Edge
of Seventeen, directed by David Moreton, is a coming-of-age
story about a teenager who gradually discovers that he is
gay and has to adjust to a lifestyle where the rules are learned
the hard way. During summer break 1984 between his junior
and senior year, seventeen-year-old Eric (played by Chris
Stafford, who is the spitting image of Ricky Nelson at the
same age) is raising money for his college tuition as a food
handler at a fast food ribs joint in a Sandusky, Ohio, amusement
park. A virgin, he is courted by a girlfriend Maggie (played
by Tina Holmes), but many coworkers at the restaurant are
gay, having been hired by the manager Angie (played by Lea
DeLaria), a butch dyke. After the summer ends, Rod (played
by Andersen Gabrych) succeeds in seducing Eric, who falls
in love. Rod, however, returns to Ohio State University to
continue his schooling. Eric then seeks another lover, but
learns that gay life for attractive young men is entrepreneurial—entailing
a succession of tricks, mostly found at the gay bar in town,
where he is greeted initially by Angie, who provides his some
support and wisdom. Since Eric associates sex with love, he
becomes confused. Maggie rejects Eric after he sleeps with
her but plays too passive a role. Eric then comes out to his
mother (played by Stephanie McVay) and gains family acceptance.
Although Edge of Seventeen resembles the British
coming-of-age Get Real, there is an American
Graffiti (1973) aspect to the film, as 1984 was the
last year before a tidal wave inundated the gay world, namely,
the revelation that Rock Hudson had died of AIDS. The characterizations
are superb, but gay filmviewers who were tricking around in
the early 1980s will find the story nostalgic (except for
the single reference to the use of a condom). The premise
of the film, that self-discovery about one’s sexual identity
is difficult for all, was better handled in Get Real,
which incorporates the more contemporary gay bashing theme.
Edge of Seventeen might be an excellent film
to show at meetings of Parents of Gays and Lesbians (Pflag)
in 1984, but the post-AIDS Get Real and Relax . . .
It’s Just Sex have more relevance to today, and the
latter deals with the problems of gays who have been out for
years. Still, Edge of Seventeen, in general
release during 1999, won the Audience Award as the Best Feature
Film in both the L.A. Outfest and the San Francisco International
Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and L.A. Outfest Grand Jury Awards
went to actor Chris Stafford and screenwriter Todd Stephens.
MH
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