My Best Friend

Though not your stereotypical feel-good, happy-ending, first-love LGBT film, this film definitely shows a situation, I believe, more common of homosexual coming of age. The angst and frustration of unrequited first love towards an often times unsuspecting, hetersexual youth.

Adolescence is strange and difficult enough without the extra measure of finding attraction in something not socially understood or accepted.

While fraternal love is beautiful in itself, it is made to feel tainted by the added homosexual impulses felt by the lead character causing him to question his integrity.

This main male character. who is gay. is dealing with the dilemma of having not just 'normal' feeling for another male who is heterosexual, but 'un-normal' feelings for his friend as well.

Though his intentions and empathy for his friend are pure, he feels clouded by his other emotions and is left to grapple with the confusion of his competing motivations for closeness to his friend.

I found this film very nuanced, and intelligent. Not just another cookie-cutter coming of age inspirational LGBT story.

I hope future films will stop duplicating the tried-and-tested, cookie-cutter LGBT films, and continue to stray from the now stereotyped image being portrayed of LGBT existence. Just as with all other experiences, the LGBT experience is extremely varied, and needs to be expressed as so.

This film is an example of the newly recognized, complicated feelings and emotions during adolescence. While unrequited love in our young age is not unique to LGBT youth, it takes on added layers, and is quite worthy of being reflected upon and untangled on the screen.