Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Four (2012) is a drama about a day in the lives of two couples, one straight and the other gay.
June (Emory Cohen) is a despondent, white teenager living at home. While his family celebrates the Fourth of July, he goes out to meet an online hookup, an older, married, black man, Joe (Wendell Pierce), in an abandoned parking lot. Meanwhile, Joe’s daughter, Abigayle (Aja Naomi King), who is June’s age, is on the phone with Dexter (E.J. Bonilla), a Latino who is interested in her. Although Abigayle suspects Dexter only wants to see her for sex, she agrees to hang out with him.
As the evening progresses, each couple explores their sexuality, fears, and the parts of themselves they keep secret.
Some Thoughts:
Four is based on the 1998 play by Christopher Shinn. Because of the use of land lines, the film is clearly set in the not-too-distant past. It would have been very easy for director Joshua Sanchez to not use corded phones, so this feels very much like a choice, and one that pays off. The story does well without everybody being as connected as they are today, which gives the themes time to be explored.
The movie focuses on theme more than plot, one of which is internalized homophobia. Because of that, some of the dialog can be a bit off putting. The word “faggot” is used, and one of June’s friends, who is out, is described as acting “weird.” It’s an honest depiction of people who can’t accept who they are, but it can raise your hackles if this is a trigger for you.
Although some of the dialog feels a bit fabricated, the actors know their craft well enough not to call attention to it. There’s also not a single performance that doesn’t ring true.
For a movie with very little action, there are no slow points. Despite the film being driven by dialog, the characters are always in motion, which adds to the momentum. It also gives the viewer a lot to think about as the lives of those involved are exposed. And because everything takes place in one day, and it doesn’t care about plot, everything isn’t tied up in a nice bow at the end.
The Final Verdict:
Four is an interesting art house film that’s engrossing because of its talented group of actors, pacing, and interesting themes.