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Queer (film)

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Queer
Theatrical release poster
Directed byLuca Guadagnino
Screenplay byJustin Kuritzkes
Based onQueer
by William S. Burroughs
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySayombhu Mukdeeprom
Edited byMarco Costa
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • Lucky Red (Italy)
  • A24 (United States)
Release dates
  • September 3, 2024 (2024-09-03) (Venice)
  • November 27, 2024 (2024-11-27) (United States)
Running time
137 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Italy
  • United States
Languages
  • English
  • Spanish[2]
Budget€48 million[3]
Box office$1.9 million[4]

Queer is a 2024 period romantic drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino from a screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes, based on the 1985 novella by William S. Burroughs. Set in 1950s Mexico City, the film follows an outcast American expat (Daniel Craig) who becomes infatuated with a younger man (Drew Starkey). Jason Schwartzman, Henry Zaga, Omar Apollo, and Lesley Manville also star.

Queer premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2024, where it played in-competition for the Golden Lion. It was released in the United States in a limited theatrical release on November 27, by A24, and was released nationwide on December 13. The film has received generally positive reviews from critics and was named one of the Top Ten Films of 2024 by the National Board of Review, where Craig was awarded the Best Actor prize. Craig was also nominated for the Golden Globe and Critics' Choice awards for his performance.

Plot

William Lee is an American expatriate living in 1950s Mexico City, passing time by bar hopping and indulging in sexual activities with men younger than him. While out on an evening stroll, he catches the sight of Eugene Allerton, a GI who is also an American expatriate. Smitten, Lee grows obsessed with Allerton, searching for him throughout the city in the hopes of gaining his affection. Allerton, however, is cool to Lee’s advances; nevertheless, he permits Lee to seduce him.

Despite establishing their relationship, Allerton maintains his distance to Lee, his demeanor a sharp contrast towards Lee’s desire for connection; Allerton’s explanation for this is that he does not see himself as "queer" in the same manner that Lee does. Desperate to develop their relationship further, Lee invites Allerton to travel with him to South America in the hopes of finding yagé, a plant said to offer telepathic abilities to those who consume it. Allerton demurs from accepting Lee's invitation for a few days before agreeing to accompany Lee after being asked a second time.

The trip goes on, but not without issue: Lee’s dependence of drugs brings on a bout of dysentery, and Allerton keeps Lee at a distance. Lee eventually hears of a doctor who lives in Quito that could assist him in his search for yagé.

The two men arrive in Quito to the residence of Dr. Cotter and her husband. Initially apprehensive, Cotter warms to the men and brews the yagé found in the forest surrounding her residence, creating ayahuasca for the four of them to drink. Shortly after consumption, Lee and Allerton spend the rest of the day experiencing vivid hallucinations such as the two vomiting out their hearts and communicating telepathically then disappearing in front of each other. The night ends with the men melding their bodies together.

The morning after, Dr. Cotter suggests the men stay to further explore the effects of yagé. Before agreeing, Lee witnesses Allerton vanish in the jungle.

Two years pass before Lee returns to Mexico City, where his friend Joe informs him that Allerton has taken another trip down South America as a guide for an army colonel. Later that night, Lee dreams of discovering Allerton in a hotel room adjacent to his. Allerton engages Lee in a round of William Tell by placing a glass on his head. Lee shoots Allerton in the head, then holds his body before it vanishes again, with everything else and Lee following suit.

Lee finds himself in his hotel room, now an elderly man. He settles in bed, where a still-youthful Allerton reappears beside him. Allerton cradles Lee as he falls asleep.

