Hello there, loyal (and new) readers! I sure hope this installment of the Unicorn Scale fills you with warmth and joy. I, for one, always feel happier when I see solid bi representation come across my radar. And sometimes that comes about in the most unexpected ways.
You see, I have a long-running list of ideas for this column, but every once in a while, titles I research (or pitch) fall apart for one reason or another. So when a show I was watching circumnavigated bi representation instead of facing it head-on (grrr), my editor suggested I examine an independent coming-of-age story called My Summer as a Goth (2018).
Before I get into all the dirty details, I just want to discuss the perfection of that title. Not only is it evocative of so many high school essay titles, but tons and tons of teenagers either have Goth friends or go through this aesthetic phase themselves — but it’s rarely put front-and-center in teenage films. And, on a personal note, it could be the title of my own summer after junior year when I took on acting in my first film, playing a girl named Autumn — a Goth with a surprisingly sunny disposition. (And I became lifelong friends with the teenage cast and crew!) Suffice to say just reading the title made me smile, so I knew I had to give it a go.
This review will contain some SPOILERS. If this is your first time around these parts, I highly suggest venturing over to our metric page first to understand the scoring process, or check out the Media entry of the film here.
All set? Then away we go!
My Summer as a Goth follows the trials and tribulations of Joey (Natalie Shershow), a high school sophomore who recently lost her father and is forced to spend the summer with her grandparents while her mother is off on a book tour. But the story takes an intriguing turn as she gets to know her neighbor’s Goth grandson, Victor (Jack Levis).
What I Liked:
Early on, I was nearly certain Victor would be the bi character I’d focus this write-up on. My bi-fi was going off the whole time watching him. But to my surprise and delight, the bi character turned out to be the punk Antonio (Eduardo Reyes). The screenplay makes excellent use of misdirection to lead the audience into thinking Victor is pulling something shady with someone else while he dates (and, sadly, manipulates and controls) Joey — and he is, but not with the person we think. And while Antonio makes a horrible first impression, in time he becomes a more sympathetic and surprisingly heroic character.
It’s also lovely to see a bi person of color in an (eventually) romantic role as well — especially one who is clearly comfortable with his sexuality, though he doesn’t divulge it to Joey when they first meet. Also, bonus points to Joey for quickly getting with the program and not riding the “I’m so confused” narrative for too long when she realizes Antonio is queer. It’s great to see this type of representation in a teen film, helping to normalize bisexuality in mainstream cinema.
What I Didn’t Like:
I have been lucky and grateful to be writing for the Unicorn Scale since 2017. However, year in and year out, I still have the same first complaint with about 95% of the media I review here — nobody uses the term “bi”! Yes, we see demonstrations of Antonio’s sexual orientation. But for Pete’s sake, someone say “bisexual” or “bi”. I’ll even take any bi umbrella term! Just please, enough with the “I don’t do labels” bit, or I’ll slap someone silly.
(I won’t actually do that — I’m a lover, not a fighter. But that whole line wore out its welcome with me years ago.)
On a different track, while we come to love Antonio, most of his presence in My Summer as a Goth serves as a romantic storyline. I wished his character had played a much larger role. The writers and director worked hard to establish Antonio in a very distinct punk niche, but then that clash never goes anywhere. Couldn’t we have seen more of the contrasts between goth and punk in terms of outlook and style, or the friends he hangs out with? I wanted to see Antonio be more than just an eventual love interest. I suspect there may be some missing scenes on a cutting room floor somewhere. At least that’s what I’d like to imagine as the culprit for the disservice to this lovable punk.
The Rating:
My Summer as a Goth is a sweet story that explores the experimentation with identities during the painful years of adolescence. And while Joey dabbles in the world of Goth, I appreciate that the film doesn’t lump Antonio’s sexuality in as some type of experiment or a phase. While his reveal was a surprise, I would have loved to see him as a character get fleshed out more. Maybe next time, if there’s a sequel — my autumn as a punk?
Thanks for stopping by, readers. And until next time, let’s make sure to stick to the core message of the film and stay true to ourselves. And remember:
