| Abstract |
One of the first gay features released after the arrival of the AIDS epidemic, Fun Down There offers a refreshingly uncomplicated view of coming out and coming of age. Roger Stigliano's early gem of new queer cinema chronicles a single week in the life of Buddy, a young gay man living with his family in rural upstate New York. The morning after his sister discovers his copy of Playgirl, Buddy sneaks away to New York City. Shortly after his arrival, he experiences his first sexual encounter. His partner, Joseph, takes Buddy under his wing and provides him with the Big City essentials: a hotel room, a subway map and a lecture about safe sex. In a wry, offhand style, Fun Down There skillfully captures the ordinary day-to-day events that make life extraordinary. With humor that is more Jim Jarmusch than John Waters, the film's sex scenes have an innocent and refreshingly casual quality even today. Plus, there's something that's always welcomed in queer cinema: a happy ending. |
