History Film / Blackbird

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[[redirect:Literature/{{Blackbird}}]]

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''Blackbird'' is a 2014 [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie adaptation]] of the 1986 YA novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, directed by Patrik-Ian Polk and starring Julian Walker, Creator/MoNique, Creator/IsaiahWashington, Kevin Allesee, Terrel Tilford, Creator/GaryLeRoiGray, Torrey Laamar and Nikki Jane.

Randy Rousseau is a closeted gay teenage boy living in a Mississippi Baptist community, where he is a lead singer in the church choir. His attempts to suppress his attraction to one of his male friends causes him great distress. On top of this, his sister inexplicably disappeared six years ago, his mother has lost her mind as a result, and his father has left the family home.

''Blackbird'' is a coming-of-age story for Randy, his friends Efrem, Crystal, Todd and Leslie, and a mysterious young man who comes into Randy's life and leads him down a path of discovery.

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!!''Blackbird'' provides examples of the following tropes:

* AbusiveParents: Randy's mother Claire beats and spits on him when [[spoiler:she catches him making out with Marshall, blaming his "sin" for Chrissie's disappearance.]]
* AlliterativeName: '''R'''andy '''R'''ousseau.
* ClosetKey: [[spoiler:Marshall]] turns out to be this for Randy.
* ComingOutStory: For Randy, who gradually comes to terms with his sexuality over the course of the story.
* CoolBoard: Efrem carries his skateboard around with him.
* CrystalBallScheduling: The teenagers are producing a gay version of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', and the balcony scene and [[spoiler:the tragic deaths of the young lovers are re-enacted in Todd and Leslie's lives.]]
* CureYourGays: Randy tries to do this to himself, and later his mother and Pastor Crandall try to drive the homosexuality out of him, all without success.
* DeadAllAlong: Todd visits Randy at his window one last time, and during his speech it becomes apparent that he [[spoiler:is a visitation in Randy's dream, Todd having committed suicide by vehicular impact on the death of his girlfriend Leslie months ago.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Efrem's wisecracks provide much of the humour in the film.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Randy is a male example, in relation to his best friends Efrem and Crystal, his father Lance, and his [[spoiler:ultimate love interest Marshall.]]
* DisappearedDad: Subverted. Lance left the family home, but he ends up being there for his son far more than Claire is, providing some much-needed fatherly advice.
* DreamIntro: Randy and his crush Todd are in front of the church choir singing a duet, after which they disrobe and start kissing passionately.
* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Todd kills himself soon after his pregnant girlfriend Leslie dies in childbirth, in a tragic echo of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''.]]
* FaceOnAMilkCarton: A disturbed Claire is found in the store, having put pictures of Chrissie on all the milk cartons, when Randy arrives on the scene.
* FaintingSeer: Downplayed. Randy has premonitions of [[spoiler:Leslie's death]], and the first one leaves him momentarily dizzy and unresponsive.
* GayAesop: The overall message of the movie is one of love and authenticity over judgment and dogma.
* GayGuySeeksPopularJock: Randy is in love with the popular and handsome Todd.
* {{Gayngst}}: Randy suffers from this, intensified by his religious beliefs; thus, he is deeply in the closet.
* GuyOnGuyIsHot: Leslie declares this opinion when Randy asks her if she minds him having love scenes on the stage with her boyfriend. [[spoiler:Randy's mother Claire is revealed to have thought this, enough to dare Lance to make out with another boy.]]
* HomoeroticDream: Randy has several of these, one involving the beginning of a threesome.
* IncompatibleOrientation: Randy's crush Todd is straight and has a girlfriend. [[spoiler:His appearance in Randy's final dream suggests that he may not have been 100% straight.]]
* LastHetRomance: Crystal invokes this for Randy by proposing to him that they sleep together, to which he eventually agrees; their encounter makes it clear to him that he is not straight.
* MagicalQueer: When Randy starts having inexplicable premonitions, Crystal starts hinting to him that he may be this trope. [[spoiler:He is.]]
* PreserveYourGays: [[spoiler: All the gay characters survive, with Randy and Marshall ending up in a happy relationship, while straight couple Todd and Leslie meet a tragic end involving a teenage pregnancy and a double suicide.]]
* ProsceniumReveal: After Marshall offers to take Randy to the theatre audition, the scene cuts to him menacing and sexually assaulting Randy. A moment later it is revealed that this is a scene they are acting out on the stage.
* SanitySlippage: Claire, as a result of Chrissie's disappearance. [[spoiler:She gets better when Chrissie returns.]]
* SarcasticConfession: When Randy asks Efrem if he's gay, the latter responds with one, scoffing and saying flippantly "God, I hope so. What else am I going to do with all those Lady Gaga [=CDs=]?" [[spoiler:He's later spotted by Randy cruising with guys at night.]]
* SettledForGay: A downplayed example. Crystal knows that Randy is gay, but she chooses him as the boy to whom she wants to [[spoiler:lose her virginity, both to make sure it's someone she likes, and to help him sort out his sexual confusion.]]
* SexAsRiteOfPassage: For all of the teenagers, with mixed results. Randy's encounters with [[spoiler:Crystal and Marshall]] help him to come out of the closet, Crystal ensures that the boy who takes her virginity is someone she cares for, Todd and Leslie's sexual liaison ultimately brings about [[spoiler:both of their deaths]], while Efrem's [[spoiler:promiscuous night cruising result in him being sexually assaulted and having to be tested for [=STDs.=]]]
* ShotReverseShot: During the dialogue between Randy and his father Lance, the camera shows each one through the eyes of the other.
* StepfordSnarker: Efrem is a habitual joker and DeadpanSnarker, but sometimes this is a cover for his real feelings.
* StraightGay: Randy, Marshall, and [[spoiler:Efrem]] are all gay, without being at all camp or especially feminine.
* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: [[spoiler:Chrissie's unexpected homecoming at the end influences Randy's mother to be more accepting of his homosexuality, his father to come home, and Randy to become happier in his relationships with his family, his friends and his boyfriend.]]
* TeenPregnancy: Leslie's is what ultimately causes [[spoiler:her and Todd's deaths.]]
* ThreeAmigos: Randy, Efrem, and Crystal.
* TransparentCloset: Efrem and Crystal can see perfectly well that Randy is gay, but he is in denial as he believes it to be a sin.
* WellDoneDadGuy: Lance has shades of this, but Randy warms up to him during the course of the story.

