Review of Gypsy 83 (2001) by Jim C — 04 Jul 2010
I vaguely remember seeing this before, but for the life of me I can't remember the circumstances except that it might have been following a bad breakup from a relationship too long gone. And there's symmetry for me with that in this film; I felt the pain of Gypsy's and Clive's loss of friendship.
In many ways, it swept me right back to 1989 and Salem, Oregon, where I'd landed after I got out of the Army. I lived one door over and one floor up, right across a narrow alley from The Beanery, the coffee shop that defined Goth ground zero for Salem, a short 2 blocks to the state capitol, and right in the crosshairs of downtown.
Of course there was a Stevie Nicks chick and every twinky gay boy I knew was Robert Smith redux...many "straight" ones too, although I don't think anyone in that time, in that place, was straight.
I really like this movie. It has heart and depth and soul and it moved me in a way that rarely happens anymore. The casting was so good; I KNEW this Gypsy, and I KNEW this Clive. Gypsy was Scott's friend Penny who would drive us around the Willamette Valley while we dropped acid and stared at the stars.
Clive was the cute little Goth boy with the actual girlfriend - both of whom I made out with in a stairwell at a party over the bakery in downtown Salem. I knew Troy too, but years later. He was my friend Joel, the fratboy.
Straight by day, and sexually ambiguous by night. When you feel this at home with the cast of a film, you know you loved it.
This review of Gypsy 83 (2001) was written by Jim C on 04 Jul 2010.
Gypsy 83 has generally received positive reviews.
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