Leviticus
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is Ira Glass. On This American Life, one thing we like is a good mystery. Sometimes about really big things, but most times, the little mysteries are the best.
Our lost and found is currently filled with pants. I don't know what, I've never seen this happen.
Wait, this is true?
This is true. Mysteries of every size, each week. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts.
You should go see the new indie horror film Leviticus. It's both a queer coming-of-age romance and a blistering indictment of gay conversion therapy. Mostly, though, it is a seriously creepy movie about a demonic entity that knows exactly how to get to you. I mean, I think it's pretty terrific, but I'm curious to hear what the rest of the panel thinks. I'm Glenn Weldon. Joining me today on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour is film and culture critic Kate Young. Hey, Kate.
Thanks for having me.
Also with us is freelance music and culture journalist Rihanna Cruz. Hey, Rihanna.
Hey, Glenn. Happy to be here.
Hey, let's get to it. Leviticus is set in a small Australian backwater where teenage Name and his mother belong to a religious community. Name is played by Joe Byrd, who you might remember from Talk to Me. Stacey Clausen plays his friend Ryan. They start having feelings for each other, which touches off a chain of increasingly violent events. Name is stalked by a threatening presence that takes Ryan's form, while Ryan keeps getting attacked by something that pretends to be Name. Leviticus is in theaters now.
What is the plot of the movie Leviticus?
Rihanna, kick us off. What do you think?
Leviticus feels like the type of gay movie that I would fixate on in high school. It's tone driven. You know, the main characters kiss less than 10 minutes in. There's a Frank Ocean needle drop. It's kind of erotic. It felt kind of like a fan fiction, and I think that's a feature, not a bug. However, at the same time, I don't know if I connected with it, to be honest. I think it's a kind of rare movie where it's gay horror... done well stepping outside of the box a little bit to focus on belonging belief you mentioned conversion therapy that's the main theme but I don't know it just didn't really connect with me I think I find it defeatingly bleak in a way that I usually I like bleak movies but Not this one.
I felt like it had surface level messaging in terms of queerness and community. You know, like the fear will never get you if you're never alone.
How does Leviticus address themes of queer identity?
That's kind of the message of the entity here. Yeah. When I was watching it, I was like, technically, this is a good movie. And I could see why people like it. But there's something missing, I think, between the film and me connecting with it. I finished the movie and it was kind of in one ear, out the other.
Okay. How about you, Kate?
I kind of feel the same. I didn't dislike it. I thought that it was... good at the kind of like baseline horror stuff. It definitely had a really good, like creepy kind of atmosphere that really worked on me. I think the highlight for me is the actual relationship between this couple. I think they're very sweet. It reminded me a lot of Heartstoppers on Netflix. They're just like, adorable and they have real chemistry.
What are the main characters' experiences in the film?
And I think that that's something that could easily have been overlooked because it's a horror film. But it not only hasn't been, but I think it makes the horror more visceral because the way in which this entity functions, it preys on the thing that you most love. And because we are able to see the way that they feel about each other every time they interact with this thing, it gets worse in ways that feel much more personal and much more upsetting specifically because of that aspect of it that I really liked. But I think in general, you know, it's kind of like its own play on it follows. That stuff is interesting, but it felt like there were really good moments kind of tied together with like bits that were fine.
Okay.
As you might've gleaned from my intro, I like this a lot. I kind of liked it a hell of a lot more than y'all did. I liked everything about it from the look of it, you know, this dusty, rusted out factory town on the edge of the Outback area.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:26
2
What is the plot of the movie Leviticus?
1:26–2:29
3
How does Leviticus address themes of queer identity?
2:29–3:14
4
What are the main characters' experiences in the film?
3:14–5:20
5
What critiques do the panelists have about the film's messaging?
5:20–10:30
6
How does the setting contribute to the film's atmosphere?
10:30–16:31
7
What are the panelists' differing opinions on the film's effectiveness?
16:31–18:52