Tying the Knot

This year has been full of topical documentaries. Control Room did a great job of presenting us with a look at how biased our news media is. Fahrenheit 911 is sure to show us plenty of negative images of Bush. The next most important documentary is Tying the Knot.

I had the chance to see this at the 2004 TriBeCa Film Fest. The theater was packed and the audience was pumped. I had very little expectations for this film, but was thrilled to witness a movie that does more than present information... it presents personal perspectives.

Tying the Knot offers multiple perspectives as to why same-sex marriages should be legal. One of the most fascinating parts is a brief history that is given on the topic of marriage and how it has developed over centuries.

I just hope that people (although it's not terribly realistic) who don't agree with same- sex marriages will go and see it.

This movie was difficult for me to watch because it made me so emotional. It realistically shows the struggle of gay couples in America. An extremely powerful movie that makes me stand even firmer behind my convictions that same sex marriage should be legal. My favorite story was the one about Sam and Earl--partners for twenty-five years before Earl became ill and died. They build their house and farm from the ground up and raised children together and were devoted to each other in every way, but Earl's cousins were able to nullify his will and take possession of the land that Earl and Sam put their life's blood into. What a tragedy that this was able to happen--this is the reason why same-sex marriage should be legal. Sam and Earl were as much in love as any straight couple. They deserve equal rights under the law.

If you are one of those people -- gay or straight -- who doesn't understand why gay marriage matters, THIS is the movie for you. Not only for you, but for your entire circle of friends and family members, not to mention all of your representatives in Congress, too. A low budget documentary with its heart in the right place, Tying the Knot uses interviews with real people and sound bites aplenty to show how weak, hypocritical and just plain wrong the arguments against gay marriage are; and why the issue is one of dignity, humanity and respect, not politics or religion. A wonderful intro to the subject, Tying the Knot is moving, informative and may well inspire you to action!

It is difficult to write any kind of review of this film which would not turn into a legal argument. However, I will say that anyone truly interested in preserving the "American Way" should cringe when the Bible is invoked as the only reason supporting a law.

Michael Kinsley, currently the editorial page editor of the L.A. Times, some time ago said that the solution to the problem is for the government to privatize marriage--that marital status should create no legal distinctions whatsoever, and that whether or not persons would be allowed to marry (or to divorce) would be strictly up to their religious denomination. Marriage would return to being a sacrament and cease being a political bludgeon.

This film presented the legal analysis very cogently, and also put some human faces on persons affected by the unequal treatment. The film was informative, moving and hopeful. And I wonder what became of Earl.

I had the privilege last night of not only seeing this movie, but having a Q & A session with the director as well. I've always supported homosexual marriage, but this film made me realize that we need to start pushing hard for it ASAP. Many people believe that homosexuals don't really "need" to marry, but this film completely dispels that myth. Homosexuals need the right to marry. And they need it as soon as possible. I'm not a big cryer in movies. Only one movie has ever made me cry (ironically, it was Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey). But I came very, very close multiple times. Not only did I almost cry at the case studies, but also at the shear joy displayed by so many in the countries where homosexuals have finally been allowed to marry. A U.S. citizen, I love my country dearly, but it has its flaws. One of its major flaws is that we're never exactly ahead of the game on civil rights. This film reminded me of that in brutal honesty.

See this movie, and tell your friends and elected representatives to see it as well. This could, and probably should, ultimately be remembered as one of the most important films of the decade.