* SexAsRiteOfPassage: For all of the teenagers, with mixed results. Randy's encounters with [[spoiler:Crystal and Marshall]] help him to come out of the closet, Crystal ensures that the boy who takes her virginity is someone she cares for, Todd and Leslie's sexual liaison ultimately brings about [[spoiler:both of their deaths]], while Efrem's [[spoiler:promiscuous night cruising result in him contracting a minor STD and having to be tested.]]

* SexAsRiteOfPassage: For all of the teenagers, with mixed results. Randy's encounters with [[spoiler:Crystal and Marshall]] help him to come out of the closet, Crystal ensures that the boy who takes her virginity is someone she cares for, Todd and Leslie's sexual liaison ultimately brings about [[spoiler:both of their deaths]], while Efrem [[spoiler:cruises at night with other guys.]]

* SarcasticConfession: When Randy asks Efrem if he's gay, the latter responds with one, scoffing and saying flippantly "God, I hope so. What else am I going to do with all those Lady Gaga CDs?" [[spoiler:He's later spotted by Randy cruising with guys at night.]]

* AnAstralProjectionNotAGhost: [[spoiler:Todd's appearance in Randy's final dream.]]
* ClosetKey: [[spoiler:Marshall]] for Randy.
* ComingOutStory: For Randy.
* CoolBoard: Efrem sports one.
* CrystalBallScheduling: The teenagers are producing a gay version of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', and the balcony scene and [[spoiler:the double suicide are re-enacted in Todd and Leslie's lives.]]

* GayAesop

* {{Gayngst}}: Randy suffers this, intensified by his religious beliefs.

* IncompatibleOrientation: Randy's crush Todd is straight and has a girlfriend.
* MagicalQueer: When Randy starts having inexplicable premonitions, Crystal starts hinting to him that he may be this trope.
* PreserveYourGays: [[spoiler: All the gay characters survive, with Randy and Marshall ending up in a healthy, happy relationship, while straight couple Todd and Leslie meet a tragic end involving a teenage pregnancy and a double suicide.]]
* ProsceniumReveal: After Marshall offers to take Randy to the theatre audition, the scene cuts to him menacing and sexually assaulting Randy. A moment later it is revealed that this is a scene they are acting out on the stage.

