D.E.B.S. (2005)
"Spy Kids" started the tweener genre
of teenage sci-fi espionage movies. The franchised
flourished sprouting two sequels (so far) as well
as spawning copycat franchise "Agent Cody Banks" and
films like "Thunderbirds." "D.E.B.S." seems like another
one of those films, this time involving young, female,
college freshmen who have been selected for a secret
counter-terrorism group. The criteria for being selected,
which is explained in the start of the film (in a
segment that comes off like a promotional trailer),
is a hidden test in the college S.A.T.'s. Girls who
pass this test, one they don't even know they are
taking, are recruited to become D.E.B.S.
Now, all this would make a fine and
dandy little teeny-bopper film. And, in fact, this
does make a fine and dandy teeny- booper film. But
"D.E.B.S." has a lesbian love story in it that makes
the whole film jump over boundaries and borders in
fresh and exciting ways. For all those moms and dads
that want to endorse diversity, and for all those
teenagers who have open minds and don't really give
a darn about such things (which is 99% of them), "D.E.B.S."
is a great film.
Granted, one group it doesn't really
seem to be for is lesbians. There are no real lesbians
here; well, except for what we normally call the "lipstick"
variety. Gay-positive and gay-friendly, the film also
has not a single bull-dyke type character in it (unless
you count Holland Taylor, who plays a heterosexual
here). Sure, it is a movie and stereotypes are stereotypes
for a reason. But I could see lesbians being kinda
put off by this.
Still, this film is incredibly positive
and poignant. The fact that a lesbian relationship
between two young woman, one of whom is going through
the experience of "figuring herself out and undergoing
the process of "coming out," is simply monumental.
Written and directed by Angela Robinson, the film
is obviously heartfelt and well-intentioned. I don't
know Ms. Robinson's personal orientation, but she
certainly hits all the right notes here. As a gay
man, I sympathized with the young female protagonist
trying to figure out her sexuality while confronting
the establishment of work, school as well as friends,
boyfriend and society in general. Yes, it's standard
fare for gay films, but the fact that this is a lesbian
story and one that is aimed at a general audience
is nothing short of momentous. This is an important
gay film.
And just in case you guys out there
don't think you would enjoy a lesbian love story,
there are two cute young male actors as well as diva
Holland Taylor for us to enjoy. Hottie Jimmi Simpson
is simply adorable as the cute little villain with
a heart of gold who tries to help his lesbian friend,
the evil Lucy Diamond (Jordanna Brewster doing a great
impersonation of a young Demi Moore), get a date.
For those who like their men a little beefier, there's
young Adonis-like Geoff Stults (remember when agents
were smart enough to get their clients with horrible
last names to change them) in a supporting role as
well.
As the D.E.B.S., Sara Foster (composer
David Foster's daughter) is cute as the young lesbian
coming out and does a wonderful job portraying her
character, Meagan Good is fun as the hottie bitch
Max, Devon Aoki ("2 Fast 2 Furious" and "Sin City")
hams it up as a wanna be Eurotrash French girl, and
Jill Ritchie (Kid Rock's sister and the only holdover
from the short film) looks ugly next to the other
3 girls. All these women, with the exception of Aoki,
do a respectable job and help to make the film work
immensely well.
Again, "D.E.B.S." is a monumental and
important gay film. And it's a lot of fun. Don't miss
it.
Notes:
Also with Michael Clarke Duncan.
Based on Robinson's 2003 short of the
same name.
Ritchie and Simpson will be in the
new "Herbie" (The Love Bug) movie this summer with
Lindsay Lohan, which Robinson just happens to be directing.
Robinson won an award for the film
at Berlin.
The film was shown on opening night
of the Agliff (Austin
Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival) in
August of 2004 but I couldn't see it because it was
shown at the same time as "Eating
Out." For the first time, in 2004, Agliff split
its opening night fare into two theaters, one movie
aimed at men and the other at women, and showed these
two films only that one time during the festival.
So I had to pick one and missed "D.E.B.S."
The film debuted at Sundance and was
picked up by Samuel Goldwyn Films who didn't have
a clue how to market and promote it and dumped it
in New York and L.A. arthouses in May of 2005 with
little fanfare. When it fared poorly, they pulled
the release in the rest of the country and opted to
go to DVD in June of 2005.
Viewed in April 2005 on a VHS screener
provided by the distributor and the Dobie Theater.
