Freak Show

Freak Show, feature film, dir. Trudie Styler, 2017 USA, 91 min., 💖 US Premiere
Showcase Film, Saturday, June 24, 9:00pm, Castro Theatre

Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther, center right) announcing his fabulousness on TV

Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther, the young Alan Turing in The Imitation Game) is exiled to live with his father in a conservative small town in the South while his mother (Bette Midler!) is in rehab. His effervescent fabulousness goes over like a lead balloon at his new high school, but his indomitable fashion sense and poise lead him to the (not-so-)obvious answer: run for Prom Queen! Lawther is at turns hilarious and poignant as he blazes his path as a “transvisionary gender obliviator” in a school undeserving of his glittery brilliance. This is much more than yet another John Hughes knock-off.

I’m not allowed to say much more (presumably because it will be showing up, hopefully both in theatres and on home video, in the coming months), but this is definitely a MUST SEE. Given that this is director Trudie Styler’s first feature film, keep that name in your mental Rolodex!

Caution: this film contains a scene of homophobic violence