Frank Oz’s In & Out is one of these movies that plays perfectly with sterotypes, has some aces in the sleeve, but survives thanks to its leading actor. Because if it hadn’t been for Kevin Kline’s joyfull performance, this whole think would have sunked completely, not even getting close to something like a success in any level.

Everything starts when, Cameron Drake, a well known actor from a small town in Indiana, while recieving an oscar for his performance of a gay character, thanks his english high school teacher, Howard Bracket, whom he based his performance on. The thing is that Howard is getting ready to marry his long time fiancé Emily and he never thought about his homosexuality. Suddenly Howard’s life turns upside down, as the whole town questions his sexuality and slowly a lot of gay stereotypes fit on him. Even worse an openly gay TV reporter, Peter Malloy, arrives in town, suspecting that Howard is just trying too hard not to accept the truth.

The film puts all the stereoptypes and tries to talk about gay people in denial, about how an information like that can change people’s reaction twoards you, about loosing your ground, your whole identity. Of cousre is a comedy, of course everthing is lightweight, of course it falls into cliches. Still there is a solid cast that manages to pull this film out of the camp, out of the hysterical and avoid it stay on the queer section film because no-one else would be intrested.

Kevin Kline is great as Howard never going to the extreme and never being afraid to play it gay. Tom Selleck tries his best but has so little to do, still he shaved his mustache and is so far away from his Magnum character he is a joy, proving that his comedy skills endure beyond Friends. My lovely Joan Cusack once more plays a role she can do in her sleep, but still is no wonder that she managed to attract award attention, even an Oscar nomination. Clever lines, great actors, comedic timing at its best and three really inspired moments save In & Out from being just another comedy on gay people.

Of course no matter what I am saying when I saw it back in 1997 the film had so much more meaning to me, no matter how distanced I can be right now. In 1997 I was myslef trying to realise what is going on with me. I knew that I was gay but still I was hoping that all the signs were fake. I was at a point of trying to avoid my homosexuality. So when I went to see this film I was pretty sure that Howard was not gay, that he was a victim of stereotypes…

You can add there Howard being a Barbra Streisand fan and you got every sign of gayness in one guy who still tries to be straight. Still I was hoping that Howard at the end will turn out to be straight, like a sign i needed to go back to the “normal” side. I was this kid that the rest of his fellow students thought of as gay, and I hope that i would prove them wrong. Things for me evolved idependantly of the film, but at that time it was a film i lived along. Nowadays I can spot easily guys like that, who have a long long road till they realise their identity… Still the signs are bullshit, onle a gaydar can spot things right.

Still as Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb sing we have nothing to be Guilty for