Review - Were the World Mine

Last night was the LOGO network premiere of the "queer rock musical" Were the World Mine. The legacy of queer rock musicals is a small, but strong one with the definite highlight of this genre "Hedwig and the Angry Inch."

The premise of "Were the World Mine" is something that could have came right out of a YA novel, mixed with an element of Shakespeare. A small-town gay teen, Timothy (Tanner Cohen) is in love with a studdly football player. Sounds like a cliche, but it's a cliche that is true because it happens quite frequently. Falling in love with a football player is an American pasttime, it's a mixture of self-effacement and longing altogether. People can relate, and people gay or straight will relate to "Were the World Mine."

The gist of the movie is if you could make anyone fall in love with you, would you?
Is an interesting question to pose.

Recall Aladdin, when the Genie tells Aladdin his three wishes pro quos. One of them being,"I can't make anyone fall in love with you." In the fantasy world, dealing with love is a very complicated matter.

"Were the World Mine" addresses that, as Timothy uses a love potion to make the football player fall in love with him. As his relationship with the player progresses, the homophobic townspeople are up in arms about the relationship, namely said football player's girlfriend. Even the jocks on the football team are homophobic, usually teasing Timothy as a "fairy."

Well guess what? He turns into a fairy.

What's funny about the townspeople falling in love, is that it happens to everyone. Girls who were shouting out homophobic slurs quickly turn into card-carrying members of the sapphic club.

Without giving away it happens in this film, the movie is shot gorgeously. Lustrous blues, glittering silvers and dark greens make the film look like a slice right out of Fairyland. The film also adapts Shakespeare's "Mid Summer Night's Dream" which appropriates more than just that play's themes.

Although, many might say that the film is lacking in addressing the real issues of being a gay teen, and that Cohen is too good looking to actually take serious, this is all warranted. Yes, the movie glazes over real incidents of hate crimes, and pacifies the tensions of being gay in high school, but director Tom Gustafson makes the film endearing. Gustafson showers it with love and patience.

And no review of this movie would be complete, without a review of the music. The music isn't necessarily rocking as in 'Hedqig' but it does it's job of being upbeat and beautiful. The cast for the most part does the singing in the movie, and they have decent voices. Cohen's voice is clear and not overtly feminine nor masculine.
Getting the soundtrack would be a wise move. My personal favorite was "He's Gay."

The song sequences in this film are done wonderfully, like mini music videos. One visit to YouTube and you can find the majority of the songs available for listening.

Rating : B