First, here's the good news. The 24th Miami edition of the OUTshine Film Festival kicks off with a movie that is actually pretty decent. Even better news? The centerpiece selection is a real banger, so rejoice, movie lovers of all persuasions.
Now, for the bad news. Let's rewind to the opening gala, which is going down tonight at Miami's Historic Lyric Theater. That thoroughly watchable opening night selection is the feature directing debut of Jussie Smollett. The embattled former “Empire” star, who was accused of staging a hate crime against himself in Chicago back in 2019, was sentenced to 150 days in jail in March. Despite repeatedly insisting he is innocent, the evidence against the 39-year-old was overwhelming, it's safe to say.
The question arises: should a polarizing figure convicted for breaking the law be celebrated by a high-profile community event just over a month after his (guilty) verdict was handed out? What message is the leadership of the film festival sending by not only incorporating Smollett's film into their lineup, but granting it one of their coveted gala slots?
These are tough questions, and I sincerely hope those who attend the screening address the elephant in the room, as opposed to pretending everything is hunky dory and making a beeline for the party. As it happens, members of the film's cast are scheduled to take part in a Q&A following the screening, so attendees will have their chance to speak up.
Ahead of the start of this year's Miami OUTshine, your intrepid reviewer had a chance to see the aforementioned selections. Here are a few quick thoughts.
B-Boy Blues
Marquise Vilson, Eric R. Williams, Timothy Richardson and Landon G. Woodson in a scene from "B-Boy Blues." (Photo courtesy of SuperMassive Movies/Story Worthy Pictures.)
Patience is the key word for Smollett's engaging adaptation of James Earl Hardy's 1994 novel, the first in a series of books depicting the lives of Black gay men in New York City. That patience applies to both the film's beleaguered protagonist and the viewer.
You might be tempted, as I was, to throw in the towel early on, since Smollett indulges in look-at-me tactics endemic to many first-time feature filmmakers. ADD editing and flashy camerawork conspire to erode our goodwill. But stick with the movie, because it eventually settles down to tell a familiar yet affecting story of an affair that promises to be so much more, if only the obstacles weren't so daunting.
Timothy Richardson and Thomas Mackie in a scene from "B-Boy Blues." (Photo courtesy of SuperMassive Movies/Story Worthy Pictures)
Changing the setting to present day, or at least a pre-COVID version, “B-Boy Blues” centers on Mitchell (Timothy Richardson), a successful journalist with a sweet gig and a cushy apartment. Alas, all that winning stops at career and social standing, because Mitchell's love life is a disaster. It consists of a revolving door of hunks who might be good in bed (and a beautiful bed it is) but don't stick around to put in the work necessary for a genuine connection to flourish.
Enter Raheim (Thomas Mackie), a Harlem-based bike messenger who locks eyes with Mitchell, with a little help from Mitchell's co-worker Michi (Brandee Evans). The sparks fly, much to the chagrin of Gene (Landon G. Woodson), Mitchell's fiercely protective but judgmental bestie. Like those people in our lives who can't help dishing out tough-love advice, Gene predicts a rocky path that will inevitably end in heartache.
Timothy Richardson and Thomas Mackie in a scene from "B-Boy Blues." (Photo courtesy of SuperMassive Movies/Story Worthy Pictures.)
But Raheim is a more complex, and thus more interesting, character than he initially lets on. His baggage butts in, mostly in bad ways, but Smollett wisely looks beyond the lovers' class difference to find an intellectual affinity to go alongside their sexual chemistry.
Ah, the sex. “B-Boy Blues” is an unabashedly frisky romantic dramedy. The aforementioned bed gets quite the workout, as Smollett, aided by cinematographer Joe Williams, lingers on his actors' nude bodies. It's not quite as graphic as, say, Showtime's “Queer as Folk” series, but despite the relationship drama that ensues, this is a sex-positive portrait of Black lives, in all their complicated splendor.
What elevates this particular effort, in addition to a winning ensemble cast, is Smollett's intriguing exploration of the ways in which Black men can be possessive and territorial. That toxicity is portrayed in eye-opening and lived-in fashion, particularly during a party sequence where jealousy and hot tempers come to a head, with devastating results. There's a sobering undertow to “B-Boy Blues,” an arresting gravity that rights the ship following a bumpy start. In other words, it gives you a little more than you would expect from an OUTshine opening night film.
Girl Picture
Eleonoora Kauhanen and Aamu Milonoff in a scene from "Girl Picture." (Photo courtesy of Citizen Jane Productions.)
As it turns out, falling in love is every bit as messy in Finland as it is on this side of the Atlantic. Like “B-Boy Blues,” director Alli Haapasalo's fourth feature mixes rom-com pleasures with pathos. It's an intoxicating combination to bring this coming-of-age tale to life.
The mold is familiar, but the execution in this year's centerpiece title makes it all feel fresh and vibrant. Mimmi (Aamu Milonoff) is a standoffish teen with anger management issues. When they're not in school, she and her (hetero) friend Rönkkö (Eleonoora Kauhanen) serve smoothies at the mall. A customer who can't make up her mind gets on Mimmi's bad side, and like so many interactions in her life, the situation goes sideways.
Eleonoora Kauhanen and Aamu Milonoff in a scene from "Girl Picture." (Photo courtesy of Citizen Jane Productions.)
Of course, it must be love, just not at first sight. That customer is Emma (Linnea Leino), and she's dealing with her own challenges. A gifted figure skater, she finds herself unable to nail the triple axel, one of the most difficult jumps, weeks before a competition that is crucial to her future on the ice.
The sour “meet cute” that brings Mimmi and Emma together could have felt contrived, but the way Haapasalo stages their scenes together, the girls' growing attraction feels organic. Over the course of three Fridays (and one Saturday), the filmmaker captures the ineffable thrill of first love.
These are two headstrong young women who conceal deep-seated insecurities underneath hardened exteriors. Their relationship should not work, but both actors imbue their roles with a disarming conviction that can't help but turn you into a believer. Reminiscent of the young Maggie Gyllenhaal, Milonoff excels in the movie's juiciest role. She's terrific. Not to be upstaged, the ethereal yet steely Leino holds her own, often giving off Rooney Mara vibes.
Eleonoora Kauhanen, Linnea Leino and Aamu Milonoff in a scene from "Girl Picture." (Photo courtesy of Citizen Jane Productions.)
Haapasalo also gives Kauhanen an affecting narrative arc. Friendly, outgoing Rönkkö has struggled to find sexual satisfaction in her hookups, something that could have been reduced to a running joke but is here treated with the seriousness it merits. The film treats her intimate encounters in a clear-eyed, unflinching manner that suggests a sex comedy where the guys are the imperfect object of desire.
“Girl Picture,” tweaked from its Finnish title, which translates to “Girls Girls Girls,” doesn't offer any major surprises, but even when you know where its headed, it's put together with such confidence and care that its formulaic trappings are not a turn-off. Anchored by a trio of solid performances, a sturdy narrative structure and unshowy, skillfully lensed compositions, the film sees right through its characters' neuroses, and loves them all the more because of it.
- B-Boy Blues screens Friday at 7 p.m. at the Historic Lyric Theater in Miami. The screening is followed by the festival's opening night party.
- Girl Picture screens Thursday, April 28 at 8 p.m. at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and is also followed by a party.
- Other OUTshine selections will also be available to screen virtually in the state of Florida.
- For more information about tickets, showtimes and the rest of the lineup, go to outshinefilm.com.
