QUEER

It turns out Eugene quite appreciates Lee's company and the two grow close, though Lee struggles for certainly over whether Eugene is, in fact, "queer". He himself, perhaps, doesn't know. It doesn't seem to matter, as a stronger addiction takes hold of Lee which causes him to lose Eugene's affections. Yet they strike up a deal to embark on an all-expenses trip to South America in search of the mysterious yage (also known as ayahuasca) - which is said to possess the capacity to permit telepathy.

It's quite a story. It's not shy of that fact either, coming in at 136 minutes. What's most clever from a marketing perspective is that this isn't being sold as a biography - because, quintessentially, that's what this is. Yet it's about so much more than a man's life from Point A to Point B - it's about sexuality, it's about sexuality at a time it was largely condemned, it's about travel and worldliness, it's about addiction.

Yet more than anything, it's about longing. There's something about being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community (particularly if your interests lie in just one gender) and knowing, at a base level, the very small selection of people you have the opportunity to fall in love with compared to the heterosexual community. Then you actually have to feel some kind of interest in them, and also have that reciprocated. So that feeling of longing is real, and it's very visceral. Here, it seems that Eugene doesn't entirely know what he wants - Lee clearly does, and it's the first time we see that kind of certainty from him. Though his efforts may not be stellar and are, in fact, very human and flawed, what he wants is the most basic of human desires: to love and be loved.

All of this gives Daniel Craig a huge amount to play with. He's vulnerable and raw without being desperate, creating the construct of a wounded beast who can be sympathised with and is relatable. We've come to know Craig as James Bond, 007 - a man known to woo women with mere words - so to cast him in a role as an outcast homosexual was a risky one. It's one that's paid off, showing off the actor's range, and putting his versatility front and centre. There's a clear push for an Oscars run for him here, and I think it would be incredibly worth the effort, ending at very least in a nomination.

The other key element at play is the dynamic between Starkey and Craig, and for the relationship that's portrayed in the film - friends, lovers, hot-and-cold partners - it's another success. Craig's Lee is always on, a delicate yet persistent moth constantly colliding with a blistering lightbulb. Meanwhile, Starkey's turn as Eugene is so uncertain it is the lightbulb itself, on one moment and off the next, never giving Lee the confidence to feel any certainty. One key scene that sticks in my mind that perfectly reflects this dynamic is from early during their "dating". Over dinner, Lee is pouring out his heart about the challenges of coming to terms early in life with being "queer", but found solace in the comforting words of a drag queen. Eugene, meanwhile, doesn't stop eating, barely looking at Lee once as he shares his deeply personal story.

Besides the two key leads, the other standout performance comes from Lesley Manville ('Back to Black','Phantom Thread'). The less known about her character, the better the surprise - but appearing toward the latter portion of the film, she has such outrageous fun with this role. In many ways, she attempts to act as something of a Cupid to Lee and Eugene - but the life she injects into the scenes in which she appears brings realism to something that could have easily fallen flat.

'Queer' sees Luca Guadagnino reuniting with many of the key creatives from 'Challengers', so you can be assured the film is in safe hands. Visually, it's a stunning feast - it's captured in vibrant colours and muted tones by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (who also worked with Guadagnino on 'Suspiria' and 'Call Me By Your Name'). Justin Kuritzkes' script is minimal, falling back on dialogue only when necessary, making every minute of the story feel interesting and engaging.

Possibly the biggest downfall here are the modern music choices, very much juxtaposing the 1950s era. It only occurred two, maybe three times throughout the entire film, but the song choice for a certain scene led me to be pulled out of the time and place where I was. This has worked to varying degrees in Guadagnino's other works - and other recent films - but the distinct distraction wasn't a success in this instance.

What you clearly shouldn't go in expecting is an erotic film. Yes, there are a number of sex scenes, however, they're in place to move the plot on. They show us the status of Lee and Eugene's relationship - or lack of it. However, this story doesn't have the raw passion of 'Call Me By Your Name', and the focus here is on the emotion; what we're seeing is the transformation from someone once thought destined to live this desolate, lonely life alone to a man who has found someone to navigate through it with.

This offers something unique to 'Queer' by bringing something we don't often see on the big screen: a powerful performance by a top star who can pick and choose their roles, bringing a seemingly simple yet masterfully told tale by an expert filmmaker and their team. It's a beautiful, rich, and, most of all, empathetic journey. It will leave you fulfilled, moved by the events of this narrative, with a heart filled with hope. This is what great cinema is all about.