National Anthem

What could have been an opportunist film filled with queer archetypes and gazes, Luke Gifford’s National Anthem instead is a visually poetic, sensually designed, and liberating adventure about the power of community and how family can indeed be something that one can find, discover, and choose. It’s a glorious adventure and even a tender love story that is moving and genuine.

Dylan (Charlie Plummer) works as a constructor worker in New Mexico, dresses as a cowboy, and provides for his drunken mother and young brother. He ends up taking a side job at a ranch for extra money. The ranch is a community of queer rodeo performers where they love each in various ways that he has never encountered before. Dyan ends up meeting Sky (Eve Lindley), a trans cowgirl that he finds himself attracted to with her stark beauty, empathy, and wit. She is in an open relationship with a fellow jokey Pepe (Rene Rosado), but Dylan’s desires are uncontrolled. There are some impeccable fantasy scenes of Eve Lindley on a horse and a visually sublime moment at a department store where we get into Dylan’s perspective and attractions where Gifford puts a spotlight on Sky’s beauty in slow motion scenes that flourishes with a rich artistry and intoxicating imagery.

Dylan and Sky have a strong connection at the department store where they exchange numbers and addresses. What’s fascinating about this film is we never see cell phones, as Gifford allows the landscapes, scenery, and chemistry between its characters to unveil their desires. The relationship between Dylan and Sky blossoms and its undeniably delicate, but Sky is also in deep love with Pepe, and she finds herself distancing herself, conflicted as Dylan is a romantic who has never felt that sensuality or love before with anyone else. Pepe provides her in different ways. There is a beautifully staged and passionate love-making scene involving all three on a desert night that feels passionate and never racy. The scenes of them cuddling together along with the other performers on the desert recall the artfulness of Michelangelo Antonioni’s Zabinski Point.

Courtesy Variance Films

Dylan also finds love with Carrie (Mason Alexander Park), who is a non-binary rodeo performer who found their own family in the queer ranch community after being outcast by their own family at age 15. The love between Dylan and Carrie is more planktonic, but the scenes between them hold a mutual connection where Carrie feels like the older sibling is giving Dylan advice on life and love. This works due to Mason Alexnader Park’s performance, who delivers an outstanding supporting performance that is rendered with genuineness and grace. They both open up to each other and are there for each other during their adversities, challenges, and hopes. The Carrie and Sky characters trans identities are circumvented as their humanity on screen shines where they don’t feel like desirable archetypes.

The movie proceeds to tell a story about self-discovery. In one scene, Dylan dresses up in drag and lip-sings to pop music in front of the community. You can see Dylan feeling at home, being embraced, and, most importantly, being himself and loving who he wants without judgement. And in later scenes, there are moments with Dylan, Sky, and Carrie that provide quite an emotional jolt that doesn’t hit one false note.

Courtesy Variance FIlms

Ultimately, National Anthem proves there are independent filmmakers that are still finding ways to tell evolving stories that are keeping up with the times, without focusing on the polarization or all the politically motivated hate noise that is filled with cruelty and mockery on news stations, podcasts, and social media. A story like this is needed, one that demonstrates empathy and representation. The real power in this film is examining a community and subculture, it kindheartedly shows how family can indeed be makeshift, and this film is a worthy addition to the ever-growing list of quality LGBTQ cinema.

NATIONAL ANTHEM is now playing in limited theaters