Cast

Production

Development

Guadagnino wanted to make an adaptation of William S. Burroughs' 1985 novella Queer since he read the book when he was 17. In April 2022, he mentioned the book to screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes while they were on set for their film Challengers (2024) in Boston.[6] Guadagnino bought Kuritzkes a copy, which he read and loved. Producer Lorenzo Mieli found the rights to the book, which they secured after a call with James Grauerholz, the literary executor of Burroughs' estate. Kuritzkes began writing the script while they were still working on Challengers.[6] The book was published unfinished, so Kuritzkes and Guadagnino consulted Burroughs' scholar Oliver Harris, on how to give the text a fitting ending, while maintaining the author's vision.[7] Guadagnino described Queer as his most personal film and a tribute to the films of Powell and Pressburger, concretely The Red Shoes (1948), "I think they would appreciate the sex scenes in Queer, which are numerous and quite scandalous".[8]

Casting

It was announced in December 2022 that Daniel Craig was in talks to star in the film.[9] Craig was cast after Guadagnino's agent Bryan Lourd had sent the script to the actor. Guadagnino recalled: "Daniel and I were on the phone a week later. Then, a week passed, and he was in the movie".[7] In April 2023, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, and Henry Zaga were revealed to be in the cast.[10] Starkey was cast after an audition tape he had made for another project landed in front of Guadagnino. Guadagnino consulted with Craig on casting Starkey, and Craig, after watching the tape, told Guadagnino "That's the guy".[11] They auditioned 300 people for the role.[7] In June 2024 it was reported directors Ariel Schulman, Lisandro Alonso and David Lowery would be appearing on the film.[8]

Filming

Principal photography began in Rome, Italy on April 29, 2023.[12][10] The project was filmed at Cinecittà Studios. Additional scenes were shot in Quito, Ecuador, standing in for Mexico City. Production wrapped on June 29, 2023.[13][14] Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe, served as costume designer, marking his second collaboration with Guadagnino following Challengers.[10][15]

Post-production

The original cut submitted to and accepted by the Venice Film Festival was 185 to 200 minutes long before being cut down to its final length of 135 minutes.[16][17]

Music

Queer (Original Score)
Film score by
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
ReleasedDecember 6, 2024 (2024-12-06)
Length49:21
LabelMilan
Producer
  • Trent Reznor
  • Atticus Ross
  • Jacob Moreno
Trent Reznor chronology
Challengers (Original Score)
(2024) 		Queer (Original Score)
(2024)
Atticus Ross chronology
Shōgun (Original Soundtrack)
(2024) 		Queer (Original Score)
(2024)

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross composed the score for Queer, their third collaboration with Guadagnino following Bones and All in 2022 and Challengers in 2024. The Spanish-language "Te Maldigo", performed by Omar Apollo, who stars in the film, was the first song released from the soundtrack.[18] The album featuring the original score was released on December 6, 2024, through Milan Records; the first track "Vaster than Empires", performed by Reznor and Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso, contains lyrics from Burroughs' memoirs.[19]

All music is composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross; William S. Burroughs is additionally credited as a writer on "Vaster than Empires".

Queer (Original Score) track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Vaster than Empires" (with Caetano Veloso)3:52
2."Pure Love"4:34
3."Centipede"1:25
4."God Had to Create"2:53
5."Thinking Is Not Enough"3:00
6."The Saddest Man in the World"1:56
7."That's Him"3:35
8."Wouldn't You?"1:39
9."Love Would Shatter"4:40
10."Place of Failure"4:04
11."Real Enough"1:51
12."No Holy Grail"2:49
13."No Final Satori"3:53
14."No Final Solution"0:58
15."Just Conflict"1:36
16."Love"6:29

Notes

  • "Love" is stylized as "LOVE."

Release

The cast of Queer at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.

Queer had its world premiere in-competition on September 3, 2024 at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.[20][21] In August 2024, the film was the first announced in the Spotlight Gala of the 62nd New York Film Festival.[22]

Also in September 2024, A24 acquired the film's distribution rights for the United States.[23] In October 2024, Mubi acquired the film rights for multiple regions, including streaming in Italy,[24] The film was banned in Turkey, leading Mubi to cancel a film festival which the film was set to open in November 2024.[25][26]

It had a limited release in the United States on November 27, 2024,[27] before nationwide releases in both the US and the United Kingdom on December 13.[18]

Reception

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of 141 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The critics' consensus on the website reads: "A phantasmagorical distillation of William S. Burroughs' preoccupations that's by turns meandering and vital, Queer marks one of Daniel Craig's most sterling performances yet."[28] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 44 critics' reviews, indicating a "generally favorable" response.[29]

