Movie Review: Lavender Men

While the notion that President Abraham Lincoln may have been queer isn’t a new one, dating back to at least the 1970s, it has picked up steam in recent years thanks to analysis of publicly available correspondence and other sources. That idea serves as the jumping off point for Lavender Men, adapted by Roger Q. Mason and Lovell Holder from Mason’s play of the same name and directed by Holder. While it does occupy much of the film’s runtime and is certainly interesting enough to see played out on its own, the story has much more than that on its mind and is all the better for it.

Taffeta (Mason) works as the stage manager at a small LA playhouse that is currently running a fairly rote play about the life of Lincoln. They recently realized that their affection for the play’s director was not returned in kind, despite some very mixed signals, and are feeling particularly lonely in the world. After the show ends one evening they have a series of degrading experiences as they clean up leading to a sexual assault at the hands of a cast member causing them to effectively shut down, escaping to a fantasia in which they imagine the alleged affair between Abe (Pete Ploszek) and his legal clerk Elmer Ellsworth (Alex Esola) as a play in which Taffeta serves as narrator and director while also performing every side character.

It’s an imaginative approach to the material that works well, allowing the production to do a lot with a little while also feeling apt given the location of Lincoln’s ultimate demise. Handsomely shot by cinematographer Matt Plaxco in the theater the play was first performed in it often feels like you are there watching a real show, only occasionally broken up by glimpses of life outside the theater.

The three main roles are filled by the actors who originated them on stage which means they had the parts fully down pat by the time they filmed them, and it shows. The chemistry between Ploszek and Esola is sizzling and utterly convincing, with every longing glance that passes between them radiating with genuine affection. It’s Mason who really shines though, giving a heartbreaking performance that drives home his script’s core themes. The pain of deep isolation from and alienation in society and of feeling invisible even amongst one’s supposed peers comes through in almost every scene. When they point out how much they want to feel happy for others’ joy while they feel like it’s something they will never get to experience for themselves it’s impossible not to ache for and with them, a feeling accentuated by David Gonzalez’s smart, emotional score.

Despite how it sounds this isn’t a misery-fest thankfully. Sure, history dictates that things can’t end happily for Abe and Elmer, and life is likely to remain difficult for Taffeta, but there are many moments of joy for all three characters as well as some decent jokes. Heavy themes may course through Lavender Men‘s veins, but it’s still a fun watch. With one of the year’s best romances, award-worthy performances, and a reminder to believe in your own exceptionalism, this is a timely, rewarding, and memorable experience that shouldn’t be missed. ★★★★½