Written and directed by Liz Gill, it's a patchwork exploration of the loves and lives of a disparate group of Dubliners, including committment-phobic, gay, bike courier Red (a puckish Keith McErlean); his best friend Angie (Flora Montgomery), a lesbian TV journalist; and the philandering, straight, university letch and lecturer Tom (Sean Campion) whose schtick ensnares many a young student, including - albeit briefly - the fiesty, unfettered, bisexual Clara (Fiona O'Shaughnessy).
At only 85 minutes long, Goldfish Memory too often races through its complex and constantly rearranging set pieces of love and lust, resulting in a series of sketches rather than fully developed scenes, but its energy and enthusiasm can't be faulted, while its characters, despite sometimes being thinly drawn, are unfailingly endearing.
To summarise, Goldfish Memory may not be the best queer film in the world, but it's certainly better than endless coming out films; and its warm regard for all of its characters, not just the central gay, lesbian and bisexual characters, but the peripheral cast as well, ensures that it never outstays its welcome. Despite a touch of blandness (everyone is just a little too nice), it manages to be engaging and uplifting. It also made me miss Dublin, which I've only visited once (see my blog entries for September 2005) but which I definitely want to see again!
No comments:
Post a Comment