esrosedotblog

Today's movie is about a unique personality. A biopic with many a difference.

Early in my second gay career, after I moved to Boston, I realized I had a lot of catchin' up to do. There was a culture, a history, a zeitgeist.

And part of that was the world of drag. At first, I gingerly tipped my toes in the salty water of drag shows. It was kinda' fun but, for the most part, not my cup of tea. It still is not.

The exception was a personality known as Divine. Certainly a performer who crossed dressed but, as I found out from friends eager to recruit me, anything but the usual drag show queen. Today's film goes quite a ways to show why and how a Baltimore boy named Glenn Milstead was able to be transformed, with the help of his boyhood friend John Waters, into a stage and film phenomenon.

I am Divine (2013)

I approached this film with caution because I was afraid I wouldn't like it. First because I might actually not like Divine behind the scenes and second because it had gotten panned by a lot of the press, straight and gay.

Gladly, I found it to be an original as Divine is an original and done with awe and respect for someone who was a real trouper. In every way.

I will be giving this a 4 out of Netflix5. It is riveting and s/he is a lot of fun to watch. There is no real sad side to this story. The main problem with this kind of film is they find a flaw and pick at it. Not here. It is, simply, Divine.

Labels: drag, films, gay culture