A Wake’s discussions on religion are simplistic, never allowing for detailed explorations of the religious oppression and discrimination at the heart of many conservative homes. A Wake is available now on all major digital platforms.
In 2002, the Pew Research Centre began exploring global equality and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. This research highlighted the international differences in experience for many LGBTQ+ people, including levels of confidence in coming out and the fear surrounding day-to-day life. Western Europe consistently maintained an acceptance rate of 80-90%. In contrast, the United States, while improving from 51% acceptance in 2002 to 71% in 2019, still has a population of 29% who feel LGBTQ+ life is unacceptable.
The USA remains a polarised country, mainly due to conservative religious beliefs surrounding American life. Here, the wide-ranging acceptance of the East and West Coast gradually fades the further inland you go. As a result, many American LGBTQ+ young people still experience oppression both in and outside of the home. Therefore, any film exploring the interface between a conservative religious family unit and sexual orientation is more than welcome. However, while Scott Boswell’s A Wake is to be praised for attempting to explore the complex family dynamics at the heart of many middle-class, conservative American homes, the resulting film fails to find its voice and is infuriating due to its lack of effort.
Mason (Noah Urrea) is desperate to understand the sudden loss of his twin brother Mitchel through an apparent accidental overdose of prescription drugs. Mason plans to speak the truth about his brother’s unhappiness and depression at his brother’s Wake with the help of Jameson (Kolton Stewart), who is unaware of Mason’s plans.
There are some strong elements at play in Boswell’s movie, from its cinematography to the solid performance of Noah Urrea and Kolton Stewart, but there are also significant problems. A Wake’s story, structure and ensemble performances are weak, with a broader family that doesn’t seem the slightest bit sad that their son is dead! Meanwhile, the incessantly annoying and overpowering young Molly screeches through her lines, demanding you hunt out those earplugs you have stashed away somewhere.
Boswell’s movie attempts to tackle significant social issues but fails at every turn; for example, brief discussions on racial profiling are dropped like a hot stone as Mason’s parents believe Jameson is a drug dealer before quickly moving on, never to discuss their racist beliefs again.
Equally, the film’s discussions on religion are simplistic, never allowing for detailed explorations of the religious oppression and discrimination at the heart of many conservative homes. But the most unforgivable aspect at play is the need to create a neatly packaged happy ending that forgives everyone involved. For a movie about homophobia and suicide, the end is misguided and unforgivable.
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