My experience with Brokeback Mountain was somewhat of a "dance." First of all, I was prepared to LOVE the movie. 1) I'm a gay man 2) I grew up in Western South Dakota, just across the border from Wyoming and 3) I like cowboys... I mean, I REALLY like cowboys.
Sadly, the movie did not live up to my expectations. Not on my first viewing anyway! I think all of the media hype and things I'd heard from friends who had seen it left me with expectations that were just too high...

Right before seeing the movie a second time, I read my friend Amy's blog. She'd written about the movie and how much she loved it. I was completely bummed, because I did NOT like the movie, and Amy and I almost always have the same taste. I was embarassed to tell her that I had really disliked the movie. Funny...at the age of 36, I still buckle under peer pressure. Especially if it's a peer that I really love and respect. Amy is one of my best friends.

My partner and I went to see the movie a second time because some friends from out of town wanted to see it. I was literally blown away. It was a totally new experience for me. This movie is beautifully filmed, brilliantly acted, and deeply moving. If you go into the film expecting a "gay cowboy movie," you're going to be terribly disappointed. This film is about intimacy and the power of love. It's about discovering oneself in the midst of a deep bond that is both perfect and painful. This movie says more about what is to be a human who loves deeply than it does about love between gay men. At the same time, it does show the tragedy and hardship that grows out of relationships that are not accepted by society. Ang Lee has created a poignant, memorable tale of love that transcends boundaries of society. Sometimes first impressions are terribly wrong!