37/21
William Lee: I know
Line of Events
In 1950s Mexico City, an American expat in his late forties lives a lonely life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival of a young student forces the man to finally establish a meaningful relationship with someone. Ultimately, it was Daniel Craig who convinced Luca Guadagnino to cast Drew Starkey after watching an audition tape with Guadagnino and telling him, "This is the guy" after seeing Starkey. [telepathically] Eugene Allerton: I’m not weird. Lee… I’m not weird. Eugene Allerton: I’m disembodied..
Greetings from the darkness again
Features Orfej (1950). Some filmmakers have earned the benefit of the doubt so much that every film they release is worth considering. Luca Guadagnino is one of those filmmakers. He first caught my attention with I AM LOVE (2009), and has since followed it up with such interesting films as A BIGGER SPLASH (2015), CALL BY YOUR NAME (2017), SUSPIRIA (2018), BONES AND ALL (2022) , and CHALLENGERS, his first film in 2024. This time, he and CHALLENGERS screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes take on William S Burroughs’ 1985 short story “Queer,” which was linked to his 1953 novel “Junkie.” Taking on William S Burroughs’ writing is quite a challenge as a reader, let alone as a filmmaker. Daniel Craig plays William Lee.
The film opens with Chapter 1: How Do You Like Mexico?
If you’re familiar with Burroughs’ writing, you’ll be aware that William Lee’s character shares many of the same personal qualities as Burroughs himself. He’s a gay man who drinks too much, does hard drugs, and is sexually promiscuous. Lee spends his time drinking nonstop and preparing for his next roll in the proverbial hay. He has a few ex-pat friends, including Joe Guidry (Jason Schwartzman), but it’s a certain cool cat who catches his eye. Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey) is a young ex-military man, and Lee quickly falls in love with him. The two hang out together, although Lee is never sure if Eugene is gay or not, as he spends most of his time playing chess with a bar patron, Maria (Andra Ursula).
Lee and Eugene’s passionate night leads to Chapter 2: Traveling Companions
The two men head off on a road trip to South America as their awkward relationship (and agreement) leads to even more booze. Chapter 3: The Botanist in the Jungle is definitely one of the most bizarre segments of this year’s movies, as the men trek deep into the jungle to contact a doctor who has been researching some “plants”; which could solve Lee’s fascination/obsession with telepathy. There’s no usable description for this segment, but kudos to anyone who recognizes Leslie Manville – the one who has a pet sloth and keeps a viper for home security. The epilogue picks up two years later, and it’s here that Lee’s long battle with loneliness is most evident. The time spent with Eugene is home to a real, lasting connection with something other than a tequila bottle or a heroin needle. Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey are both excellent here, and each of them could win awards.
Opening in theaters December 6, 2024
If Mr. You may have met Craig before through the James Bond films, so this role may come as a bit of a surprise, but those who have followed his career will be aware of it.