By Hans Pedersen, Jan. 15, 2015.
Back on Board: Greg Louganis
The best diver in Olympic history never made it onto the front of a Wheaties box. Nor did he rake in million-dollar endorsements like all-American Mary Lou Retton – the diver says he was told he didn’t fit the right image. Yet to date, his Olympic records have never been broken.
Profiled in this marvelous new documentary, out and proud Olympian Greg Louganis was discriminated against, even before he courageously told the world about his sexuality and HIV status.
Not only was Louganis the first Olympian in 50 years to win gold medals in both springboard and platform diving, he also remains the only athlete ever to win those two medals in back-to-back Olympic games (1984 and 1988). During his second round of wins, in ’88 Games, Louganis had already been diagnosed with HIV.
Director Cheryl Furjanic has crafted a remarkable story with the documentary Back on Board, gathering all the threads of Louganis’ amazing life. Using well-preserved standard-definition video footage, the director slows down some of the shots so viewers can admire his perfect diving form.
A shocking reveal in the film is Louganis’ recollections of getting bullied when he was young. He recounts getting taunted by fellow athletes with threats of gay bashing during Olympic training.
And the danger of foreclosure on Louganis’ seaside Malibu home is another surprising drama that helps propel the film forward. Filling boxes with any Olympic memorabilia he hasn’t sold, the famed diver explains he lost the equity in his home a few years ago after getting scammed by an unscrupulous contractor, and says he’s prepared to live out of his RV.
Non-sports fans may feel like they’re treading water a bit as the film focuses heavily on competitive Olympic events from three decades ago. But the payoff is big – especially as the athlete reflects on the discovery of his HIV-status during an Olympic year, and his brave decision to come out as gay and HIV-positive back in 1989.
Also reflecting on his career in the movie are his coaches, Dr. Sammy Lee and Ron O’Brien, who point out that if Louganis had been straight, he’d have made a million.
Today Louganis says he’d wear a rainbow speedo if he could compete again, and as the final scene shows – in a dive at the age of 52 – he remains in perfect form.
Boy Meets Girl
Michelle Hendley delivers such a naturalistic performance as Ricky. She steals the show, she’s authentic and real, and seems to have a promising future as an actress. Written and directed by Eric Schaeffer (If Lucy Fell), you may find it easy to get swept up in this adorable romance about an affable rich girl who’s keen on Ricky.
Ricky, who lives in a small Kentucky town, takes hormones and hopes one day to get the full surgery to transition into a woman. But she loves to dress as a girl, assembling several foxy ensembles, thanks to her fashion design skills. With guidance from her best friend Robbie (Michael Welch), she explores new, uncharted waters when she meets and develops feelings for the charming and gregarious young Franchesca (Alexandra Turshen).
But Franchesca has a fiancée, David (Michael Galante) who’s fighting in Afghanistan and threatened by her new friendship. Complicating the situation is the fact he knew Ricky back in school when “she” was a “he,” and the serviceman explodes upon learning the two are hanging out.
Ricky and Franchesca are so enchanted with one another, the electricity between them sparks a sexual relationship, drumming up new questions. “Does this make me a lesbian?” Franchesca wonders, despite Ricky’s assurances to the contrary. “Well it must make me something,” she muses, fishing for a label that doesn’t yet exist.
What viewers may appreciate is how bluntly Boy Meets Girl neatly eviscerates so many societal norms about gender. Categories like “male” and “female” do start feel hegemonic and arbitrary when one considers the full gender spectrum.
Filled with humor, warmth and humanity, this charmer may have a simple plot and execution, but it hardly falters. The performer playing Ricky is like a chord of truth that resonates with the rest of the cast and helps the entire film gel.
It’s easy be enchanted by such a rising star as Hendley and get caught up in the fun of this film. Go see it. Read Hans Pedersen's interview with Boy Meets Girl director Eric Schaeffer here.
The Way He Looks
Daniel Ribeiro directs this successful Brazillian teen romance and it’s worth catching if you missed it during its initial limited run.
Leo (Ghillherme Lobo) is a blind student who spends a lot of time with classmate Giovana (Tess Amorim). When a new student, Gabriel (Fabio Audi), is assigned to work with Leo on a school project, the two young men start spending extra time together.
The young blind man grows accustomed to holding Gabriel’s arm for guidance, and despite the fact the threesome spend time together sunbathing, Giovanna is soon jealous of the new student. Not only as he’s captured her friend’s attention, but evidently his heart as well.
If you don’t mind storylines that meander a bit, and appreciate French films like “Jules and Jim,” this film may be just your cup of tea.
Music by Belle & Sebastian keeps the mood of the movie buoyant. Yet heartbreaking moments puncture the story too, as when Leo practices kissing in the shower, and the melancholy music almost suggests his hopes for love could be futile.
Conversely, one of the film’s loveliest moments is a bike ride the two take, with Leo holding onto Gabriel as they zoom down the street.
In another scene, Leo clutches the hoodie that Gabriel has left behind, inhaling the smells as deeply, then intimately demonstrates how clearly he yearns for his friend.
Some of the honest mistakes people make with blind people are also laid bare here, for example, when Gabriel asks Leo, “Have you seen that video with the cat stuck inside the toilet?” He belatedly realizes, of course, that Leo could not possibly have seen the video.
While Leo is clearly going gaga for Gabriel, what’s unclear during the film is whether these feelings will ever be reciprocated. Soon, a flirtatious girl named Karina begins moving in on Gabriel, making clear someone else has eyes for him, too.
The movie does risk slipping into maudlin territory, but the story circuitously reaches a conclusion that’ll likely leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.
To read Echo's review of Crazy Bitches and interview with director Jane Clark, click here. To read Echo's review of Foxy merkins and interview with actresses Lisa Haas and Jackie Monahan and director Madeleine Olnek, click here.
