The Boys in the Band review: Big Bang’s Jim Parsons shines in glossy adaptation
In 2018, American Horror Story's Ryan Murphy came together with award-winning theatre director Joe Mantello (Wicked) and a star-studded ensemble to revive Mart Crowley's 1968 landmark gay drama The Boys in the Band on Broadway.
Two years on, the same team is releasing another take on the same story with Netflix, which is as rich with poignancy as it is a celebratory look at friendship, queerness and life.
Set in New York, during the same year as the original production, the drama opens with a Sex and the City-style montage, set to Erma Franklin's 'Hold On, I'm Comin', that offers glimpses at all of the characters before centring on spendaholic screenwriter Michael (The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons).
He's preparing a birthday bash for his hard-to-please friend Harold (Star Trek's Zachary Quinto) and on the gays-only guestlist is Michael's ex Donald (Matt Bomer), forthright decorator Emory (Robin de Jesús), well-spoken librarian Bernard (Michael Benjamin Washington), flirtatious artist Larry (Andrew Rannells) and stand-up schoolteacher Hank (Tuc Watkins), who's recently left his wife for Larry.
Later, a young man dressed as a cowboy (Charlie Carver) joins the party, hired as a gift for Harold by Emory, too.
But it's the arrival of Michael's former college roommate Alan (Brian Hutchison), who the group presume is closeted and on the brink of coming out due to his behaviour, plus the playing of an eye-opening drinking game that results in the booze and banter-filled evening being upended and uncomfortable truths coming to the fore.
Having well and truly shed his Sheldon Cooper image playing a predatory talent agent in Hollywood earlier this year, Parsons proves his acting chops once again here.
As Michael, he deftly flits between being a charming host, whose biggest worries are his receding hairline and whether everyone has had a try of the cracked crab on offer, and a serial snarker as the shindig becomes thornier and thornier.
One minute, he's trying to keep the peace. The next, he's sparring with Quinto's Harold, who's almost as impressive, despite his character – the sharpest-tongued of the group – being a tad one-note.
It's clear that these actors each have somewhat of a symbiotic relationship with these fictional men, having previously brought them to life for weeks, and the movie's quality and sense of realism is undoubtedly elevated because of it. Over the years, there's been much said about whether or not gay roles should be predominantly assumed by gay performers. Whatever your stance on the argument, it's hard, here, not to acknowledge how special it can be when they are.
Real-life couple Watkins and Rannells shine on screen, too, tasked with portraying a pair of newly shacked-up lovers trying to navigate monogamy and their potentially overwhelming feelings. To begin with, it appears as if the twosome are destined for disaster, but the duo's natural chemistry pervades even their most derisive moments, leaving you curious as to where, or how, they might end up.
As it's based on a stage production, the screenplay is expectedly dialogue heavy, which won't be to every viewer's taste.
Penned by the late Crowley himself and frequent Ryan Murphy collaborator Ned Martel, it's brilliantly sharp, witty and energetic nevertheless, illuminating who these characters are and what they mean to one another through charged exchanges and little else. It's a script – peppered with colourful language – that trusts its audience to fill in the blanks.
When Crowley first wrote The Boys in the Band pre-Stonewall, more than 50 years ago, stories about LGBTQ+ people were few and far between and the show proved a huge success as many – gay men, in particular – rushed to theatres to witness something that they hadn't really seen before.
It was described as groundbreaking, and rightfully so too, as it shone a light on queer specificities and how the era impacted those who made up the community in both negative, and more refreshingly, positive ways. There were no villains, necessarily, or terribly tragic twists; just characters being, and that was radical.
Nowadays, of course, things aren't so scant when it comes to representation, which means that the story – which hasn't been updated in any huge way – feels a little dated and can't quite pack the same emotional wallop. It's still moving though, no question, and in a way, the distance renders its spikier moments easier to digest and makes the lighter ones all the more beautiful.
When it comes to Ryan Murphy productions, there's always one thing you can wholeheartedly rely on getting and that's luscious aesthetics. The Boys in the Band certainly delivers in that regard, with its busy backdrops and vibrant era-appropriate costumes.
Apart from the intro and a tiny segment towards the end, all of the movie takes place in Michael's apartment, so it's commendable that the team makes this chamber piece so interesting to look at.
It's appropriate that this is being released by Netflix, really. If staying in is the new going out, you could do far, far worse than spending an evening in with this crowd.
The Boys in the Band is available to watch now on Netflix.
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