Outrage

Kirby Dick's attitude to material that's a 'no-no' is to say "yes-yes!" His previous film, a near masterpiece chronicling the hypocrisy of the MPAA on American film censorship since the inception of the NC-17 rating, served as an indictment while also having some fun. While a sense of fun only springs up on occasion in Outrage he still gets right what needs to be shown: an in-depth look at the rampant hypocrisy of government's 'in-the-closet' stance. Gay politicians rarely come out of said closet - in the film we see two such promininent figures interviewed at length, NJ governor Jim McGreevey and Massachusetts rep Barney Frank - and Dick's aim with the documentary is to seek out the hows and whys. It's poignant when it needs to be, but above all else it serves up information we as the public should know about figures. It's a truth-to-power assemblage on public figures who, time and time again, have voted against gay and AIDS rights (it may not surprise some to know it's Republicans who are the ones most in the closet-side) while denying what people can see outright.

Dick frames his doc on two key figures, one being Larry Craig, the disgraced congressman who was caught in a bathroom doing something that, perhaps, was equatable to what he described Bill Clinton as doing in the mid 90s. He propositioned a cop for 'something' and fervently denied it in public, despite allegations that there had been other incidents in the past suggesting more than likely that he was and has been in the closet. It's been one of the great follies of the past couple of years, and opened up the discussion that appears in the film (Craig, it should be added, has something like a 16% voting record on gay rights through his career).

The other figure, not with as much national notoriety as Craig, is Florida governor Charlie Crist, a "bachelor" who had married once and quickly divorced in the 70s and remained a single man for as long as anyone could tell - not to mention having a chief aid allegedly going with him around the world on vacations (the trick being that one would go the day before and the other the day after - every vacation for *decades*), and denied up and down being possibly, at all, gay. Despite all matters on the contrary, Crist denies it (after going through a girlfriend and another wife during and after the election), and continues to put fervent anti-gay judges on the state court.

Dick isn't out to "out" anyone of the closet - at least, anyone that would rather be kept private. But these are public figures, and the aim is that of This Film is Not Yet Rated: open up the lid, look inside, and see what makes this subject tick to hell. And with Washington and US politics and media, there's so much to mine and Dick and his team do a very good job. Hell, we even get Ed Koch! Who knew?

Just watched "Outrage" and I must say that it's a very revealing and interesting doc. As many know politicians are crooks, and they lie and cheat and get involved in scandal mostly bribes and sexual affairs. However one secret that has been hidden which of late is becoming more and more the scandal norm in D.C. and of elected officials all across the land, is that many are closeted homosexuals. Who in engage in affairs and sexual encounters with their own gender. You must stand up and cheer for director Kirby Dick who you can tell as you watch really researched this topic well and was well informed as he interviewed many top sources who knew about the secret lives and sexual scandals of many closeted politicians.

Interviews come from many independent internet people and off beat newspaper reporters who have connections to the political world and have even personally seen many of these closeted politicians at gay spots and been told by others of their activities. As gay journalists Andrew Sullivan even gives his take. Also well displayed is the most well known cases beginning with Idaho senator Larry Craig who was caught by an undercover cop in a bathroom stall at a Minnesota airport asking for sex. What's even more shocking is even after this we see in interviews that Craig will not own up and say that he is gay. As shown during his segments and something that is revealing and hurts gay people the most is it shows along with Craig he and all other outed gay politicians continue to vote no and against gay rights bills time after time. As it shows many other lesser known congressman who were found to be gay vote no on gay rights bills.

As mentioned in the film from many gays that are fighting for rights they state that this voting no hurts the community. As those in power will not own up to their own faults and guilt of being gay as it hurts deep down inside so therefore their power of voting no defeats the hurt they feel as it's better to keep it inside. As the film states those with power can hide their homosexuality with no problem take the case of former New York mayor Ed Koch who had so much power that he banned his ex lover from the city! And the historians of literature and film give their history take as Tony Kushner showed with his "Angels in America" that this underworld of gay life in politicians from the right wing dates back many years as mentioned the most notable closeted figure was right wing attorney Roy Cohn. It even mentions many friends and staff members of both the Reagan and W. Bush administration were gays.

It showcases how politicians work around their hidden homosexuality but yet to stay in the spotlight and to look more acceptable for the right wing they will even do a marriage of convenience. Take the case of Florida republican governor Charlie Crist who married just to look more acceptable for the right wing and Republican voters. Yet still Dick shows an honorable and acceptable side when openly gay Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank talks telling viewers for years that he's been open about his homosexuality and that he feels better for it. And most touching is the words of ex New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey who said it right he was living a lie as he was married to an attractive and elegant looking lady named Dana but inside no matter how hard he tried to hide it he was gay. And coming out and opening up made him feel better and it was a justice feel for all.

