Definitely a contrast in values. A filmed hyperbole of a lone gay high school student (Bloom) challenging most everyone, but in this case mostly school mates, for the right to be himself. Represented by the two sides divergent lines: "Let's make America great again." vs. "Love who you are going to love." Basic film themes were understanding & tolerance. An aside, if you make it to the end I'm not quite sure about the honesty of the election results. The only script criticism I would have is that both sides (Bloom vs. family & schoolmates) in this mini-war should understand the challenges of the other side. Great acting; costumes. Another tolerance film recently released is "In Between", dealing w/Palestinian religious/cultural issues.

This movie, even being shot quite brightly, in a classic teenage style and without dark sulky mood, makes people think about serious things. Unlike Un Bacio of Ivan Cotroneo, the end is happy, but unfortunately the real end of real gay people can be quite sad. I hope the world goes towards tolerance, and thanks to such movies as well.

At the start of the movie Billy Bloom (Alex Lawther) does come across as being a little too fabulous in his behavior and appearance. I can see why that would be off-putting to many people. And possibly that was the point. We judge others based on first impressions which are almost always superficial because we don't have anything more to consider. Billy's parents are separated and each show only a shallow, mostly hands-off interest in their son. Florence, the housekeeper, is passively sympathetic and protective, but unable to be meaningfully supportive. Billy is essentially alone and coping with his confused sense of self by being as provocatively freakish as he can be.When Billy starts at a new school, he deliberately alienates himself from the other students by letting his "freak flag fly" in the most flamboyant way imaginable. He is understandably the target of bullying both trivial and physical.Then, for reasons not easily understood, he attracts the friendship of one of the school's most popular, decidedly straight, male students, Flip Kelly ( Ian Nelson). Flip becomes the catalyst that helps Billy tone down his provocative, defiant and flamboyant behavior because he is possibly the first person in Billy's life who appears to care for the person beneath all the make-up and glitter.Yes, the movie is filled with a supporting cast of stereotypical characters, but stereotypes exist for a reason and the exceptional characters are significant because they stand apart. While Billy is purportedly the stellar example of an exceptional person, the most meaningful, influential and exceptional character was Flip Kelly.Great performance by Alex Lather, but Ian Nelson's acting was "exceptionally" good. Bette Midler lent her name to the cast listing but her appearance in the movie was largely insignificant.

Freak Show (2017) was directed by Trudie Styler. It stars Alex Lawther as Billy Bloom, who arrives on his first day at a new high school dressed as Boy George. (We are to understand that this conservative school is in the South. Why would it be called Ulysses S. Grant High School?)In any case, what happens to Billy in fiction is all too similar to what really happens to students who are different from the norm-- they get bullied, they get hurt, and they become isolated. However, Billy won't give in. The plot really starts when Billy decides to run for Homecoming Queen.This is an interesting movie with solid acting, including that by superstar Bette Midler as Billy's mother.However, you need to be aware that the movie has Young Adult Novel written all over it. And, indeed, it's based on a YA novel by James St. James.Just because a movie is based on a YA novel doesn't mean that it doesn't have interest or value. I enjoyed the film, which had great costumes and some clever plot twists. It isn't the most subtle film in the series, but it's worth seeing. (It will work almost as well on the small screen.)We saw this movie in the excellent Dryden Theatre at Rochester's George Eastman Museum. It was shown as the Closing Night Feature of ImageOut, the great LGBT Film Festival. (This was the NYS Premiere screening. How does ImageOut carry that off?)