I Am Michael

Though the scenes were cut in a fashion that was occasionally disjointed, overall the film was well-done. I would have liked to see it end on a different note but again, it is based on a true story so I suppose that couldn't be helped. I went into it knowing nothing about the actual man who is featured so I came away a little disappointed. The film is a dramatic and upsetting portrayal of how many organized religious beliefs feed off of our human tendency towards fear, and it follows a path that indicates the true devastation that such damaging religiosity can take when one's heart is unguarded. It is a great reminder that we must be vigilant to educate ourselves, especially queer community, against xtianity and it's oppressive, far-reaching tendrils.

My Mom and I watched this, and we did not like the swearing and there was too much focus on the intimacy-scenes that we didn't need or want to see.We have liked more focus on his life after his conversion and he married and how his life continues to help those in that gay lifestyle to come to know Christ and His True plan for them. Not only that but emphasis that love is not accepting sin but loving the sinner and helping them out of sinful lifestyle that are very harmful to their souls. We can love those that live in sin without excepting their behavior- that is not hate is it is true love of neighbor. Loving them enough to say that it is sinful and not good for you to live in a lifestyle that is contrary to God's plan.We watched this because it is very encouraging to see God change hearts and give conversion and delivering souls from very sinful impure lifestyles. We understand his testimony is very powerful witness to those that are engaged in that lifestyle and how he can minister to them God's truth and by God's grace be an instrument of God's mercy and love and bring about many conversions back to God.

I expected this was a story of a gay man falling under numerous pressures to became straight. This is only partly true. It is about a very lonely man with deep hurts looking for peace & meaning. While he fought to have gays not fit a clone like imagine, he made the same mistake. While he did find peace in the reality of God, he swallowed all the lies & clone images of what a Christian should be. Michael is a man with a sincere desire to find the truth. However, he is in transition and still search for answers. I really liked the ending. While he found some answers, there was a self-awareness that his journey was not complete. His honesty and commitment to be true to himself, will never let him be comfortable in something he didn't find to be real. This is not a movie about someone fighting being gay. It is one man's journey to find truth, peace and happiness.

This movie is a painful look at a young man trying to find answers to who he really is and what he believes.His search takes him to many different places and in each he tries to find out more about who he really is.There are no permanent answers, only more questions but maybe that is what life is really about.The acting is sincere and low key.Since it is based on a true story, I would ask this young man how he can counsel others when he is so lost himself.Bennett's final message to Michael was that he hopes Michael takes time to help himself. Bennett is a true friend.Perhaps this movie is deserving of more than 3 stars as it does make one think about life and our purpose while on Earth. Okay, I convinced myself. I changed it to 4 stars.

This is a fascinating story in that it takes us through the heart of a gay activist who nevertheless finds the movement restrictive, requiring him to stifle his true feelings and mouth all the current buzzwords. It's much the better because it's not just sexual identity but all the intricacies of life and personhood that get trampled under what's politically correct.The film explores his troubled relationship with his mother, who has difficulty accepting his lifestyle but nevertheless loves her son. We also see his relationship with his partner, played by Zachary Quinto in a role very different from that of Mr. Spock. We feel the tension as two individuals try to live their lives pulled in all the different directions humans are prone to. And if that wasn't tension enough, suddenly they become a threesome.Michael's truth seeking continues to land him in trouble in Bible college as he calls out a professor on what really is bad theology. It's refreshing we are not being given a good vs evil or black vs white scenario but every choice has its own rewards and problems. He comes out of college with a wife and the movie ends as he takes the pulpit in a church that has just accepted him as their pastor. We are given no sign that this is a goal or an attainment for him, just waymarks on his journey through life.I gave this one four stars because it's not unrestricted family fare. There are a few words and suggestive situations and many find the same-sex aspect disturbing. However it's a very good representation of a man being true to himself in the face of matters our society has trouble speaking freely about. And it flies in the face of persistent disinformation. A person inclined to same-sex involvement really does have a choice on which lifestyle to pursue.In my state (Oregon) it is currently illegal to offer counsel concerning changing from a same-sex to a heterosexual lifestyle. So much for tolerance and open-mindedness. However, a movie such as this, where a man actually up and does it, is a welcome sight.

Michael is a young man that thinks a lot. We first meet him when he is working for a campaigning, gay magazine and he is with Ben whom he seems to love and has committed to. Then Michael’s mother dies and he starts to think about his whole existence and what happens after death.This leads him on a spiritual path where he realises that he no longer identifies as ‘gay’. Now that is all well and dandy but this film really takes its time. Michael is shown as a troubled man who seems to engender a lot of care, sympathy and warmth from those around him and this is despite him being as inspiring as a used shopping list.His continual whinging about his inner turmoil with God and his old beliefs wear very thin very fast. I kept thinking the plot might make a welcomed detour but alas and alack nay. It really was an absolute bind to get through and that is even with a very good cast, some excellent performances, high production values and good cinematography. It is based on a short story and that may be where the problem is in that there is just simply not enough ‘plot’ here to make a full length feature.The other major trip for me is that you have to care about the characters in order to be engaged and gain empathy and I stopped caring for Michael around half way through. The supporting cast are often more deserving and as such this just did not work for me at all.

this film is sad lettle.for one man has a 2 life.first life in SFO in castro gay mecca after the cahtedral the life is change with lady.very interest film about the biblie able to change the peoples life and thinks to do...evry actress are nice,good.

Brilliant film with great performances. Highly recommended.

Super

hard to understand