A Review of ‘Regarding Us’: A powerful love letter to the LGBTQI community
Some LGBTQI lives intersect in unusual ways, bringing empathy and support to the folks in question.
‘Regarding Us’: A powerful love letter to the LGBTQI community
Cast: Catherine Curtin, Abigail Hawk, Alexandra Grey, Jacob Moran, Hudson Paul, Andrea Rosa Guzman, Fiona Morgan Quinn, David Beck, Matt W. Cody, Nicola Murphy Dubey, Ebony Marshall-Oliver, Jennifer Bobbi, Eliud Garcia, Zoe Van Tieghem, Andres Hinspeter-Seda, Jason A. Coombs, Nikolas Plesnarski, Chandi Moore
Critic’s Rating: 4 Stars out of 5
Director: David Beck, Jennifer Bobbi
Duration: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English, (some Spanish)
Release: 2024
What’s it about?
Some LGBTQI lives intersect in unusual ways, bringing empathy and support to the folks in question.
Review:
Regarding Us is a profound yarn of the trials and tribulations of the LGBTQI community and their ongoing struggle for acceptance in the present milieu. Told with poignancy and flair, this original and moving film follows the stories of a handful of people who strive to come to terms with their respective sexual identities - by reaching out to one another. This, while they are faced with the challenge of integrating with a cynical and insensitive society around them. Textured character definition, interesting interwoven stories, profound dialogue and superlative acting, make this movie a triumph. With hard crimes tarnishing today’s era of inclusivity, here comes a courageous and significant celluloid venture - where truth, non-violence and love reign supreme.
The film opens with a passionate young lady schoolteacher faced with the ignominy of being fired from her job at a Catholic school in New York City. The prejudiced dismissal comes despite the fact that Veronica (Alexandra Grey) is dedicated to her work and popular among her students. But exposition on social media that she is a transgender severely blights her reputation. This, despite her stellar record as a mentor and guide to her students. Meanwhile, Denny (David Beck), a struggling stage actor who works as a tour guide, is filling the role of single parent to little girl child Isabel (Andrea Rosa Guzman). Why? Because her scientist father has apparently abandoned them.
Unusual circumstances bring together these three central characters. Through the course of frequent interaction and mutual affection, they begin to develop a bond. Truths about their respective lives, and the problems they encounter, begin to surface. Soon, more troubled persons step into the frame. These include Isobel’s other dad Adrian (Eliud Garcia); Isobel’s new classmate Kyle (Hudson Paul); his wayward older brother Matt (Jacob Moran); and conservative Southern mother Constance (Abigail Hawk). This, while Veronica’s difficulty at securing another job lands her at the doorstep of an estranged relative.
The movie doesn’t give away too much information too soon – making it a curiosity-bound ride. One is kept wondering if and how all the characters will deal with abrasiveness and love. Plus, with its diverse cast, this film underscores the fact that non-straight sexual orientation and identity transcends race, colour and creed. While the acting is consistently good, the stand outs are Guzman who masters her precocious and compassionate persona; and the emotional and magnanimous Grey, who displays the whole gamut of human emotion. Meanwhile, the screenplay is studded with appropriate quotes like: “Integrity means having an honest soul” and “A normal life is boring.”
The writer-director duo of David Beck and Jennifer Bobbi have injected the film with a healthy dose of endearing humour, though the drama gets occasionally contrived and trivialises or glosses over certain occurrences. That apart, the cinematography is rich and varied and the background music, subtle and effective. Also, over-arching themes of religion, faith, forgiveness and internal reconciliation all play a substantial role by the time the curtain drops. Plus, the audience will be enthused by how each character supports the other in their own unique way. This movie is more than an affecting drama about societal integration, it is a veritable public service.
