Queer (2024)

Set in 1950s Mexico City, an alcoholic junkie homosexual (Daniel Craig) becomes obsessed with a handsome young man (Drew Starkey) recently arrived in Mexico. His pursuit of the young man eventually pays off but clearly his interest in the young man isn't returned in kind. Based on the novella by William S. Burroughs and directed by Luca Guadagnino (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME). It's been a good year for Guadagnino, first with CHALLENGERS earlier this year and now QUEER. Done in three chapters with an epilogue, the movie is anchored by a stunning performance by Daniel Craig. I had a big problem with the overextended third chapter which deals with a journey into the jungle to experiment with a hallucinatory plant based psychedelic. Suddenly I felt I was watching Ken Russell's ALTERED STATES (1980) again. Everything else though is on point. There's fine underscore by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. With Lesley Manville and Jason Schwartzman.