The producers and supporters are well-intentioned but this documentary needed to fit in a half- hour instead of a full-length movie. It would then be more compelling and effective instead of the rambling, unfocused narrative we have. The story it tells of bigotry and murder in a backward southern town is ambiguous because the "balance" shows most of the locals pay at least lip service to tolerance, which is rather heartening in a place hardly known for it. The only difference is some unsavory characters act on their worst instincts, and that happens in "civilized" places, too. I felt terribly sorry for everybody shown, gay and straight, educated and ignorant, even for Fred Phelps who is clearly a troubled, insecure man, and by implication his small group of fanatical followers. It's a pity this haven for people who don't fit the mold is sold but that itself says something about the commitment of the local gay community, doesn't it? The real culprit is blind adherence to misguided anti-gay Christian doctrine.
Review of Small Town Gay Bar
