Luca Guadagnino’s latest film Queer explores the way love can quickly turn into obsession.
Queer is adapted from William S. Burroughs’ novel of the same name. Screening from Sept. 12 to 15 at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year, the film follows William Lee, played by Daniel Craig, who’s an American living in 1950s Mexico City. Lee becomes obsessed with a man named Eugene Allerton, played by Drew Starkey. Lee tries to get closer with Allerton, while also trying to figure out if Allerton is gay.
Queer reinforces why Guadagnino is such an interesting director to watch. In his films, Guadagnino is always experimenting with new ways to visualize emotions on screen. Guadagnino’s experiments with visuals and editing are not merely gimmicks, they’re insights into the characters and their mental states. For example, at certain points, we get glimpses of Lee’s subconscious desires on screen by layering his uninhibited self overtop of what’s really happening in the scene.
What makes Guadagnino’s style truly great is that his unique presentation enhances the story being told. In Queer, Guadagnino plays with subjectivity. The film is grounded in Lee’s perspective, and everything we learn about Allerton is through Lee’s eyes. This subjective lens shows both the excitement of getting closer to someone, as well as the dangers of putting a lover on a pedestal.
This film features what’s possibly Daniel Craig’s best performance to date. While we can’t see all of Lee’s thoughts as in the novel, with Craig’s layered performance, we don’t need to. Near the beginning of the film, we watch Lee desperately search for any sign that Allerton likes him back. Lee’s need for validation is clear as day, as he spirals at the first hint of rejection. Craig also brings a dry sense of humour to what’s otherwise a drama.
While this is the second collaboration between Guadagnino and screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes after Challengers, released in cinemas earlier this year, by no means is it similar in tone to their most recent work. Guadagnino and Kuritzkes excel at showing the subtleties of a deeply unhealthy relationship through Lee and Allerton. In Guadagnino films, small actions create big moments.
A quick glance or touch are huge turning points for the characters. The film very clearly juxtaposes Lee’s obsession with Allerton with Lee’s addiction to drugs. As Lee searches for both an experimental drug, and for connection with Allerton, he starts to be consumed by both of his obsessions.
For much of the 135-minute runtime, Queer makes you think you’re watching a slow-burn romance like Guadagnino’s film Call Me by Your Name, but it morphs into something darker, more similar in tone to his films Bones & All and Suspiria.
The result of this dramatic tonal shift is a finale that’s surreal, horrifying, and beautiful all at once. The film’s bright colours are replaced with disturbing imagery, demonstrating Guadagnino’s wide range as a filmmaker and his ability to pivot from one tone to another, all while maintaining a coherent vision for the film and its themes.
If there’s one through- line in Guadagnino and Kuritzkes’ collaborations, it’s the power of love, for better and for worse. In Challengers, love is a game. In Queer, love is an addiction. Queer shows why Guadagnino is such a strong filmmaker, while also demonstrating a clear evolution of his style. A theatrical release date has yet to be announced.
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].