Get Real

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the British film. For the unrelated American TV series, see Get Real (TV series).

For the David Bowie song, see Get Real (David Bowie song).

Get Real
DVD cover for Get Real
Directed by	Simon Shore
Produced by	Stephen Taylor
Written by	Patrick Wilde
Starring	Ben Silverstone Brad Gorton Charlotte Brittain Stacy Hart Kate McEnery
Music by	John Lunn
Distributed by	Paramount
Release date(s)	Apr 30, 1999 (USA)
Running time	108 min.
Country	Britain
Language	English
IMDb profile

Get Real movie poster

Get Real is a 1998 British film based on screenwriter Patrick Wilde's play What's Wrong With Angry?. The plot centres around gay teenager Steven Carter's coming out to the world, and was shot in and around Basingstoke, England.

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The film centers on sixteen year old Steven Carter, a gay teenager, with a passion for photography and journalism. He is on his school's newspaper and yearbook staff, and has spent a great deal of time writing an essay for a local newspaper sponsored contest. Still in the closet, Carter is none the less tormented by some of his classmates for some of his perceived "queer" traits. Carter has a crush on his athletic, track star classmate John Dixon. At the beginning of the movie, his only confidante being his next door neighbor and best friend Linda. Linda is critical of Carter's habit of cruising a local public toilet or tearoom, a disreputable gay pick up spot, to meet men. Carter romanticizes these visits, even claiming to have found love in a young man named Glenn. When Glenn comes to Carter's father's photography studio, Carter discovers his "love" is married with a child.

Distraught, Carter returns to the public toilet, and is approached by a mystery man in the next stall who propositions Steven by passing a note through a small hole, apparently the way these hook-ups are arranged at this place. Waiting outside for his new "friend," Carter is stunned to find out that the man in question is none other than his classmate, Dixon.

Dixon accompanies Carter home, but brushes off his advances. In the meantime, Carter makes friends with the girlfriend of one of his school tormentors, Kevin. She develops a crush on Carter, unaware that he is gay. Later, at a dance for teenagers, Carter, Linda, Dixon, Kevin and their girlfriends are all present. Kevin makes a pass at Linda who rejects and emasculates him. Carter and Linda return home planning an evening of Mel Gibson movies to shake off their lack of romance. Carter is stunned when Dixon appears in his doorway. Carter blows off Linda. Dixon, noticeably drunk, shares a story with Carter about a previous homosexual experience. Dixon confesses his sexual confusion and fears. The two embrace.

Dixon awakens in Carter's bed, the two obviously had been intimate. Carter's parents were not home. Dixon calls his parents and makes an excuse. The movie progresses as Dixon and Carter grow closer. However, Dixon still firmly closeted, refuses to acknowledge the relationship and masquerades as straight, even continuing to date his girlfriend. Carter, made more despondent by Dixon's action, writes an essay on being gay and annonymously submits it to the school yearbook who plan to publish it. However, the school staff refuses to allow publication, leading the student editors to publish a blank page with the word CENSORED across it.

The secrecy of their relationship frustrates Carter, who wants more. Carter is nearly arrested when the police find him in a park, after meeting with Dixon. Returning him to his parents, Carter is angered by his father's concern that he might have been molested by some "pervert" in a park that is a known gay cruising spot. Carter angrily replies, "Where are we supposed to go!" Carter's father is confused by the outburst, but his mother begins to suspect.

At the end of the term, Dixon's parents seek out Carter to ask for copies of photos he has taken of Dixon at track meets. Dixon is horrified to find out that Carter reveals he has been to their home. Dixon had never even mentioned a friendship with Carter much less that he was at their home while they were away. Dixon, angered by a possible "outing," tells Carter that they are over. Carter retaliates by tearing one of the shirts in Dixon's locker, but is caught by Kevin and several other track team members. Dixon, trying to rescue Carter pretends to beat him up, but actually assaults him when Kevin enters the locker room to warn of an approaching teacher.

At the graduation ceremony, Carter, bloodied and bruised, goes to the podium to accept an award he won for his essay. Speaking to the parents, teachers and fellow students he comes out, telling them how miserable it is to hide your true self. He hopes that Dixon will speak up, but is heartbroken when he does not. His speech receives a standing ovation. His father is forced to deal with the fact that his son is gay.

After the ceremony, Kevin confronts Carter, but is stopped by Carter's mother, who tells them to leave her son alone or face her wrath. Dixon attempts to reconcile with Carter, but Carter realizes Dixon is not ready to be public and tells him no. Carter then gets into Linda's new car on Linda's radio the Aretha Franklin song Think is playing on the radio, the pair drive away as she sings the word 'Freedom' and the film ends.

[edit] Reception

The film ranked number 34 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 Best High School Movies. The film was well-received by many critics, and subsequently nominated for eight awards, and won six, including the British Independent Film Award 1999.