Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline) is walking a fine line – the line between personal honesty and acceptance in his hometown of Greenleaf, Indiana. In & Out also walks a fine line - the line between dealing honestly with a controversial social issue and maintaining widespread audience acceptance.
Howard walks the line for a long time, as a community-minded high school teacher. Things change when a former student (Matt Dillon), while accepting an Academy Award, tells the world that Howard is gay. A furore ensues in little Greenleaf. Pursued by his neighbours, his students and the lecherous tabloid media, Howard is forced to decide for himself whether he is straight or gay.
In & Out handles this still-delicate issue with humour and mostly with sympathy. Every time its stereotypical characterizations of homosexuality start to grate, a more realistic portrayal appears to save the film. Kevin Kline is excellent as Howard. Tom Selleck, wonderful as a tabloid television correspondent, plays a big part in countering the stereotypes.
What we could have done without is the over-blown climactic scene in which just about everyone in town jumps up to say their piece and clamber onto the bandwagon. This scene is contrived and reminiscent of far too many Hollywood ‘inspirational’ pieces (Mr. Holland’s Opus comes to mind).
To a heterosexual viewer who isn’t looking for an issue, In & Out is good fun. More sensitive viewers might have more mixed feelings. Despite this film’s overall positive attitude, it is disturbing that the only way people can be made comfortable with the subject is by inflating stereotypes and then laughing at them.
While it would be refreshing if issues of sexual orientation no longer needed to be treated as a joke for us to be comfortable, In & Out is an enjoyable half-step in that direction.