Overall "Outrage" is a doc to watch it's interesting and revealing you feel anger at the same time a big thumbs up for Kirby Dick who's interviews and resources have exposed many and elaborated on many that were already lit up as more shocking info was told. Even though it's theme is homosexuality it still proves that those in power especially politicians abuse power and go to any means to hide their deepest darkest secrets. And still they feel as if though their actions are above the law. Clearly it's a film that showcases hypocrisy at it's best. As in the docs end as many gays would agree ex San Francisco supervisor and slain gay hero Harvey Milk said it best it would be best if all gays open up to the truth not only for themselves but to everyone. As clearly that's the message these closeted politicians should take it would be a better world for them and everyone else.

Kirby Dick's ("Twist of Faith", "This Film Is Not Yet Rated") new exposé is as revolting as it is provocative. Featuring interviews with journalists, activists, media personalities and the film subjects themselves, Kirby exposes all the hypocrisy behind closeted elected officials (Larry Craig, Ed Schrock, Jim McCrery, David Dreier and Charlie Crist, among others) who lied their way into high office, claiming to be morally conservative family men while living a double life.

Naturally, the issue of "outing" these men is morally questionable – but as Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank (a former closeted official himself) says, "There's a right to privacy, not to hypocrisy". And hypocrisy is all there is, since once these men are in power, they shockingly, without exception, work against any and every gay right. Theories are discussed about what causes closeted gay men to join those who work against them, joining forces against what would technically be their "community". An interesting analysis goes way back to Roy Cohn and McCarthyism, and to the kid called a "fag" in school that will join the bully to save his own skin. As simplistic as this example sounds, it certainly has a lot of truth in it.

"Outrage" is a terrific documentary because it isn't one sided. It doesn't suggest that every closeted gay person is a hypocrite, and from a predominantly homosexual point of view (documentarians and interviewees), it's acknowledged how difficult the "coming out" process can be and how each person deserves to have their right to privacy respected. However, all citizens also should know what's behind their superiors' speeches, and the fact that these people are working against homosexuals as they lead double lives themselves is repulsing, heartbreaking, and most infuriating. It's one of the most incendiary, straightforward documentaries I've seen in a while, and I hope it gets enough exposure to provoke some serious discussions.

The so-called log cabin Republicans, elected officials or not, tend to put financial and professional reasons above anything else, and since they chose to live a life of lies, they don't care about the rights other people should be allowed to have. I know gay Republicans who will say "Oh, they make such a fuss about gay marriage and such... you can always live with someone, there's no need to have a paper to prove it", etc. Well, personally, I even agree with that in a way, since I don't think I will ever feel the need to legally marry myself (but I'd like to think that, if I change my mind, I will have the right to do it). But what about the concept of equality? Just because you don't care about it, don't you think John and Stuart should have the right to get married if they want to? I can be accused of being biased myself as I say this, that I'm generalizing all gay Republicans by saying this... which is true. But I firmly believe that what they tend to do is put anything that will benefit them professionally or financially above anything else, including the fight for equal rights and the respect for others. In doing that, they lose their own dignity, and if you support just one of these hypocritical officials, you're one of them.

This is a never-ending discussion, but an important one. It's a question of moral integrity to really know those who are being elected so we can actually claim for our rights – whether you are gay, straight, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, black, white, yellow or blue. 10/10.

An indictment of closeted politicians who lobby for anti-gay legislation in the United States.

I found something missing here, though I am not sure what. I feel like there was some muckraking going on, but the film never completely raked the muck -- there was still something more they could have done. For one thing, they never really touched the religion connection -- perhaps a gay man is in the closet to try to appease what he sees as God's wishes?

Most interesting is viewing the 2009 film from a 2013 vantage point. Here we have the Republicans pushing for a same-sex marriage ban through a federal amendment. Four years later, we have same-sex marriage spreading to more states and even Rush Limbaugh saying the conservatives have lost the issue. What was seemingly impossible a decade ago is almost common sense now. And what this film shows is a step in that path we have taken as a country.

I walked into this film with quite a bit of ambivalence on "outting" anyone regarding their sexual orientation. True, it would be nice to live in a world where that isn't or shouldn't be an issue.

The phenomenon of "interalized self-hatred" is something I was introduced to in the early 1990's. It may not be the reason someone--in particular a closeted homosexual--takes a position on a particular political issue, yet this film lines up a number of politicians and people who work in Washington's legislative community and lays out quite convincingly the argument that bigotry indeed is at work in our Nation's capitol, and the suppression of a group of people's rights is achieved through collusion with people who cannot or will not be honest with themselves or the people they represent.

Does exposing these individuals accomplish anything other than the satisfaction of calling a spade a spade? This film makes the case that, yes, in more than a few cases it is worthwhile.

A superb example of the art of film-making, together with passionate testimony from people on one side of a fence that often aren't covered in the mainstream press, this is one of the better documentaries of the decade. I was a convert by the time I walked out of this film.