Craig was widely praised for his performance,[30][31][32][33] with The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw describing it as a "really funny, open, generous performance – perhaps the only disadvantage is that he upstages Starkey".[34]

The Times found the film to be visually appealing but lacking in substance.[35]

Director John Waters ranked Queer second on a list of his favorite movies of 2024, writing, "Daniel Craig may be queerbait for taking on the gay beatnik role of William Burroughs’s alter ego, but I’m all for it."[36]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Venice International Film Festival 7 September 2024 Golden Lion Luca Guadagnino Nominated [37]
Queer Lion Nominated
National Board of Review 4 December 2024 Top Ten Films Queer Won[a] [38]
Best Actor Daniel Craig Won
European Film Awards 7 December 2024 European Actor Nominated [39]
Washington DC Area Film Critics Association 8 December 2024 Best Actor Nominated [40]
Michigan Movie Critic Guild Awards 9 December 2024 Best Actor Nominated [41]
San Diego Film Critics Society 9 December 2024 Best Actor Runner-up [42]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle 15 December 2024 Best Actor Pending [43]
St. Louis Film Critics Association 15 December 2024 Best Actor Pending [44]
Golden Globe Awards January 5, 2025 Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Pending [45]
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards 11 January 2025 Best Actor Pending [46]
Best Supporting Actress Lesley Manville Pending
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 12 January 2025 Best Actor Daniel Craig Pending [47]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists TBA Best Actor Pending [48]

Notes

  1. ^ This award does not have a single winner, but recognizes multiple films.

