On the Downlow
by Abigail Child
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Billy SharpDirector: Abigail Child
Brand: New Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 70 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-09-23
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: DOCURAMA
Product features:
- In this artful and thought-provoking film, highly regarded experimental filmmaker Abigail Child follows four young African American men in urban Cleveland, Ohio, who all live life on the downlow (the DL). Uncomfortable with being termed gay, as it doesn t correspond with their concept of Black masculinity, the men in this film straddle two seemingly incompatible worlds. Billy claims that the be
Movie Reviews of On the Downlow
Movie Review: "I am invisible, simply because people refuse to see me."
Summary: 5 Stars
-quote by Ralph Ellison
On the Downlow is a rather well made documentary that showcases the degree to which young black men who are either gay or who like both men and women have chosen to remain "on the downlow" (which means "closeted") to avoid nasty confrontations and other social issues including the stigma associated with these lifestyles in the African-American community. The African-American community has usually been somewhat at odds with men who enjoy romantic time with other men; the black man is often expected to date women. This all means that many black men must at least superficially live their lives as if they were straight; this low budget yet powerful documentary seriously and meaningfully explores the issues these men face as a result of being something other than straight and therefore choosing or even having to live their lives "on the downlow." In addition, the action moves along at a good pace and the quality of the print is excellent.
We meet several African-American young men and we listen and watch as they talk, go dancing and socialize on film. We see very clearly how they choose to cope with their sexuality and how their relationships can either blossom or suffer as a result. One young man named Kerwin opens up to a platonic girlfriend and they become better friends while another young man says his family would disown him if they knew what his lifestyle really was. Another young man named Ray likes to go with men dressed up as women especially because he doesn't want to wake up to a scruffy face; he prefers to wake up to a woman's face even though he knows he's occasionally been intimate with a man. Ray goes through his life as a thug mostly on the downlow although of course he has some friends who do know his true preferences. Kerwin sweats it out as he dials his father on the telephone to tell him that he liked both men and women; how will Kerwin's father react to this news? We also meet Antonio who was intimate with men when he was incarcerated. Antonio tells us of how some men explore intimacy with other men in jail or prison and he adds that some of these men keep these preferences as at least part of their lifestyle when they are released from incarceration. We also meet George, who dates Antonio; and we see how George handles things when a crisis arises in Antonio's life. We also see Antonio's mother and how she reacts to the knowledge that her son is dating another man; and we witness the moment when George tells his "girlfriend" that they are over as a couple--when he takes her to a gay bar along with his boyfriend. How will she react?
The DVD comes with the theatrical trailer but the real plus is a valuable bonus: We get about fifteen minutes of extra footage with some of the men from the film and two more men who are not in the film. In particular, we meet Will, a school teacher who has feelings for men but yet wants children although he hasn't figured out yet where straight marriage stands in his life. Despite the fact that Will has feelings for men he is openly opposed to marriage between two men; again we see the heavy influence of the African-American community's belief that black men should be straight and that being gay or liking both men and women is neither truly acceptable nor valid as a lifestyle choice.
On the Downlow is an excellent documentary that takes a rare look at African-American men who have feelings for other men (or who have feelings for both men and women). I highly recommend this film for anyone interested in this issue.
Summary of On the Downlow
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