queerboy of
philadelphia
by Douglas Messerli
Dave Sarrafian (screenwriter and director) QueerBoy
Begins / 2019 [21 minutes]
In slightly over one minute into the short
film QueerBoy Begins, we witness the first murder of a gay man, part of
a series of gay killings that stands at the center of the flick, which from its
title hints of its aspirations of becoming a series of “Queerboy” adventures.
Meanwhile Joss Grey (Gil Johnson) is studying investigatory procedures
at the university, working on a paper with fellow classmate Darien (Carter
Scott Horton). During Joss’ usual morning coffee meeting with his best friend
and roommate Rhiannon Sheshala (Falon Joslyn), who is a reporter for the local
Philadelphia gay newspaper, she tells him of the newest gay murder and expresses
her worry about the increasing amount of time he seems to be spending with his
classmate Darien. Joss explains it’s just a classroom report that was assigned
to them and that he has no sexual interest in his peer.
Working together on a mercy killing case, Darien and Joss argue
intensely, Darien finding it justifiable homicide and Joss arguing the
opposite. Their discussion ceases, however, when Darien asks if he might leave
off their discussion since his boyfriend got off work early and they want to
spend the night together. The two students plan to meet for coffee in the
morning.
Meanwhile a woman walking her dog discovers another body in a parking
lot. Rhiannon gets a call, discovering that this time the body was found
surrounded by syringes of Botox. And like the first murder, the man who was
killed had just been on Grindem (read Grindr). She asks if Joss might download
the app for her to see what he might discover, but he declares he’s got an
appointment with Darien and is far too busy.
Later, on the phone with Rhiannon, he suggests that he’ll call a friend
to see if he might hack into the account, but he still refuses to download the
Grindem app. As he closes the up his phone he finds Darien waiting on a bench,
and Joss explains the murder case, which Darien vaguely reports he’s read
about, although how he might have already read about the newest murder is a bit
inexplicable and perhaps provides our first clue.
Darien claims you can’t trust those apps since you don’t know who you’re
talking to. His lover Coleman and he just made eye contact across a room at a
lecture and became a couple soon after.
When Darien asks him if Joss is seeing anyone,
he explains that his “ex” died a few months ago and admits that he’s taking a
hiatus from dating, which perhaps also hints about the reasons he has so
adamantly refused to go on Grindem. Besides, he admits, he prefers to “make an
ass” of himself in person.
Darien admits that he still hasn’t finished his half of the paper, but
his boyfriend will be working at night and he has the house all to himself and
promises to finish the project.
Meanwhile, we observe Rhiannon talking on the phone while pretending to
be various characters in an attempt to get information from the Grindem service
about the murderer’s code, all without success. Later, getting drunk at a local
bar, Rhiannon spills out her frustrations to the bartender Brian. Despite her
intelligence, she simply can’t make out the connections between the two
murders. As she goes upstairs to the bathroom, she meets a young man in a
hoodie coming down who doesn’t even apologize for bumping into her. It is a
major clue, since the stranger appears to be the same one we observed killing
the first victim, Eddie Gural.
In
the bathroom she discovers yet another body. She calls Joss, who meets up with
her on streets, she having been fully horrified by the blood. She does know
that the victim also used Grindr, having picked up his cellphone, and she
believes she saw the murderer.
They now discover that the man with whom the victim was speaking was
Coleman Heuisler, and the previous victim was also contacting Coleman
Heuisler—although one can only wonder if the police had that information why
didn’t they check it out, or why didn’t Rhiannon find the address and send
someone there? What’s more Joss almost casually mentions that Coleman Heuisler
is the name of his classmate Darrien’s boyfriend.
I
think we’re beginning to perceive why this short film, of which director Dave
Sarrafian might thought of as a pilot, didn’t attract the attention of TV
producers.
In
any event, of course, we now know that Joss has to check it out. His goal seems
only to explain the situation to Darrien. What he finds is Coleman tied up in
the basement, while Darrien knocks him out from behind.
Joss wakes up also tied up to a rope tied to the basement plumbing.
Darrien introduces him to his boyfriend, explaining how he found out his
med-student lover was on Grindem. Coleman argues that simply forgot to
deactivate his account. But Darrien tells a different story, having himself now
joined Grindem, and beginning a conversation with Coleman, who asks for a
meet-up. They meet up and Darrien ties him up to “teach him a lesson,” he
explains. At the same time the account “explodes” with messages from Coleman’s
former tricks reporting their affairs with him (another reason why this “pilot”
was probably dismissed out of hand.) We now know the motive of the killings,
But Darrien goes on to describe how he murdered the first man, etc. Evidently
we need more time for Joss to unravel the knot holding him in place.
Joss finally escapes and frees Coleman as the two rush off, one stagey
slug apparently enough to do-in the villain of the piece.
Over a drink we now find out that Joss has become Philly’s new crime
fighter, like Gotham’s Batman. They toast to fighting crime!
Los Angeles, September 3, 2023
Reprinted from World Cinema Review (September
2023).
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