I need to talk about this movie.
This thing came out in 2005, I obviously wasnt born, I watched it few months ago. I knew it was a really popular queer movie even to straight people cuz somehow my straight mom had watched it.
What I want to talk about is...
The story in general. At first I was very bored cuz it was very slow and boring, I learnt the characters names like 30 minutes in the movie (maybe I wasnt attentive). I honestly couldn't care less about cowboys except when theyre gay like jedediah from natm. As a queer person, I felt really touched by the story and the relationship between the main characters. Like when the first time we see them have queer contact is to fuck. They never said ananything to each other about this before, none of them thought the other was gonna be queer. It just happened like that. And then after all this, they really start to get closer, as friends, As partner, they have fun, they learn to be happy together. Thats why it kinda breakes me when they quit each other for the first time. They cant stand this distance. And we realize it when they both restart a life with someone else. They both get married, have children and family. But trulli deep down, they know they arent happy. It seem like they hate their life, its not where theyre meant to be. But they have to stay. Now theyre father and husband, they have to take care of their family. And this is where you realize they maybe dont even actually like their family. Because they HAD to build one. Its the 60's-70's in the US, being gay is NOT for the week. They have to fit in, society expect them to be manly straight, men that take care of their family. So they do. But they miss each other. And the first time they see each other again, you realize how bad their life is without each other.
The first thing they do is kiss. They waited so freaking long for this kiss. In this kiss, they let everything out. They suddenly feel joy again. But ofc the wife had to see it. She never said anything though. I kinda feel bad for her, she shouldn't have to receive her husbands pain through this. She shouldn't have to pay for society's mistake. (Also we aint gonna talk abt Enniss misoginy... its the 60s 70s and he's a fustrated homosexual man)
Just before going back to visit Ennis' family, they do this one thing at the end of the kiss, they Rubber each other's nose and forehead, and it means "I missed you so fucking much" and "now we probably wont have the occasion to act like this much so lets enjoy the moment" or something like that. This kiss really shows how much they need each other.
And now... everyone... its time for the part everyone dreads.
Jack Twist is dead. Ennis leanrs it by Jacks wife. They never got the chance to say goodbye to each other. Worst. They never got the chance to say I love you. The last time They saw each other, They had an argument. And argument about how dumb Ennis was not to choose to live together. So when Ennis learn about Jacks death. He realize he lost everything. How dumb he was. He eventually visit Jack childhood home where his mom tells him to go upstairs and find his room. There, he finds a jacket. The jacket Jack were the day they had a fight. It was covered in blood sains, but also covered in Jacks soul. In this scene you realize Jack probably kept it that way to always remember this summer they first meet. And Ennis just take the jacket, he smells it and kinda hug him like Jack was still there. This scene breaks me so much. You can feel Ennis pain and sadness, how true his love and friendship for Jack was and now that he's gone, hell never be able to hold him like that ever again. He has regrets.
This is genuinely so sad how, Ennis is sad asf about his Jacks death. But everyone just think he's sad cuz they were good friends. In the 70s, Ennis is the only one to really know why Jack was everything to him.
It hurts to see that queer couple rarely get a happy ending. After watching this, as a queer person, I felt so bad, so hurt, so mad. Why do straight couple always end up together at the end (ok not in titanic) (but at least in titanic they could celebrate their love without shame) ?? Why do they get to have their happy ending ! To celebrate their love and not them ?? Why not Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar ??
I like to imagine that, here, in 2026, maybe not in the US but like in Europe, they could have celebrate their love. They wouldnt have had this conversation about whether or not they should stay together.
In another universe, they live happily as a old married couple. Just like Azi and Anthony do. Yknow im mad abt Good omens ending but at least they got a happy ending somewhere else.
