Two years ago at the Sundance Film Festival I reviewed a film I Am Michael, an anticipated drama that saw James Franco play a gay rights activist who suddenly changed his stripes. At the time I called it " easily the most thought-provoking work he has done in this milieu" and it was true then just as it is now, but for whatever reason the movie never got picked up despite decent reviews. Tons of crap far worse has been bought at the festival. Plus there's nothing I hate more than doing reviews for movies that never see the light of day.
Now after all of this time, I Am Michael is finally hitting theaters on January 27th along with a VOD release the same day. Brainstorm Media picked up the rights and will release the Justin Kelly-directed drama in ten markets. It's small, but at least it's something for a film that has long deserved to be seen. Based on a true story, the film stars Franco as Michael Glantze, who at one time was a prominent activist for gay rights but denounced his homosexuality and became a straight Christian pastor. He went so far as to publish articles against homosexuals and the movement that sought to grant them equal rights. Zachary Quinto plays his longtime boyfriend while Emma Roberts is the woman who becomes his girlfriend after he becomes heterosexual.
I'm eager to see what kind of reaction the film gets, especially now when gay rights is about to become a hot topic again under the next Presidential administration. [THR]