References

  1. ^ "Queer (18)". British Board of Film Classification. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Queer". BFI. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  3. ^ Armocida, Pedro (28 August 2024). "Alberto Barbera: «La mia Venezia è diversa»" [Alberto Barbera: 'My Venice is different']. Box Office (in Italian). Archived from the original on 3 September 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Queer". The Numbers. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Queer". A24 Publicity. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b Jacobbi, Paola (22 March 2024). "Challengers è il nuovo film sul tennis di Luca Guadagnino: "I fischi ai miei film? La gente si offende troppo facilmente"". la Repubblica (in Italian). Archived from the original on 29 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Vivarelli, Nick (2 September 2024). "Luca Guadagnino Unpacks Queer: How Burroughs' 'Universal' Love Story, Casting Daniel Craig and Lots of On-Screen Sex Resulted in a 'Very Revolutionary' Film". Variety. Archived from the original on 3 September 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  8. ^ a b Cavaggioni, Alessandro (22 June 2024). "Guadagnino: "Queer sarà il mio film più personale"". Cinecittà News (in Italian). Archived from the original on 23 June 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  9. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony; Kroll, Justin (9 December 2022). "Luca Guadagnino-Directed Adaptation Of Queer With Daniel Craig In Works". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  10. ^ a b c Vivarelli, Nick (21 April 2023). "Drew Starkey to Star With Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino's Queer With Filming Starting This Month in Italy (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  11. ^ Cartter, Eileen (29 February 2024). "Is Outer Banks Star Drew Starkey Hollywood's Next Prestige Heartthrob?". GQ. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  12. ^ Deon, Brynn (29 April 2023). "Luca Guadagnino's Queer Has Begun Filming". Maxblizz. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  13. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (3 September 2023). "Lorenzo Mieli: How The Italian Producer Of Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, Luca Guadagnino's Queer & HBO's My Brilliant Friend Is Breaking Global Boundaries – Venice". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  14. ^ Jonathan Anderson [@jonathan.anderson] (29 June 2023). "Today we wrap". Retrieved 28 June 2024 – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Cartner-Morley, Jess (17 February 2023). "Fashion needs to step up as UK is 'in a paralysis', says Jonathan Anderson". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  16. ^ Ford, Rebecca (15 August 2024). "Venice Film Festival's Artistic Director on the Boldest Films and Biggest Stars of This Year's Lineup". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024. There were three versions of the film. The first one was more than three hours long. The second one was two and one half. The final version is two hours and 15 minutes.
  17. ^ Gramatica, Lorenzo (26 August 2024). "Una vita per il cinema. Intervista ad Alberto Barbera" [A Life for Cinema. Interview with Alberto Barbera]. Lucy. Sulla cultura (in Italian). Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  18. ^ a b Keates, Emma (21 November 2024). "Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Omar Apollo share tender new Queer song". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Out Now: Reznor and Ross' Original Score for Guadagnino's Queer". Milan Records. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  20. ^ Vivarelli, Nick; Shafer, Ellise (23 July 2024). "Venice Film Festival Reveals Lineup (Updating Live)". Variety. Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  21. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy; Aboul Kheir, Nada (3 September 2024). "Luca Guadagnino's Queer Earns 11-Minute Ovation At Venice Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Queer". Toronto International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  23. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (28 August 2024). "Luca Guadagnino's Daniel Craig Feature Queer Landing At A24". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  24. ^ Whittock, Jesse (4 October 2024). "Mubi Buys Daniel Craig-Starrer Queer For Multiple Territories". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  25. ^ "Festival cancelled in Turkey over ban of Luca Guadagnino's film 'Queer'". Euronews. 8 November 2024. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  26. ^ "Mubi cancels film festival in Turkey after Daniel Craig film 'Queer' is banned". NBC News. 8 November 2024. Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  27. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (24 September 2024). "A24 Sets Awards Season Release Dates For Luca Guadagnino's Queer & Brady Corbet's The Brutalist". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 24 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  28. ^ "Queer". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  29. ^ "Queer". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  30. ^ Barber, Nicholas (3 September 2024). "Queer review: Daniel Craig is 'heartbreaking' in this explicit gay romance, but the story goes off the rails". BBC. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  31. ^ Collin, Robbie (3 September 2024). "Queer: Daniel Craig puts Bond to bed with this sensational – and explicit – gay drama". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  32. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (3 September 2024). "Queer Review: Daniel Craig Is Heartbreaking in Luca Guadagnino's Profound Kaleidoscope of Unrequited Love, Addiction, and Ayahuasca". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 3 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  33. ^ Rooney, David (3 September 2024). "Queer Review: Daniel Craig Burns a Hole in the Screen With Obsessive Desire in Luca Guadagnino's Trippy Gay Odyssey". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  34. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (3 September 2024). "Queer review – Daniel Craig is needy, horny and mesmeric in Guadagnino's erotic drama". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  35. ^ Maher, Kevin (3 September 2024). "Queer review — Daniel Craig beguiles as a sexual predator and addict". The Times. Archived from the original on 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  36. ^ Waters, John (6 December 2024). "The Best Movies of 2024, According to John Waters". Vulture. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  37. ^ Gardner, Chris (27 August 2024). "From Brangelina to Joaquin Phoenix: The Venice Red Carpet Will Be Filled With A-Listers and Intrigue". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  38. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (4 December 2024). "Wicked Casts Spell Over National Board Of Review, Counts Three Awards Including Best Film". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  39. ^ Shafer, Ellise (5 November 2024). "European Film Awards Nominations: 'Emilia Pérez,' 'The Substance,' 'The Room Next Door' and More Up for Best Film". Variety. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  40. ^ Neglia, Matt (6 December 2024). "The 2024 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Winners". NextBestPicture. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  41. ^ Neglia, Matt (6 December 2024). "The 2024 Michigan Movie Critics Guild (MMCG) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  42. ^ Neglia, Matt (6 December 2024). "The 2024 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  43. ^ "2024 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations". AwardsWatch. 10 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  44. ^ Neglia, Matt (6 December 2024). ""Sabaya"". NextBestPicture. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  45. ^ Barnard, Matthew (9 December 2024). "NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR 82nd ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES®". Golden Globes. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  46. ^ Betancourt, Emiliana (20 November 2024). "'A Complete Unknown,' 'Conclave' and 'Gladiator II' Among AARP Movies for Grownups 2024 Best Picture Nominees". Variety. Archived from the original on 22 November 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  47. ^ Evans, Greg (12 December 2024). "Conclave And Wicked Lead Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  48. ^ "The 2024 EDA Award Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
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