Small Town Gay Bar (2006) User Reviews

Presents a very real, honest look at gay life in a small town...

[jonwesleyhuff · 8/10 · 24 October 2007]

If the reality presented in this documentary is too much for some reviewers, that's too bad. Thankfully for the rest of us this is an incredibly well made, thoughtful documentary for people with enough maturity to realize that while not everything in life can be glowsticks and glitter, that doesn't make it any less worth living.

This documentary shows a lot of different sides of gay life through telling the story of several different gay bars in the "Bible belt," both hardships and the joys. Describing this movie as depressing (and deeming it unfit to see because of it) seems short- sighted in the extreme.

There are a lot of depressing moments. Any time Phelps gets any screen time it is dismaying, but he's a great figure to use to show the very extreme of anti-gay movements. If every queen is out getting blissed out of their mind and ignoring hate mongers like Phelps, his numbers only grow stronger. Know thy enemy. The filmmakers clearly juxtapose Phelps and his followers with the simple, sweet sentiments of the brother of a slain gay man. I think it was quite powerful.

And if anything, I think the film has a message of hope. Despite all the trials, the gay bars in little town are still sticking it out thanks to a few brave individuals, with arguably more heart and sense of community their well coiffed city counterparts can muster these days.\

The film does suffer a bit when it tries to tell the story of "Tula's" mostly because it explores it with less depth than Crossroads or Rumors and it feels a bit tacked on, even though some of the info it offered is interesting, especially in relation to the AFA. But that's my only real complaint.

As a young gay man, I found this movie inspiring. These people are the pioneers in the wild wild west of an oppressively straight (and yes, sometimes cruel) world. It's not safe for them, it's not easy - but they're finding their moments of joy and a place to belong without running away from the places they grew up.

It's easy to wonder - why stay? That's like asking a family in a bad neighborhood - why stay? If there are drug dealers at every corner and bullets flying through the window why do you stay? The truth is, it's not always easy to leave for a number of complicated reasons. There's economics, family, affection for a certain town or landscape... or a mixture of all of them. Should every LGBTQ person flee to a big city, protected in a gay ghetto bubble without having to worry about what is happening in the other 90% of the country? I don't think so. I'd never begrudge them for doing so, as almost every person in the homosexual community has had their fair share of knocks. But to write those who chose to stay off as stupid or miserabilists is unfair in the extreme.

I think they're heroes to be applauded, and I applaud the filmmakers for shining a light on them.

Gay life in rural America

[lastliberal · 8/10 · 6 December 2007]

Winner of two awards and beaten at Sundance by a documentary on my "must see" list, this is a film about gay life in the Bible Belt.

Malcolm Ingram, who also writes, and even crewed on Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, is changing from comedy with his third film as a director, and doing a great job at it.

This film is like a roller-coaster in that one minute you are partying along with the patrons of "Rumors," a gay and lesbian bar in Shannon, MS; and the next you are hearing about a brutal torture and murder of a man in Bay Minette; Then we visit "Crossroads" in Meridian, where anything goes, and are partying big time. Other bars in North Mississippi are also profiled before we end up back at Crossroads and Rumors.

Oh, yes, Meridian is the birthplace of Fred Phelps, so you have to feature him in the film, too. Another piece of the puzzle that is this man? And, of course, you have Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association in Tupelo, so having a gay bar in Mississippi is a challenge.

This was an extremely interesting film about people that just want to be left alone to have fun.

Depressing and ugly

[TomInSanFrancisco · 6/10 · 8 August 2007]

My heart goes out to all of the people in "Small Town Gay Bar." As a gay man from a small, rural community who left for the big city at age 18, I could identify with some of the sentiments about finding a home and a refuge within a gay bar.

All in all, though, I found the film very difficult to sit through...I had to wonder why people would stay in such a miserable setting. I'd have liked to see this question explored.

Also, all of the physical locations were depressing...rundown buildings, sad-looking mobile homes, and empty fields full of rusting cars and trash.

Is that really what these towns in Mississippi are like, or did the director only show us certain aspects?

Comprehensive documentary

[Gordon-11 · 26 September 2007]

This is a documentary about the history of homosexuality in a rural and religious part of America, with particular emphasis on a small local gay bar.

