Doug McCorkle has had a long, comparably successful, but to be honest relatively unmemorable career in corporate accounting, but upon his retirement at age 60, he decides to fulfill himself his wildest dream and become a pop star - and that's not just meaning a guy with a guitar singing songs in a corner that nobody wants to hear, but the very contemporary version of the word, with elaborate stage shows, makeup, costumes, dancers and elaborate choreographies. But of course that's something that can't be achieved overnight, and his training takes him all over the world, including to Sin Andre's (Cesar Valentino) dance center mostly frequented by drag queens, where he learns not only to perform but also about gender identity and fluidity, which also informs his future stage persona. And of course, things culminate in Doug's triumphant stage debut.

This film labels itself a documentary/narrative hybrid, and I admit I'm not sure how much of this film is fact, how much is fiction, but that said, one can't but love the message this film subtly transmits by showing how this mild mannered bookkeeper loses himself more and more in his stage persona but at the same time seems to become more and more himself as he has finally dared to follow his dreams, which is just really inspiring. And the film's fittingly rich, colourful and at times intentionally camp visual language gives it just the right atmosphere to feel McCorkle's journey while his very relatable persona keeps things grounded enough to make the audience root for him throughout.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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