Set in the Vancouver (British Columbia) suburb of Port Coquitam the film pivots on the relationship between cuddly 19 year old bookstore clerk Maggie (Karyn Dwyer) and confident twentysomething artist Kim (Christina Cox).
The plot thickens when Maggie’s naive mother, Lila (Wendy Crewson) and teen-age brother Paul (Kevin Mundy) come to visit.
How does Maggie explain her roommate to Mom?
Vancouver Suburb a Hotbed of Diversity
We soon discover that Lila isn’t aware that her daughter is gay. (“You‘ll never get a boyfriend dressed like that“ she declares in one scene as she eyes Maggie critically.)
Maggie and Kim are not the only ones in the suburb subscribing to an alternative lifestyle. The cast includes Ann-Marie McDonald as Frances, the owner of Ten Per Cent Books, where Maggie works.
The role is appropriate. In addition to being an actress, Ms. McDonald is also an award-winning author (Fall on Your Knees) and playwright (Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet).
Marya Delver (Last Wedding) plays Carla, another Ten Percent employee. (Maggie: “You‘re not bisexual, Carla. You‘re omni-sexual. You‘re like that tornado in the Wizard of Oz, sweeping up everything in your path.“)
Cavorting around the edges is Judy (Peter Outerbridge), a wannabe transsexual who works as a female impersonator at a lesbian nightclub.
Film Proves Canadians Can Be Funny Too
Director Anne Wheeler (Bye Bye Blues) seems to agrees that Canadian independent productions have a reputation for being dark and provocative.
“We‘re very serious, us Canadians, y‘know,“ Wheeler says on the DVD commentary track, with tongue only partly in cheek. “We make films that make people cry ... so we were very excited to do something to make people laugh.“
Wheeler lenses the randy goings-on with the droll, matter of fact frankness of a certain fondly remembered cable TV series. (Call this one Same Sex in the City).
Wheeler says that one of the challenges of making a film like this is “to know where the crossover line between exploitation and art is. We had to make sure our actors felt okay in doing this. We didn‘t want them to feel exploited in any way. “
It is to her credit that the cast give natural and convincing performances in roles that are out of their comfort zone.
“Its flattering that no one believes I am straight anymore“, Dwyer says in the section marked Personal Quotes on her Internet Movie Database bio page. “It tells me I must have been doing something right. But I am considering coming out as a straight woman.“
Outerbridge‘s performance is especially impressive.
“He‘s never done anything like this before in his life,“ Wheeler confesses on the commentary track.
True. The Toronto born actor has made a specialty out of playing tough guys in both U.S. and Canadian television series and movies but in this film he shows what range he has and what he is willing to achieve to breathe authenticity into a role.
The script, by University of British Columbia associate professor (and screenwriting instructor) Peggy Thompson (The Lotus Eaters) uses characters and events to affirm the importance of following your dream and make points about gender prejudice and book censorship. (The latter is based on an actual court battle between a Vancouver bookstore and Canada Customs officials.)
Above all, the film encourages viewers to accept themselves for who they are and what they are.
Richard Goertz - Richard Goertz has a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in English and History acquired light years ago (when his hair was longer) and have ...
