I remember watching the original 1970 version of this movie. During and afterward, all I could think was, "Wow, what a bunch of bitter self-hating group of friends. The '60s were a horrible time to be gay."
When I heard they were doing a 2020 remake, I was curious to see if there would be a creative reimagining of the story, perhaps setting it in current times. Nope. Same '60s setting. Same unlikable group of people.
I get that this is an authentic look at life for closeted gay men in the '60s. Perhaps it's the wrong movie for these times, given the hate spreading across America. I'm sure some viewers will relate to these characters, having lived through that period of history. I struggled to find anyone to like or sympathize with, just as in the original version.
I turned it off less than halfway through. Why? Because, all I could think was, "Why did they bother? It's the same as the original."
Review of The Boys in the Band
