What is most refreshing about "Britney, Baby, One More Time" is that it is a totally gay film that has only one gay character. There's no gay drama. There's no talk of AIDS or drama over coming out. It isn't about a sad person struggling with his identity. It's a fun and entertaining romp, a road picture whose destination is honesty and dreams that come true. It's a rare delight.

The film centers on Angel, a female impersonator, if you will, who wins a Britney Spears look-alike contest. Given tickets to a Britney concert and a chance to meet her idol backstage, Angel thinks she is in heaven. Meanwhile, a local TV station looking to cover some entertainment news about the concert send their local celebrity, a filmmaker whose film "Bloodhead" has been accepted to the Venice (Italy!) film festival, to interview the teen starlet. The filmmaker's world soon collides with the drag queen's when they are both rebuffed by Spears' megalomaniacal manager and they are denied access to the star.

Mark Borchardt, of "American Movie" and "Coven" fame plays Dude Schmidtz, the filmmaker. Mike Schank, Borchardt's pal and now a star in his own right, portrays Dude's brother, Mike. This is the real treat of the movie for indie film fanatics. Borchardt and Schank basically play themselves in the film. They are extensions of the personas we have come to know and love from "American Movie." For me, Schank in particular was hilarious and divine, revelatory. Because he is allowed to be himself and express some of his true feelings about gay people, the film develops a theme of a gay person existing in the straight world. For all of us who are gay and work and exist in the straight world, this theme is relevant and important. And it is rarely addressed in gay cinema. I'm not talking about coming out or dealing with homophobia. Rather, I'm talking about a group of straight people who find their world changed when a gay person comes into their sphere. That's what "Britney, Baby, One More Time" is really about.

In addition to Schank, other secondary characters also have the same evolution including a male editor and a female camera person. "BB1MT" shows them both changed by the influx of a vibrant and openly gay person into their realm. Borchardt's character is lesser changed but acts as a catalyst for all that goes on in the film. I guess it's safe to say that he is changed by having someone who is as fierce and as strong-willed as he come into his life, gay or not. And, while we're at it, we are not talking about changes like that in "To Wong Fu" or "In and Out" where a whole community adopts a gay spirit. This is more realistic, actually. It's about subtle changes. It is about subtle acceptance. The straight people here don't "turn gay" or start dressing in drag. Rather, they simply become somewhat more used to the idea of a gay person being just a person like themselves. Really, the subtlety of the film is its beauty and many may miss because it is so marvellously underplayed.

Robert Stevens plays Angel, a Britney Spears fan and impersonator, and the film is based, somewhat, on some of his true experiences. He did win a contest impersonating Britney and he really did meet her in person. When their meeting was covered by cable TV outlet E!, Stevens was approached by producers to develop his story into a film.

Stevens is a pure, cherubic delight. His joyous enthusiasm glistens off of every frame in this film. Watching him, we never forget he is Robert, a drag performer, and yet he becomes both a woman and Britney Spears right before our eyes. It's a deeply textured character and Stevens gives breath to every nuance of the themes here, even when the film becomes campy as hell. Now, I'm not saying he is the Meryl Streep of the drag world. In fact, in a regular dramatic role, he would quite possibly be quite bad. But in this film, based on his real life persona, and a comedy, he is simply wonderful and pure, divine and fierce. I could even picture him in some sort of cheesy action film as a drag queen spy or something. And he looks great in a sports bra!

Shot on DV and seemingly improved in many spots, "Britney, Baby, One More Time" may not be a cinematic masterpiece but it's got a heart and a spirit that will not be denied. This film is a breath of fresh air! In a year where gay cinema is finally, it seems, coming of age, this film may very well be the best of the bunch.

I don't really like Britney Spears; I'm no big fan of drag, but "Britney, Baby, One More Time" won me over with its joyousness, its camp, its fun, its spirit and its belief that being yourself will allow you to triumph in the end. Here's hoping this film gets seen and celebrated well after the teen starlet has faded from the scene.

Note:

Also with Shannon Walker Williams, Frank Potter, and Karl Mackinen.

Due to budget constraints, two of Spears' songs were re-recorded by others for the film.

Stevens really did get kicked out of the backstage area at the Britney concert by her manager when a TV crew mistook him for the real thing.

Schmidtz, whose film "Bloodhead" has been accepted into the Venice (Italy) Film Festival, is trying to get money to budget his second film, "Sudden Doom."

If the Report Card below had a grade for Spirit, Fun, Originality, they would all be A+ (Hence the final grade that does not reflect the film's more cinematic issues).

Film Seen by Lodger at AGLIFF 2002

Report Card Script: A Acting: B- Cinematography\Lighting: C Special Effects\Make Up: A+ Music: A Final Grade: A+

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