Genre Research: The Boys in The Band

 The Boys in the Band is a 2020 drama film based on the 1968 play of the same name. The film focuses on a group of seven gay men who come together for a birthday party. The film serves as a portrayal of gay life in the late 1960s.

What elements of the genre that you chose to base your final task on does this movie have?  

Like many drama films, The Boys in the Band contains several dramatic themes, such as aging, homophobia, mental illness, monogamy, and racism. Being a period piece, the film uses costumes that are relatively accurate for the setting, while also having the costumes fit the character's personality and social standing. The film's camera feels very fluid, and thus pans, zooms, and tracking shots are very common. The camera also appears to be handheld, which helps add to the feeling of tension present throughout the film. Like a lot of more modern drama films, The Boys in the Band does not really use any transitions such as a dissolve to go between scenes (except the intro which uses bar wipes) instead of opting to simply cut between scenes. Like other drama films, the lighting is kept natural, and often quite dim, to add to the realistic tone and ambiance. The acting is wonderful, which each character feeling real and distinct. Like a lot of dramas, the film is very dialogue-heavy, with a significant amount of the conflict coming from said dialogue. 

What elements of the genre did the movie have that you like?

I thought a lot of the dramatic themes were well presented, treated seriously enough to not seem in poor taste, but not so gravely that the film seemed preachy. The acting was also wonderful, even in a film with an ensemble cast of eight, each character felt distinct or like a caricature. Each character felt like a real person, who one could meet in real life. I also really loved the cinematography, the camera moved around considerably throughout the film, but never so much so that it felt disorienting. Rather, the camera felt as though it were guiding the audience through the film fluidly. 

What elements of the genre did the movie have that did not appeal to you?

One of my main qualms with the film is the dialogue, it is well written, but it is clunky and not all that realistic. Characters will often monologue in a way that feels more like they are talking to the audience than to another character. This issue is likely a holdover from the film's origins as a play, but it is still a rather glaring issue, although it is somewhat helped by the very talented actors who deliver the lines.