Queer (2024) is an aesthetically beautiful, visually raw and peacefully elegant story. Directed by the incomparable Luca Guadagnino and executed in the style of his lush Italian cinema of desire. Guadangino is a visionary filmmaker who continues to bring distinct stories and flawed characters to screen, his depiction of messy relationships and intimate struggle is something I genuinely love to watch unfold on screen.
Queer (2024) feels like stepping back in time, Guadagnino’s simplicity and slow pace make this feature feel like a vintage film reel. This film depicts the highs and lows of character, specifically Lee (Daniel Craig) who displays the extremes of his vulnerability and his complexity.
The film is filled with symbols, the concept of two becoming one, intertwined by physicality and sexuality but also the fear of intimacy and abandonment. The centipede is an ongoing theme throughout and it reminds Lee of his desires but also his fears, the questioning of his sexuality, his desperation to be loved and how his and Allerton’s relationship may be fleeting.
The film is made up of four chapters, the third moves into the stark landscape of the jungle, the couple find themselves away from civilisation and consumed by one another both physically and metaphorically. Queer (2024) is an unconventional feature, once you feel like you understand its intention it surprises you with the unexpected. This film is not overtly simple, it is not easy to understand instead this is a film which challenges you and forces you to question its meaning.
Daniel Craig is a beautiful performer, he adds so much charisma to his characters and was able to make Lee a genuinely likeable and memorable character. Seeing Craig in this style of role was new for me, he sheds the detective and spy character to transform into a pure and simple man. His performance was charming and often unpredictable, it was intimate and memorable.
Alongside Craig, Starkey gives an uptight performance as Allerton. He is hard to read, hard to fully understand and yet he is still able to make the character memorable and charming. The pair had undeniable chemistry and Starkey acted as a central anchor for the story, Lee’s meaning and his intentions all revolve around Allerton.
Overall, my primary take away from this film is pure aesthetic. Queer (2024) is a gorgeous film, the mis-en-scene is filled with pastel colours and summer linens. Luca Guadagnino is able to make the simplest of stories into the most visually compelling, on paper Queer (2024) is a restless feature. Restless in the sense that you’re kept on your toes, wondering if something exciting will happen but on screen, Queer (2024) is an explosion of decorative, attractive scenes.
Queer (2024) is and intricate, perplexing yet sophisticated feature that dazzles you with its colours, landscapes and unpredictability. Queer (2024) is more than what meets the eye, this feature is borderline surrealist and continues to ask the question what is identity and does it truly define us?
3/5 Probe Points
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