TIFF 2024 Review: Queer
Queer (2024)
Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Starring Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Jason Schwartzman, and Lesley Manville
As seen at Queer’s World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). All images courtsey of TIFF.
The latest from rising director Luca Guadagnino is a 1940s period piece in three parts. Daniel Craig plays William Lee, a self-described “homosexual” whose identity seems to revolve around his conquests of young men in Mexico City. But when he meets fellow American Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), we realize his identity actually revolves around a search for connection. This connection leads the two from the streets and bars of Mexico City to the depths of the South American jungle, and everywhere in between.
As the best directors do, Guadagnino mixes sights and sounds in perfect cinematic alchemy. The score, from frequent collaborators Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, ebbs and flows with perfection, not cluing the viewer in on what to feel but gently nudging us to pay attention to the moment on the screen. Modern songs pepper this period piece’s soundtrack. When I first heard “Come as You Are” by Nirvana played almost in its entirety as our old queen prowled for his latest conquest in slow motion, my Gen X eyes started to roll. I stopped myself and took a breath—why can’t filmmakers of my age reflect the soundtrack of their youth in their films? Surely, I am no gatekeeper to what moves people. Just as I let go of my Cobain-penned pearl-clutching, I was delighted to hear a rare Nirvana B-side played on a jukebox. “Marigold” is a rare Nirvana song written and sung by Dave Grohl. No stadium rock here, no rockstar affect—just an introspectively beautiful singer-songwriter coping with emotions.
But sound is only half of this equation. The film is a marvel to look at. Guadagnino teams up once again with cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Call Me by Your Name (2017), Suspiria (2018), Challengers (2024)) for what is arguably their most ambitious project. The seamless shots on the streets of Mexico City are reminiscent of the famous crane shot from Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil (1958), and the surreal visual effects are used sparingly to intoxicate the viewer. The combination of the mundane and fantastical helps us share William Lee’s experience of disembodied loneliness.
Both lead actors shine, and I all but guarantee an Oscar nod for Daniel Craig. Drew Starkey handles his supporting role opposite Craig with assured wisdom, letting the spotlight of self-reflection shine brightly on his co-star, only stepping into this light to intensify the illumination on Craig’s powerful performance. For this, I hope Starkey also gets a nod (Best Supporting Actor). Both Jason Schwartzman and Lesley Manville add elements of humor and fringe behavior that almost make our protagonists seem normal. They appear in small doses, and we spend most of our time with Craig and Starkey. The film is sensual and sweet, especially for a story about an old queen preying on young men. Touch is central to this affection, with bodies melding together on multiple occasions. The final instance was so intense that it left the audience mesmerized; the visual effects drew us in, rendering the theater silent as we ventured into the jungle with our boys.
I believe that this four-film run Luca Guadagnino is on is magnificent. Each is uniquely different in tone and subject matter, impeccably directed by a filmmaker at the top of his game. Dare I say he has reached Kubrickian status? If Call Me by Your Name is his Lolita (1962), that would make Suspiria, Bones and All (2022), Challengers (2024) and Queer his Dr. Strangelove (1964), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), and Barry Lyndon (1975). An audacious statement? Maybe, but either way, I can’t wait to see Luca’s forthcoming equivalents to The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987), and Eyes Wide Shut (1999).