Friday, 28 October 2022 12:16

In from the Side

in from the side

IN FROM THE SIDE

 

UK, 2022, 134 minutes, Colour.

Alexander Lincoln, Alexander King, Christopher Sherwood, Pearse Egan, Peter MacPherson, Carl Loughlin, Ivan Comisso, William Hearle, Alex Hammond, Chris Garner.

Directed by Matt Carter.

 

If one was asked for a brief description of this drama, the quick answer would be a British Rugby film. There are quite a number of match sequences, an A team and a B team, practices and training, locker room, gatherings at the pub. So much, so ordinary.

But another brief description of the film is that it is a love story, touches of the romantic comedy. But, a love story that is different from the usual. This is a film about a Rugby team, all of whom are gay, players and trainer. The have all come out. There is no secrecy. And, in fact, throughout the film there is no dramatisation of homophobia.

The action centres on one of the star players in the B team Mark, (Alexander Lincoln). At a gathering, he notices and becomes the centre of attention for Warren (Alexander King), member of the A-Team who has been off injured but is making a comeback. The attraction leads to a relationship, secret, Warren especially not wanting his partner to know, Mark living in a luxury apartment paid for by his partner, successful in business, who spends most of his time abroad.

What follows is a drama which is familiar from any film about relationships, romantic comedies, audiences used to seeing them dramatised as heterosexual. For the target audience, a gay audience, this is familiar, the characters, the situations, and the emotions, tangles – as well as the range of characters who are members of both football teams. For other audiences, the screenplay wants to draw them into an appreciation of the central characters but, for audiences used to watching films with gay characters, there may be some detached observation rather than involvement. But the aim of the film is to involve all audiences.

This does mean that some of the plot developments are of the expected kind, some betrayals, some angers from partners, complexities of the interactions of members of the team, particularly one young man, a student, but a drinker, dependent on Mark, disillusioned with him. And, in the background, there are the financial difficulties of the team, the promoters, the investors, and the possibility of abolishing the B team.

The teams travel around Britain, hosted by other cities, celebrations afterward, speeches and thanks for the hospitality, the naming of the player of the match. Ordinary expectations are for Mark to be named. However, when Warren has recuperated and offers to play for the B team, there is a surprise that he is named man of the match. But, at the end, after Mark has been hurt by the revelations and has not played for months, a good friend from the team (a genially large player, Pinky) persuades him to come back. But he does not become a man of the match. Rather, a player who has been able to rehabilitate himself…

A film which does what it set out to do, dramatise and gay relationships story without homophobia.

  1. A British Rugby film? The many sequences of training and play, locker room and showers, the footballers and camaraderie, coach, manager, financial interests? Competitions?
  2. The British settings, London, football fields, locker rooms, pubs, homes and flats? Authentic feel? Musical score? Football songs?
  3. The club as a club for gay footballers? This taken for granted? By management, competitions? The players themselves? A team and B team? The film not dramatising any homophobia?
  4. The members of the club, as individuals, as characters, friends, competitors, on the field, off the field? The spirit of the club?
  5. Mark’s story, age, experience, love for football, training, skills, status in the team, seeing him in action and getting tries? Living with Richard, Richard affluent, the comfortable flat, Richard not interested in football? His absences? The players are drinking, Mark and his noticing Warren, Warren and his approach? The sexual attraction? Going home, the night? Warren leaving? The effect on Mark?
  6. Warren, in the A-Team, injuries, making a comeback, the attraction to Mark, his approach, seductive, the night, leaving? The revelation about his relationship with John, keeping it secret? His secrecy throughout the film, not having courage to be open? The effect on him, the effect on Mark? And the secret getting out of the consequences?
  7. The filling in of the background of so many of the players, the coach, his concern about the men, but wanting to win the games, his decisions? His discussions with the manager, wanting to suppress the B team? The coach and his plea? The other players, on and off the field?
  8. Pinkie, large, jovial, saying the wrong thing, yet friendly? His discovering the two together while charging his phone? And the secret coming out? Yet his remaining friends?
  9. Henry, younger, skill at football, student, yet drinking, alcoholic, dependence on Mark? The reaction of the rest of the team, the drinking, his being sick? Mark on the beginnings of alienation, Henry’s reaction, the discovery of the truth? The final match, Henry and his skill, man of the match, reconciliation with Mark?
  10. Warren and Mark, the holidays, each lying to their partner? Going to the ski resort, Mark and his parents, both very friendly, his mother talking with him, the history of her relationship with his father, the fathers continued affairs, her accepting this?
  11. His mother’s comment that any relationship based on deception will simply increase deception?
  12. The continuing of the affair, the effect on each? Mark, love, dependence? Warren, love and dependence? Yet concealing everything from John? John, the discovery, reaction, violent? Warren and his playing with the B team, man of the match?
  13. Richard, the return, the open relationship, discovering the photo that Mark had taken of Warren? The deception, against Richard rules? Mark being ousted?
  14. The exposure, the consequences, Mark absenting himself from the team? Pinkie, deputed to go to discuss with Mark, persuasive, Mark returning, the strong match, Henry and his skill, Mark and his contribution? Warren present – but bypassed? And Richard coming to watch the play?
  15. The manager, suppression of the team? Mark and his future?
  16. The film for gay audience, for an audience which is not gay, the use of the genre of the affair, his conventions, but in a gay context?
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