Lianna

Wow. I’m really taken aback by Lianna. Vintage WLW film usually mean you need to hedge your bets and grade on a bit of a curve. Things that were forward thinking then often seem out of touch today. Public perception of women and gay people has changed drastically in just a few decades. None of this is necessary knowledge to watch Lianna. Despite being decades old, it’s not a film you have to make excuses for. This is a progressive, sensitive and spectacular character study.

Titular character Lianna is the wife of a college professor and mother to two children. She dropped out of college to marry her husband, Dick. Unfulfilled as a wife and mother, Lianna begins taking night courses in child psychology. Her professor, Ruth is intelligent, respectful and has a lot in common with her. So, Lianna begins her second affair with her professor. Of course this time, it’s a woman. Despite Ruth’s warnings and concerns, Lianna announces to her husband that she’s gay and seeing Ruth. This piece of truth heavily affects the way she lives her life.

What makes the film so remarkable is that it is an honest character study. Yes, the character being studied is a gay woman. But Lianna is so much more than that. Gay portrayals from decades past- even the positive ones- tend to over-emphasize a character’s homosexuality. This is a much more well-rounded portrait. Many of the events in her life are affected by her being gay. But as a character? Lianna has thoughts, traits and a whole being outside of her homosexuality.

This non-judgmental character study is a great vehicle for gay acceptance. Lianna being so human, so relatable and so normal is great queer representation in the 1980s and today. We’re allowed such insight into her life. And the events of the film summon such sympathy for her. So, when Lianna experiences discrimination, it doesn’t feel abstract or sensationalized. It feels real and devastating. On the flip side, the film celebrates simple kindness. Lianna is visibly moved, sometimes to tears when she is treated with basic human respect. When her neighbours treat her normally and as a friend, Lianna is overcome. Lianna doesn’t just show gay discrimination. It offers a simple, easy suggestion on how to be an ally and a good person.

John Sayles wrote, directed and edited Lianna. The film is entirely his and he deserves all the credit. The film is a great argument for art and especially film being created by a singular creator. Studio interference or a different writer or director likely would’ve muddied the final output. As the film’s major creative force, Sayles knocks this out of the park. He really seems to understand the weight of the story he’s telling and his obligations as a creator. There is so much sensitivity and thoughtfulness in how he depicts his characters. At a glance, Sayles doesn’t have much in common with his lesbian heroine. But art is so often about empathy and Sayles found it.

Lianna is a beautiful exercise in empathy. This is a sensitive, carefully written character drama. While being primarily dialogue scenes about interpersonal issues, it’s a gripping film. Lianna as a character was so real and so sympathetic that I spent the film on the edge of my seat. Lianna is a masterclass is script writing and queer representation, especially for the time its written in. This is a truly extraordinary film.

Overall rating: 8.9/10

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