@lgbtqcreators event 13 🌈 adaptations
FIRE ISLAND (2022) dir. Andrew Ahn
"How could you begin?" said she. "I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?"
"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun."
(insp)
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New episode of our LGBT media podcast now available on Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts, and more. GayV Club is a podcast created by @akajustmerry and @decisiontoleave where we discuss LGBT film and tv and how we relate to it as gay people of colour.
Happy Valentine's Day! In this episode we talk about Fire Island, a modern-day Gaysian adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Joel Kim Booster, as well as other queer readings and adaptations of the Jane Austen novel.
Please click here for more information on where to listen, closed captions, GayV Club’s updates, and supporting us on Patreon.
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If I had a nickel for every time an Asian American director/writer made an A+ queer modern day romcom adaptation of a classic piece of Western literature, I’d have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's cool that it happened twice.
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In this modern adaptation, Joel Kim Booster reimagines Pride and Prejudice at Fire Island, where a chosen family of queer best friends reunite each year for an annual beach vacation. Booster also stars as Noah, this version's Elizabeth Bennet and our narrator and guide to Fire Island.
One thing that makes Pride and Prejudice so timeless is the way its rigid hierarchical social codes play out again and again across different times and cultures. The world of Fire Island is no exception, and Noah introduces us to a complex hierarchy in the LBGT community based on race and beauty standards, all deeply linked to class. Despite opening with a mistakenly literal interpretation of the "it is a truth universally acknowledged" quote (always a pet peeve of mine!)*, the story unfolds in a surprisingly faithful adaption that is as romantic, charming, insightful, and entertaining as a Pride and Prejudice retelling ought to be.
Charlie (Mr. Bingley) and Will (Mr. Darcy) are a doctor and lawyer who are smokin' hot, loaded, and staying at huge beachside mansion, putting them at the very top of Fire Island society. By contrast, Noah and his friends met as brunch servers scraping by to pay off their student loans, a solid analogue for the financially unstable but not actually impoverished Bennets. The two groups continue colliding over the course of the week, and Charlie develops feelings for Noah's best friend, Howie (Bowen Yang). Charlie is a quintessential Charles Bingley--a sweet and wholesome guy who thoroughly adores Howie, even if his actions don't always line up with his feelings. Howie is a compelling blend of Jane and Charlotte Lucas, insightful and kind and earnestly looking for big romantic love. Margaret Cho is as delightful as ever as the house mother, blending Mrs. Bennet's financial realism with a little bit of Mr. Bennet's anxiety that Noah not repeat her mistakes.
One of my favorite elements of this adaptation is the way Joel Kim Booster authentically portrays Elizabeth's strengths and failings while thoughtfully exploring what her values and priorities might be if she were in Noah's shoes. Part of loving Pride and Prejudice is accepting the tension between Elizabeth's brilliant independence and nonconformity and the reality that her choices are somewhat reckless. She doesn't have the education of Jane Fairfax, so she's not prepared to be a governess, and she knows she's eventually going to lose her house. (Seriously what is the plan!) Here, Noah's not choosing to rebel against society's expectations; he's trying to define a fulfilling life for himself in a heteronormative world.
Another strength is the all too real modernization of Wickham, appearing here as Dex, a user and a creep who, in true Wickham fashion, deftly plays on our sympathies to mask his predatory nature. When Dex is unmasked for the scoundrel he is (shoutout to LBD for first envisioning this modern Brighton scenario), Luke's (this version's Lydia) chosen family rallies to support him and it feels appropriate that modern adaptations are increasingly leaning into empathizing with Lydia as a victim.
Although I thought the adaptation was generally really well done, I do think that we missed out on Mr. Darcy's character arc this time around. Will was already pretty much perfect, a few minor miscommunications aside. He does very little to discourage Charlie and Howie's relationship, openly preferring Howie to Charlie's ex, so he doesn't have much to atone for or grow through compared to Book!Darcy. He also actively tries to warn Noah about Dex, whereas Book!Darcy only initially gets involved to defend himself. But, maybe because he was perfect, I couldn't help but love Will, and this adaptation in general.
Also, a special shout-out for how many times PrEP was mentioned--we should be talking about this all the time!
*UPDATE: Joel Kim Booster recently responded to this criticism so specifically that I can only conclude he read this review. Hi Joel you are a genius and we love you!!
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