Introduction
Cinema Scholars continues its coverage of the 2022 Tribeca Festival. We are pleased to bring you reviews and a brief synopsis of five more of the films that had their world premieres at this year’s event. Annually held in lower Manhattan, the Tribeca Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. If you missed the first part of our coverage of the Tribeca festival, click here!
God Save The Queens
dir. Jordan Danger
[3.5 out of 5]
“They need you more than you need them,” Jordan Michael Green says to his own reflection at the top of God Saves The Queens. This is as he prepares to go to a job interview that ultimately doesn’t go well. That sentiment ends up being a thesis statement of the film: they need you more than you need them…and they really need you!
Jordan Danger directs this film that focuses on four different drag queens. All of them are struggling with different aspects of their careers and personal lives. Additionally, each of them wrestles with this theme in some way and it all comes to a very fulfilling end. If you are not familiar with drag queens, this film may not impress you. If you are, then you will be delighted.
God Save The Queens stars high-caliber drag queens like Alaska Thunderfuck, Laganja Estranja, and Kelly Mantle. All of them show off their acting range in admirable ways. Drag queens, in general, tend to take on campy approaches to acting, which happens a lot in this movie. Again, to someone unfamiliar with drag queens that might turn you off of the film. Fans of drag queens, on the other hand, will be VERY impressed with Kelly Mantle who delivers the most compelling performance in the film, portraying Louis/Marmalade.
As an aging comedy queen who is trying to compete with much younger talent, Kelly deftly delivers humor and a nuanced emotional landscape as we watch Kelly attempt to stay professional and funny despite career frustrations. The way God Saves The Queens handles that storyline is also very impressive.
We lead up to a climax in Marmalade’s story where she sticks up for herself in front of a dismissive talent agent, but prior to that Marmalade’s story kept getting interrupted. It was very clever storytelling that really paid off in the end. While drag fans may be most excited about Laganja and Alaska (who were a delight to watch) or a wonderful cameo from Michelle Visage, it is Kelly Mantle that will leave an impression.
God Saves The Queens is a film about accepting yourself at all costs. It shows us how these characters rise to challenges, overcome setbacks, and still manage to put their heels on and walk out onto that stage. Luenell, as God, says to the queens at the end:
“Don’t ever stop. Because people need you. We need you.”