Instead of just focusing on the history of one gay bar, as a title suggests, it looks at the recent events related to homosexuality in the area. It tries to cover a bit of everything. It covers the tragedy of gay bashing, and the brutal murder of a young gay man. It covers the strong anti-gay stance of the local church. As a result, the negativity is both alarming and disturbing. Fortunately, to balance the tragic melancholy, it covers the joy of people having fun and meeting partners in the bar. It also empowers gay people to come out and live the life they want, as shown in the interview of a few drag queens in the limousine.

This is a comprehensive documentary of gay life in a rural part of America. I can imagine the difficulty in making this, and I do commend the filmmakers for their effort.

We Watch, But We Are Never Surprised.

[jzappa · 6/10 · 4 October 2009]

When I say Small Town Gay Bar is the story of community in the Deep South that is forced to deal with the struggles of ignorance, hypocrisy and oppression, I don't actually mean it's a story. It's more of a patchwork. It is entirely horizontal; no depth, no highs or lows; simply a sequence of documented people and places. This is not an innately bad thing. If that were the way to tell an unequivocal account with responsible objectivity, then the film would achieve great impact. But the film offers nothing we haven't seen before and nothing we don't know.

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the South is the worst place in the country to be gay. Malcolm Ingram's documentary gives us nothing more or less to digest. We see two Mississippi communities and the film bases those visits around two small gay bars. As well, the film visits Bay Minette, Alabama, to look at the brutal hate murder of Scotty Joe Weaver. We focus on a group of folks who are less concerned with the national debate over gay marriage than they are with the life risks they take being openly gay in small Southern towns.

Absolutely. If I were gay, I would much rather live in Maine or California, where I would long to live the life that 60% of straight Americans can't seem to get right, but I would nevertheless be able to publicly hold hands with my partner. In Massachusetts, I may find myself using more discretion with public affection, but I could walk down the alter with my significant other just like my parents and siblings can. In the South, the only benefit of being openly gay would be the little hole-in-the-wall, whether it be 5 minutes away or 2 hours away, where I could unwind and get laid on the weekend. We watch as a community is disgusted by the debaucherous chaos erupting regularly at one gay bar, since they can never seem to get it into their heads that prohibition and repression naturally lead their victims to obsession and overindulgence. We watch, indeed, but we are never at any time surprised.

Various documentaries on homosexuality in America have been fascinating, staggering and moving. For the Bible Tells Me So, Family Fundamentals, Out of the Past and After Stonewall come to mind. They provide insight into the accustomed homophobia of largely decent Christian communities, the astonishing justifications of fundamentalist parents who refuse to accept their children's "choices," gay figures from history who made profound impacts on society despite their inner suffering and turmoil, and events that we must never forget in this uphill battle for equality. Small Town Gay Bar does no more than skim the surface. It doesn't even give us a voice of reason from the opposition; it gives us the psychotic, megalomaniacal ramblings of Fred Phelps, who no one listens to or likes, even FOX News.

Kevin Smith, a talented writer-director whose fanbase covers the vast majority of teenage and young adult people of this generation, is executive producer of this film. His films seem to always glean some insight into the gay community, whether played for crude laughs or for emotional drama. He is the farthest thing from a gay man himself, which is what the LGBT rights movement needs much more of. The gesture is noble, sincere and a mature departure for his body of work, but as he puts a bit too much faith in his fans, he does in his friend, Malcolm Ingram. Ingram also made an earlier narrative film for Smith's View Askew Productions, Drawing Flies. Had he made Small Town Gay Bar a dramatic narrative film as well, rather than a virtually redundant documentary, it would've likely been enormously impactful.

great look at small town gay life

[erich-96 · 9/10 · 20 May 2008]

I attended college in rural Missouri in the early 1990s and felt this film captured a lot of that environment. In rural settings, a gay bar is often the primary way to interact with other gay people. I do remember driving hours to get to a gay bar. It is not something I would ever do now, but it is a part of gay culture.