* SexAsRiteOfPassage: For all of the teenagers.

* StraightGay: Randy, Efrem, and Marshall.

''Blackbird'' is a 2014 [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie adaptation]] of the 1986 YA novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, directed by Patrik-Ian Polk and starring Julian Walker, Mo'nique, Creator/IsaiahWashington, Kevin Allesee, Terrel Tilford, Creator/GaryLeRoiGray, Torrey Laamar and Nikki Jane.

* BiTheWay: Randy's father Lance kissed and made out with another boy, [[spoiler:on a dare from Claire.]]
** Todd is ostensibly straight and has a girlfriend, but is rather flirtatious with Randy. [[spoiler:At the end it is revealed that he was also attracted to Randy, but did not dare act on it.]]

''Blackbird'' is a 2014 [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie adaptation]] of the 1986 YA novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, directed by Patrik-Ian Polk and starring Julian Walker, Mo'nique, Creator/IsaiahWashington, Kevin Allesee, Terrel Tilford, Gary [=LeRoi=], Torrey Laamar and Nikki Jane.

''Blackbird'' is a 2014 [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie adaptation]] of the 1986 novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, directed by Patrik-Ian Polk and starring Julian Walker, Mo'nique, Creator/IsaiahWashington, Kevin Allesee, Terrel Tilford, Gary [=LeRoi=], Torrey Laamar and Nikki Jane.

'''''Blackbird''''' is a 2014 movie adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, directed by Patrik-Ian Polk and starring Julian Walker, Mo'nique, Creator/IsaiahWashington, Kevin Allesee, Terrel Tilford, Gary [=LeRoi=], Torrey Laamar and Nikki Jane.

Randy Rousseau is a closeted gay teenage boy living in a Mississippi Baptist community, where he is a lead singer in the church choir. His attempts to suppress his attraction to one of his male friends causes him great distress. On top of this, his sister inexplicably disappeared six years ago, his mother has lost her mind as a result, and his father has left the family home. ''Blackbird'' is a coming-of-age story for Randy, his friends Efrem, Crystal, Todd and Leslie, and a mysterious young man who comes into Randy's life and leads him down a path of discovery.

'''''Blackbird''''' is a 2014 movie adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by Larry Duplechan, directed by Patrik-Ian Polk and starring Julian Walker, Mo'nique, Isaiah Washington, Kevin Allesee, Terrel Tilford, Gary [=LeRoi=], Torrey Laamar and Nikki Jane.

* BuryYourGays: [[spoiler:'''Inverted'''. All the gay characters survive, with Randy and Marshall ending up in a healthy, happy relationship, while straight couple Todd and Leslie meet a tragic end involving a teenage pregnancy and a double suicide.]]

* TagTeamSuicide: [[spoiler:Leslie and Todd]], in a tragic re-enactment of the double suicide of Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet.

* TokenWhite: Marshall is the only white main character.

* FaceOnAMilkCarton: A disturbed Claire is found putting pictures of Chrissie on the milk cartons at the store when Randy arrives on the scene.

* FunPersonified: Efrem.

* {{Gaydar}}: Efrem and Crystal have it.

* SanitySlippage: Claire, as a result of Chrissie's disappearance.

* [[ManicPixieDreamGirl ManicPixieDreamBoy]]: Marshall is this for Randy.

Randy Rousseau is a closeted gay teenage boy living in a Mississippi Baptist community, where he is a lead singer in the church choir. His attempts to suppress his attraction to one of his male friends causes him great distress. On top of this, his sister inexplicably disappeared six years ago, his mother has lost her mind as a result, and his father has left the family home. ''Blackbird'' is a coming-of-age story for Randy, his friends, Efrem, Crystal, Todd and Leslie, and a mysterious young man who comes into Randy's life and leads him down a path of discovery.

* Gaydar: Efrem and Crystal have it.

* Gayngst: Randy suffers this, intensified by his religious beliefs.