A Review of 'Into the Bloo': An adequate account of an emotionally-scarred performer’s rise to fame
A drag performer confronts demons from his past and his once strained relationship with his deceased parents.
‘Into the Bloo’: An adequate account of an emotionally-scarred performer’s rise to fame
Cast: David Brumfield (as himself), Jeffrey Sousa, John Juan Mercado, Shannon Giles, Reggie Stowe, Sarah Juliet Shaw, Carlos Jimenez, Tanner Richins (dancers)
Critic’s Rating: 3 Stars out of 5
Director: Austin Nunes
Duration: 15 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Language: English
Release: 2024
What’s it about?
A drag performer confronts demons from his past and his once strained relationship with his deceased parents.
Review:
Here is a mostly affecting documentary about a drag singer-songwriter-dance performer who has turned personal tragedy into a successful career. Though passionate about music from an early age, David Brumfield (who goes by the stage name of Lagoona Bloo), had to confront much hardship at home before responding to his calling and embarking on a promising journey. However, what mattered even more was finding peace and acceptance within his family that paradoxically served as both adversity and inspiration. While this film is undoubtedly moving, it is not tremendously original in its theme - as several stars emerge from troubled backgrounds. Still, it’s hard to turn away from this compelling true tale.
Narrated by David’s engaging voice-over, we learn about the tremendous impact that music has had on his life. He expresses not only how this avenue of artistic expression became his bread and butter but also how it saved him from low self-esteem and emotional poverty. Yes, this gay celebrity had to deal with a traumatic upbringing in a multi-ethnic yet conservative domicile situated at a small town in Louisiana. From an early age, his homosexual demeanour and tendencies invited denial and outrage from his Mexican immigrant mother who was hell-bent on rectifying what she evidently considered to be a deviant condition.
It was not until David’s Mom became the recipient of tragic news that relations began to thaw between mother and son. But would this dramatic turn in the controlling matriarch’s life cause her to accept her boy for who he i?. And will her transforming psyche encourage the talented youngster to follow his dreams? However, to make matters worse, David had to bear the brunt of his father’s severe mental illness. Would it be possible for the conflicted young man to constantly endure the guilt, humiliation and fear that his Dad was meting out? Or was escape the only solution?
The viewers is in for a dramatic story that is told with a fair amount of pathos and hope. This, while posing the questions whether it is too late to come to terms with the past, to repair tarnished relationships and to use art as a cathartic tool. Also, this film explores the effect that our rapport with our parents has toward shaping us into the people we become, as well as music being a bonding and healing agent. Furthermore, are we doomed to feel guilty for the faults of our parents or is there a way to circumvent this phenomenon? Can we ever shrug off our folks’ hurtful behaviour despite all the adulation we garner from fans and well-wishers?
Into the Bloo manages to convey quite a lot of information and emotion despite being restricted by its Documentary Short category. Director-editor Austin Nunes has competently spliced together voice and visual – using footage from old home movies and images of David engaged in his make-up regimen as well as him performing with backup dancers on stage. However, inputs by fans, coworkers and extended family is sorely lacking. Still, is David’s rise to fame the stuff of fairy tales? He certainly seems to think so and after watching his life story unfold, the audience may very well too.
