I Am Michael

I Am Michael is a movie based on a true story about Michael Glatze, a gay activist who apparently turned straight. It stars James Franco, Emma Roberts and Zachary Quinto. Unsurprisingly, this movie caused a lot of controversy. But the movie is just so forgettable.

This is one of the best roles of James Franco that I've seen and Quinto did a pretty good job too. Actually, the acting in this film is pretty good in general. But the script and the direction are what causes problems. It's like they are not really sure what story they wanted to tell, what message they wanted to show. They make a movie with this subject, but then again, it's like they couldn't decided if they wanted to show Michael happy in his new life or no. So you really don't know what is going on. I guess they didn't want to take sides, but hey, this movie was bound to cause some controversy, so why bother? And when the movie ends, not much really sticks with you and you forget a lot about it eventually.

This movie did featured some talent, but what ruined it was bad decisions by the writers and a bland direction combined with cinematography that just makes the movie look kinda boring. I say skip on this one.

I stumbled onto this, having never heard of Michael Glatze. As an atheist and gay man, I was intrigued to learn about this story (and kind of embarrassed to have known nothing about him already).

The performances, especially James Franco's, were excellent. He was utterly believable in expressing Glatze's changes over the course of the film - ironically enough, as mesmerizing to watch as he was in "Milk".

Yeah, parts of the film kind of drag. But the script and the acting are well done. Many of the actors do a great job conveying emotions and characters' motivations just as well non-verbally as through the dialogue. Being a gay man and an atheist I still fundamentally, profoundly disagree with Glatze's views....but this movie helped me understand him better.

Audiences are first introduced to Michael Glatze (James Franco) as he chastises a young gay teenager and declares moral individuals choose heterosexuality and God. However, this was not always the case with Mr. Glatze. Rewind the story a decade and we find Michael living happily in San Francisco with his partner Bennett (Zachary Quinto) as he works as the Managing Editor of XY Magazine, a popular gay lifestyle publication. Glatze encouraged gay communities to identify with their sexuality, but after a medical scare revolving around his potential heart condition, Glatze begins his journey exploring Christianity and abandoning his former beliefs and lifestyle. Franco beautifully portrays an obviously confused individual questioning his own mortality and willing to risk everything he's built his life around. Quinto offers the supporting shoulder as he is forced to move forward into an uncertain future with the love of his life. Director Justin Kelly effectively leads audiences though the life of a confused individual who abandons one life for another while outsiders both ridicule and praise his challenging choice. -Jimmy Martin

I truly can't figure out why James Franco and Zac Quinton, of all people, wanted to make this movie. A big problem for me is the writing, which is clunky, and the choppy structure. I never felt emotionally engaged enough to develop any empathy or understanding. Michael remains a mystery, a tragedy, and a bit of a monster to me.

This film tells the story of a prominent gay activist who found God, and subsequently he decides to openly renounce the gay lifestyle, and go to bible school.

"I Am Michael" starts off rather shockingly, as James Franco's character tells a young man that he should choose to be heterosexual in order to be closer to God. Watching a film with such a content in a gay and lesbian film festival surely makes viewers gasp in disbelief! The film then continues the development of James' character, from being very embracing the gay lifestyle to renouncing it. Many anti gay comments are voiced, and more gasps of exasperation were made. Three are clues as to whether James'character really got converted or not, which is the pro gay undertone of the story. So on a deeper level, the story is really about exposing the farce of the ex-gay phenomenon, rather than being anti gay.