One reviewer writes about how the cities in the film are not as rural as portrayed and therefore pans the movie. I checked out a map. Several of the towns appear to be an hour or more from a major city. The most relevant viewpoint is that of the people in the film, who talk about the importance of the bars. I am glad that is not the case for me, but this is an important look at rural gay life. If a person has never been in rural America, this is one way to get a glimpse of reality for many people.

OK, should be shorter

[RickManhattan · 6/10 · 18 March 2013]

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.

Glad to know this film is here....

[maryshannonthomas · 10/10 · 4 February 2007]

I saw this film at its premiere last year and I still long to see it in wide release... I was fortunate enough to meet Mr Ingram and tell him personally what a moving, beautiful film he created and I reiterate that thought here. This film is a brilliant piece of cinema - EVERYONE should have the chance to see this. It is important, relevant, and heartbreaking. KUDOS again to Malcolm and Kevin Smith (who was the most down-to-earth person I've been lucky enough to meet) for making such a fabulous film. In showing what it is like for a marginalized group in a marginalized region to struggle to survive, the director brings home the point about the fear and hatred that still exists. The soundtrack is perfect for the film. In a word - Outstanding.

Contrast

[thirty7 · 9/10 · 8 October 2009]

I can see where the message might be misinterpreted by the viewers. It's "normal" to have a gay culture in Vancouver or Toronto, however you see how folks in a small town in Mississippi are desperate to keep their one and only place to do something like hold hands with their partner without looking over their shoulder.

I grew up in a big city and now I live in a small town. I can say with certainty if a gay bar opened in rural Alberta there would be blood flowing in the street. Although everyone is folksy and nice and hospitable, I can guarantee a gay bar would go over like a pregnant pole vaulter.

Thanks for that insight, Malcolm. I only watched the movie because I'm a View Askew fanboy, but now I won't hesitate to share this gem with all of my non-VA friends as well.

Excellent Documentary

[misce_mail · 10/10 · 30 April 2013]

I've watched this film more than once. The only thing about it that is a "downer" is the discrimination and bigotry these people are forced to endure. They address a number of issues...the hostility toward homosexuals, the religious community that is against them, the fact that they have no sense of community with each other than within the walls of these bars.

Although they live under circumstances that are hostile to who they are, they seem like wonderful and delightful people. My favorite part is Jim Bishops speech in the limo. Now you have to watch it to know what I am referring to. You can find it on Netflix.

Extremely Disingenuous

[gftbiloxi · 1/10 · 8 March 2008]

After spending half an hour examining Rumors, a gay bar located outside Tupelo, Mississippi, SMALL TOWN GAY BAR shifts focus to the murder of Scotty Weaver in Bay Minette in order to demonstrate the risks run by the interview subjects. But there is a problem here. Bay Minette isn't near Tupelo, as the film implies. It isn't even in the same state. It is actually about three hundred miles away in coastal Alabama.

Director Malcom Ingram doesn't exactly rush to point out this fact, nor does he bother to mention that while Bay Minette itself is little more than a wide spot in the road, it is actually about two deep breaths away from the major metro area of Mobile, Alabama--which has a noticeable gay community, quite a few gay bars, and even a congregation of Metropolitan Community Church. If Ingram is disingenuous on these points, one has to ask if he is on others as well.

Speaking as someone who was born, raised, and continues to live in Mississippi, I have to say that I find most of SMALL TOWN GAY BAR a lot of hooey. Neither Meridian nor Tupelo, the communities upon which Ingram focuses, are as rural, small, or as isolated as he would have you imagine, and gay bars are indeed more common in the state than the film implies. That said, Ingram rather blithely ignores the fact that the absence of a gay bar does not mean an absence of a gay community, and in doing so he demonstrates a rather profound ignorance of southern culture, which tends to hold those who frequent bars--be they gay or straight--in low esteem.

SMALL TOWN GAY BAR is, in my opinion, an instance in which a film maker came to his subject with a personal agenda in hand and then proceeded to film the agenda. Do gays and lesbians living in rural Mississippi face major, sometimes frightening challenges? You bet they do--but that's no excuse for fiddling with reality to such a degree. The DVD includes a commentary track and a number of deleted scenes, but I found the feature film itself so ridiculous that I didn't waste any time on them.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

no thanks

[pubguy47 · 2/10 · 21 November 2008]

Maybe it's unfair to dislike a movie for what it isn't, rather than what it is, but I approached this hoping that finally a filmmaker would make a movie about small-town rural gay men and women. Instead, the focus is primarily on the outrageous bigotry (big news!) of the locals (and those in outlying areas) and the really gruesome torture/murder of a young gay man.

