about.
The friends then proceed to play the game, calling those they have loved with more heartache and sorrow resulting from each call. Finally, Michael confronts Alan saying he knows Alan was in love with a boy from college, and urges Alan to call him. However, what results from the phone call is not what Michael expected.
Throughout the movie, each person shares parts of their life story that emphasize the trials and struggles of being gay. From coming out to religious guilt to being in love with someone who does not love them back, they have confronted it all.
Eventually, people begin to leave the party until only Michael and Donald are left. Suddenly panicked by the cruelty he has shown his friends, Michael falls to the floor and sobs in Donald’s arms. He gains control of himself and says, “Show me a happy homosexual and I’ll show you a gay corpse.”
He then gets up and goes to a midnight Mass. The movie ends, showing each person hurting, but finding ways to cope and make it through. The very last scene of the movie shows Michael walking down a street and then slowly breaking into a run.
“The Boys in the Band” is an impactful film that gives the audience a small glimpse into the pain and heartache of these seven gay men. The movie ends feeling unfinished; everyone is still in pain and nothing has been resolved. However, that is perfectly reflective of life: The pain never really goes away, people just learn how to live with it.
