WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
“Awkward!” A term we associate with those wonderful moments when experiencing a circumstance that just cultivates an atmosphere of evident unfamiliarity, uncomfortable interaction, or just plain old embarrassment, finding a way through these moments can be tedious at best, especially when it all extends beyond an truncated timeframe. So, how exactly ARE you going to handle being around that which defied every notion you have been raised with and held dear? Take, for example, a highly traditional Indian couple named Meera (Meera Syal) and Tej (Bernard White). They’ve made a long trip across the Pond from their homeland to visit their cherished son Nikhil (Ravi Patel) while booking the perfect apartment getaway to do so. Or so they thought.
Upon arrival at their chosen place to stay while visiting, it becomes definitively obvious the couple whose apartment they are renting are not only still present upon the family’s arrival, but they are not planning to go anywhere while the guests are present. And–they’re gay. Meeting Dean (Max Jenkins) and his partner (Gabe Delahaye), plus their dog, Meera, Tej, and Nikhil seem happy enough on the surface, but as the reality of their host’s lifestyle choice begins to truly sink in with Meera, her blatant hesitancies begin to shine through. Yet, rather than be totally offended, Dean takes it upon himself to give back exactly when Meera dishes out, creating an unanticipated, newly formed understanding for her to realize judgement was premature.
Next, my Mind:
Very much a stand-out and a necessary lighter-hearted contribution towards the LGTBQI programming when it first screened at DFW SAFF 2019, this 12-minute short film from writer/director Priyanka Mattoo and producers Ursula Camack and Meghan Malloy wears its farcical execution on its sleeve and delivers a comedically effective perspective on themes encompassing the gay lifestyle, intolerance, misjudgment, and mutually shared, playfully biting banter back and forth between a deeply ingrained conservative homophobe and a modern gay man that ends up becoming an almost revelatory experience in humanity and acceptance that changes them both while not altering their overall ideologies. It was quite refreshing to see this resurface as part of the Shorts Rewind programming at the 2020 ECSA: Escapist Cinema of South Asia online film festival presented by Jingo Media and sister festivals DFW SAFF and NYC SAFF.
This is to say it becomes another illustration of how we as people still remain prone to automatically look down upon things we don’t agree with rather than at minimum taking a more evenhanded approach to acknowledge our opinion with honesty and integrity minus being overtly negative or derogatory. The beauty of how it’s all depicted here is the fantastically hilarious means by which the conversations take place between Meera and Dean, as neither one will back down from their stubbornly insistent points of view until it makes them both realize how precisely nutty they’re being and Meera’s “awakening” occurs that soon has the pair on the same terms when it comes to all the other aspects of life they speak about, including Meera’s son and his current girlfriend, much less anything else that springs to mind. Addressed humorously, which again is what makes this film work so well without coming across preachy, the thematic exploration of bigotry and prejudice finally seems less weighty and sobering while not losing sight of the importance of it being brought to light so that we might be better at seeing it disappear, or at least lessened in this world.
Syal is an wonderful breath of fresh comedic air in her role as Meera, a woman of traditional upbringing and opinions who gets the wake-up call of a lifetime when realizing her and her family’s perfect time together might be marred by truths she isn’t at all prepared to face, much less acknowledge–a gay couple. Her immediate disdain for it is not long in coming once it dawns on her what their hosts at the apartment are about, and she really isn’t too shy about voicing a highly opposing outlook. But, what she isn’t ready for is having to deal with an “opponent” who totally refuses to back down, instead hitting right back with his own barbs about Indians right in stride with any bold or veiled insult she throws out. As she reluctantly begins to wryly give in to better understanding of Dean, it brings about a general change of heart that makes for additional jocularity as the film progresses towards it fun-filled finale, with Syal’s intelligently comical delivery in full, wholly entertaining swing.
Likewise, Jenkins brings about a fierce but uproariously scathing demeanor that slowly builds and builds once the conflict with Meera begins as he plays Dean, one half of the gay couple whose apartment Meera and family have accidentally ended up renting, hosts included. Totally welcoming and completely comfortable with having their guests stay in their home, Dean soon comes to the awareness that Meera has entered a situation well outside her comfort zone due to Dean and his partner’s lifestyle. Not willing to just “let it go”, even though he might have tried at first, Dean takes on Meera’s every detracting, demeaning, disapproving, uncomplimentary slight and turns it right back on her, doing so with a modicum of control that makes it the riotous situation it becomes. Seeing he might actually be wearing her down, but also truly opening her eyes about who he is and that fact he’s still a person, Dean’s spurns then start migrating along with Meera’s to other facets of the happenings around them, which makes for a lot more laughs and commentaries about how we see things, all so splendidly enacted by Jenkins throughout.
The primary supporting roles appear through White as Meera’s rather oblivious husband Tej, who really seems to ride everything out with much noticing or caring about the growing conflict between his wife and Dean, much less when it’s been reconciled, Patel as Meera and Tej’s son Nikhil, whom they’ve come to visit, and who becomes more than a tad annoyed by how the focus of everything seems to have shifted from himself to Dean and Meera’s ongoing “war” as well as their soon shared thoughts on his girlfriend. Additional appearances are then made by Delahaye as Dean’s other half and Sujata Day as Nikhil’s flighty girlfriend. In total, “The Homestay” is a entertaining, lively, quick-witted short film effort that puts a smile on the viewers face, a laugh in their belly, and a wonderfully undemanding take on its themes, giving us break from anger, hate, and violence, instead allowing us to make fun of ourselves as much as the characters and concepts presented so deftly on screen.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