So much time devoted to stupid people squawking about AIDS, sin, hellfire, and perverts. So much time devoted to the ghoulish preacher ranting about the Bible and gay people getting what they deserve.

I wanted to see more of the people that came to the "small town gay bar", not those who opposed it. In addition, the young man who was murdered isn't even from this town.

The whole movie works as a warning rather than a celebration, and it's very suspect.

Very MIxed Feelings about this.

[AkiraKyoShi · 4/10 · 30 January 2011]

I ended up watching this movie cause I saw that View Askew was a producer of this. I love Kevin Smith and I know he had mentioned that his brother was gay. I have a gay sister so I figured this would be a fun enlightening movie about gays being prosecuted in the bible belt.....and now Im not so sure these people didn't do it to themselves. Let me explain.

I don't want to give away a lot of this movie but Ill use a general basis for explaining this. Everyone knows that people hook up and there are crazy bad apples no matter what race, sexual orientation religion etc however......every single bar they talk about, except for the first one......is insane. I don't mean like ha ha people get naked when they are drunk or hook up in the parking lot occasionally......I mean this is a very common activity at the bars they talk about. I have done my fair share of partying and have had my fair share of "coke and hooker" nights. (Not really but you understand) but the stories at these gay bars are flat out batsh*t insane. The things they talk about don't even happen in filthy rat ass strip clubs. No lie. OK so how does this translate as a positive thing.

To be perfectly honest, it doesn't for me. To be perfectly frank, if this stuff happened in general straight or whatever, most normal people would not condone it at all. Personally, not being gay but, I feel that it presents them somewhat in a very dishonorable fashion and rather poorly. They try to use the bible belt lunatic radical Christians persecuting them as the focus of these poor folks but when the movie talks about all the crazy things that happen here....I cant blame them. It doesn't make them look responsible.

Again, obviously there are responsible people everywhere and there has been more than enough persecution amongst the gay population in the bible belt to address a ton of these but why focus on these insane clubs that are totally irresponsible in an attempt to make them look better than the people trying to ban them and intimidate these people?

If, in fact, ALL gay bars are like this, then F'ing hell there is something wrong with you GAYS!, but we know thats not the case. So does this get a solid point across without conflicting.....sadly no.

Sorry Kevin but b*tchslap Ingram.

Disappointed in the irrelevant parts

[jhall-4 · 4/10 · 18 March 2015]

Having grown up in a very small town (less than 1000 people), I was naturally very interested to see this movie. And at least for the first 30 minutes, when it dealt with the bar and people in the little Mississippi town of Shannon, it was interesting. But then they gave Fred Phelps 15 minutes to spout off, and that was really irritating. That deals with religious bigotry and has little direct connection to the "small town" theme. I thought about leaving, but sat for a while longer, and some more treatment of a couple of other small places in Mississippi was given, But then came another amount of time given over to Wildmon's American Family Association. I could see we were going to be subjected to more of the Phelps-style harangue, so this time I really walked out. I would have liked to have seen more "small town" treatment, and the post-film Q&A with students of the local university which hosted the showing would have been interesting, but I just couldn't sit through any more. A worthwhile theme poorly treated.

Sensationalistic Downer

[daveatatime · 4/10 · 14 September 2008]

Sure, it's hard being gay, especially in the south. We get it. Over... and over again.

What stood out was that the film makers focused almost wholly on the more "extreme" characters in these small town gay bars; the drag queens, the seedy sleaze of a bar long-closed, and on a guy who was brutally murdered for being gay, yet had nothing to do with either of the bars which were the focus of this film.

There were snippets of interviews from other people, people viewers would, perhaps, be better able to relate to. But they were glossed over, practically skipped, maybe shown in a glimpse in the background.

It would have been more interesting, to me at least, to hear the experiences of the more common gay men and women who were either enriched or otherwise by the experiences of a small town gay bar and/or the absence of that community.