By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.75
Director: James Krishna Floyd | Sally El Hosaini
Starring: Ben Hardy | Grant Davis | Hannah Onslow | Jason Patel | Val the Brown Queen
Year: 2023
Running time: 119
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21451014/reference/
Chris says: “Luke (Ben Hardy), a working-class straight bloke from Essex unwittingly wanders into a London gay club and falls hard for Aysha (Jason Patel), a drag queen, making out with him before he realizes he’s not kissing a woman. At first, Luke recoils violently but over time he and Aysha forge a professional relationship that bleeds over into friendship and eventual love.
“Co-directed by Sally El-Hosaini (THE SWIMMERS) and screenwriter James Krishna Floyd, UNICORNS is a conventional, slick and unapologetic crowd pleaser. Floyd touted that it takes a ‘non-binary approach’ to a love story for which it’s more commendable than original and yet, despite its calculation and unlikeliness, I found it considerably moving by the end. Much of the credit goes to its two leads, especially Hardy who gives a nuanced, expressive performance that often overrides his inarticulateness and convincingly details his internal struggles and growth. Newcomer Patel also excels at conveying the contrast between his flamboyant onstage persona and the much blander version of himself he displays for his conservative family.
“The depiction of an Asian drag culture in the UK is fascinating for how it goes beyond portraying it as a loving but dysfunctional family, ending up in some dark corners that create drama and near-tragic consequences for Aysha. It ultimately brings the two leads closer together but its implications speak of a world where it’s not enough to change who you are, it’s how willing you can be to let others in. Along with Hardy and Patel’s performances, this is what resonated strongly with me at the conclusion. Manipulative? Yes, but also heartfelt. 3.5 cats
Michael says: “The feel-good romance would be much lower on my TIFF scale if it weren’t for one thing, the lead performance by Ben Hardy in the role of Luke, an average bloke raising a son on his own and working in his dad’s car garage. One night out, Luke wanders into a bar where he falls head over heels for Aysha, a performer with whom he flirts with after the show. After a steamy kiss, Luke realized that Aysha is a drag queen, and is actually a man, and he freaks out. Yet he can’t get Aysha out of his mind, and through a little coercion, and a little money on the side, so Luke can take his son to Disney, Aysha not only hires Luke to be her driver, the two become friends.
“From there things heat up as Luke become more and more comfortable with Asyha as a human being, and his attraction for her returns full force. While things could be leading to a fairy tale happy ending, we still have to overcome the wicked queen and the horror she rains upon Aysha. Jason Patel does a fine job as Aysha as well, but Hardy just knocks it out of the part as Luke. I was with him every step of the way, and believed every emotion that rippled across his face. Despite the rather obvious and melodramatic screenplay which hamstrings the film from being something special, Hardy’s performance certainly uplifts UNICORNS in a way that makes it fun to watch. 2 cats“
Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, Day 3