Alaska Is a Drag

When I watched this understated film I was pleasantly surprised. I've had the hots for Matt Dallas since the Kyle XY days. It was oddly funny to hear them mention "Kyle" in the dialogue at a few spots - the hapless "villain" in this piece was named Kyle.

I never see myself in drag, but I have the utmost respect for those who enjoy it and are brave enough to be themselves; both those who go for the glamour and those who enjoy doing the comedic schtick.

This piece is simultaneously sweet and fierce. The rustic background just seems to accentuate the feelings between the main characters. The imagery with the locals and the dead fish is a continual reminder that it's not always as safe to be yourself in rural areas (like where I grew up) as it is in the urban areas (where I've generally lived lately).

The unrequited love here is palpable. The ambiguity about both Declan's and Chris's feelings is strangely riveting. This piece is (at best) bittersweet, but there is a hopeful, irrepressible air about it as well. I especially liked the scene in which Declan and Leo find some unexpected allies.

In some ways this film reminded me a bit of Beautiful Boxer (2003) what with the pretty boys throwing punches. There are parallels but for me at least, this one felt "closer to home" and in some ways a bit "truer."

Before watching I knew of Matt's 2 year marriage to another guy. Having seen a few of the couple's you-tube videos I'm convinced that Matt should try to stay in front of the camera. As beautiful as he is, he's got a compelling, goofy quality that I find fascinating. On a sad note: Whilst googling for some images for a social media post about the film , I learned that the couple split and wondered how the kid they adopted together was doing.