September 24, 1999 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 13

evening'sout

Gay man-straight woman story is deceptively good

Finding North

Directed by Tanya Wexler Wolfe Video

Reviewed by Eric Resnick

Packages can be deceptive. Just picking up the box of Finding North, a video release due in November, I was prepared to hate it. The producers have tried to lure viewers by putting things on the box like, "She's looking for her Prince Charming. He just lost his," and comments from Frank Scheck of the Hollywood Reporter saying "Highly appealing! A sort of Will and Grace for the big screen."

I am offended by Will and Grace. Seeing this, I imagined using this review to make a statement about our community's inability to keep credible gay characters in the mix of pop culture, while we celebrate media executives' idea of what gay characters are acceptable to the culture at large: Dysfunctional gay men and the fag hags who desire them. That's where the packaging becomes deceptive. This film is not like that at all.

Finding North appeared in the 1998 gay and lesbian film festivals and was just released to the mass market on video. It stars Wendy Makkena and John Benjamin Hickey. Makkena plays Rhonda, a 30-year-old lovestarved woman who lives with her parents. Hickey plays Travis, a gay man who is sui-

shoe-a suede Hush Puppy shoe and... well, you've seen Cinderella. You know what happens next.

This hokiness, and episodes of poor directing, are this film's weaknesses. Parts of it are just not convincing.

But other parts of it are. On balance, Finding North redeems itself and becomes a worthwhile watch on a several counts. First, it is a reminder to all of us in these days of protease inhibitors that people die of AIDS. The tragedy of Bobby's death as experienced by Travis is realistic.

Next, the film treats the partnership of Bobby and Travis with the highest respect and dignity. The men were clearly devoted to each other and deeply in love.

In fact, their love is the real theme. Before he died, Bobby knew Travis would have a difficult time letting go of him and living his life, so he accelerated Travis' grieving process by sending him to Denton, Texas, his home town. The two of them were planning the trip prior to Bobby's death.

Bobby, with the help of his nurse, sent Travis a series of cassette tapes to guide him on a scavenger hunt, which is supposed to allow Travis to see Bobby's town, and his life a bit closer and to complete a few tasks Bobby didn't finish when he lived there.

Curbside

1999

cidal after just losing Bobby, his partner of NOWAY OUT BY KIRBY

seven years, to AIDS.

Rhonda sees Travis for the first time as he is perched on the Brooklyn Bridge, naked, and ready to jump. Other than providing a titillating cover photo, the fact that he is naked is irrelevant except that he leaves a

WELL, I GUESS I BETTER SHOVE OFF.. GOTTA GO TO STUPID WORK IN THE MORNING.

The most important of these tasks is coming out to his Aunt Bonnie, who is Bobby's only living relative. Travis completes his mission with the help of Rhonda, who, after just losing her job, stalks Travis and gets wrapped up in the whole thing.

Finally, the film is also about letting go and beginning again. Once that theme is revealed, there are some really touching moments. Some are tearjerkers. And neither of them grow until they get honest with each other and themselves.

The characters that the two encounter along their way each leave them with some pearl of wisdom that adds to their enlightenment and growth.

Rhonda's growth is to let go of her neurotic, over-bearing mother.

It is just the bad humor along the way that is distracting. The two of them, for example, pull a plywood woman off a billboard using an eyelash curler because they didn't have any pliers.

Now that you have been warned, if you want to learn about the tradition of the Great Masked Pumpkin in Denton, Texas and shed a little tear over it, see Finding North. ✓

Eric Resnick is a Chronicle contributing writer living in Canton, Ohio.

YEAH, ME TOO. I'D REALLY RATHER NOT THOUGH.

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