Clapham Junction (2007) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Adrian Shergold

Writer:

Kevin Elyot (writer)

Release Date:

22 July 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

36 hours in the lives of a number of gay men in Clapham, South London. |

Plot Keywords:

First Time Sex | Gay Interest | Cruising | Masturbation | Homosexual

Cast

Tom Beard	...	Roger Hopkirk
James Bellamy	...	Black Youth 2
Robin Berry	...	Man in Toilet 2
Rachael Blake	...	Belinda Hopkirk
Samantha Bond	...	Marion Rowan
Stuart Bunce	...	Gavin
Philip Childs	...	Newscaster
Jason Frederick	...	Black Youth 1
Richard Freeman	...	Registrar
Rupert Graves	...	Robin Cape
Stephen Hagan	...	TV Assistant
Jefferson Hall	...	Mail Man
Johnny Harris	...	Tough Man
Francis Lee	...	Murray
David Leon	...	Alfie Cartwright

Runtime:

120 min | Germany:104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Kenwood House, Hampstead Heath, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Television

Movie Connections:

References Maurice (1987)

Violence against gays is not the problem; gays are the problem!

There are some good actors in this movie, and some well-directed scenes...but toward what end? The filmmakers seem to have an agenda, but what is it?

I think they sincerely want to reduce violence against gay men, but not by showing the victims as vibrant, valuable human beings who ought to be valued and respected or at least left in peace.

Instead, they seek to reduce violence against men who go cottaging (looking for sex with other men in toilets and other public places) by making such a practice appear so absolutely pathetic and repulsive that no one would ever want to do such a thing; all the cruising and sex scenes are exceedingly unpleasant. There is no joy of the hunt leading to blissful orgasm here, just sad creatures who have no idea who they are out blindly looking for a momentary thrill to make them feel something, anything, knowing they might get beaten up or killed at any moment.

The married man who has sex with other men in the toilet is a craven alcoholic. No role model there!

Rupert Graves' character comes as close to a role model as anyone here, which is to say he is not completely repulsive, just sad; he's a self-pitying waster who sees himself as a boy who never grew up. How he envies his straight married friend from university days!

Maybe gays should "grow up" and get married like other people. But no, that doesn't work, either, because at heart, they are still immature, selfish, and pathologically promiscuous. So the professionally successful, married gay couple in the movie are shown to be have a meaningless relationship, because one of them is a slut; clearly they are doomed.

Then there's the 14-year-old and the 29-year-old who are drawn to each other. They have a hot time, but end up hopeless, alienated, and miserable. Why can't these people just change the way they feel?

And how about the kid who takes violin lessons? He may not even be gay, but simply for having talent and a sensitive nature, he must live in constant fear. No happy ending for him. Why can't he butch up a bit? No, he will probably end up going to that toilet looking for sex, and get killed.

A young or otherwise impressionable person seeing this movie will get the message: your gay impulses are gross. Act on them and you will likely come to a bad end. Solution: stop that gross behavior! Marry a woman. Stop being a child! And then the world will be a less violent place.