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Review of “Tru Loved”

Tru Loved is a wonderfully inclusive, unconventional teen comedy with a twist on the usual coming-out story. Directed by Stewart Wade, the film features a biracial lesbian couple and a host of charming characters who represent every point on the LGBT spectrum.

The film follows Tru – short for Gertrude, named after (who else but) Gertrude Stein – a well-adjusted teen who has just moved to a California suburb with her moms. Her family situation is revealed in a very funny ’50s sitcom send-up that introduces both of her mothers – and her two fathers. It’s the first of several Ally McBeal-style fantasy sequences that set the goofy, endearing tone for the film and the family-friendly vibe.

Warning: Some spoilers

Tru is straight, though she’s just about the only person in the film who is. She begins dating Lodell (Matthew Thompson), the school’s star football player and all-around nice guy. But when he takes Tru to a musical on their first date and never seems to want to kiss her, it raises a few red flags for the queer-savvy teen.

Tru calls her dads for help and gently confronts Lo about his sexuality. Though he’s reticent at first, they settle on an agreement: The pair will be best friends, and Tru will be his “beard” until he finds the courage to come out in the small, conservative community. He distances himself from his mother and sassy grandma (the spectacular Nichelle Nichols) while he begins the slow, often painful process.

Tru goes on to form the school’s first-ever gay-straight alliance, while Tru’s moms, Leslie (Alexandra Paul) and Lisa (Cynda Williams), keep close watch and offer motherly advice and hilarious commentary, depending on the context.

Left to right: Najarra Townsend, Cynda Williams, Alexandra Paul

Though a great deal of the film deals with Lo’s coming out, this is Tru’s story, and her world is a wonderfully accepting one. Her moms are the coolest parents on the planet – both are fair, funny and easy to talk to. She takes on the typical teenage problems (budding sexuality, friends, peer pressure) with a great deal more maturity and sense than is typical for a 16-year-old, a not-so-subtle reflection on the quality of her parentage.

This is not to say she’s boring. Like the title character from Juno, she has a quick wit and mildly quirky vibe to go with her moral compass. In fact, Tru comes across as the kind of girl everyone without a cheerleader fetish had a crush on in high school – she’s pretty, has a sense of humor and is completely down to earth.

Wade was wise to give the moms plenty of screen time as they navigate the tricky waters of their daughter’s teen years. They’re playful yet very wise, and Tru seems to genuinely get along with them (despite the usual teen surliness at times). It’s easy to see how Tru turned out so well-adjusted, and it’s a nice touch to see a representation of lesbian motherhood entirely devoid of cliché.

Tru Loved takes on racism and homophobia along with teenage staples peer/societal pressure, but the film is imbued with a lightness and sweetness that makes the heavier subject matter quite palatable. Some exposure is given to Lo’s own internalized homophobia and ideas about race and proper behavior (Lo is African American). At one point, he implies that many black people feel that being gay is “some white thing” and refers to the need to go on the down low with his sexuality in order to keep the respect of his peers.

The film’s aim is to combat this kind of prejudice with comedy, poking fun at stereotypes and long-held beliefs with wit and relative grace. On first meeting Lo, Leslie (Tru’s white mother) quips, “I bet you couldn’t figure out which one was the birth mother,” prompting Lo to choke on a carrot. Toward the end of the film, Lo’s grandmother follows up on a recurring (and racially tinged) joke (“Why can’t you find a nice black girl?”) with a punch line that speaks of greater acceptance.

Jasmine Guy (left) and Nichelle Nichols

Homophobia is tackled with a more traditional – that is, dramatic – approach. Tru encounters resistance in putting together a gay-straight alliance, and Lo gets nothing but anti-gay comments all day from his best friend and teammate, Manuel, as well as his classically macho football coach (Vernon Wells). Only the drama teacher wants anything to do with the new club, and there’s tension between the new group and the football team right away, again putting Lo in a sticky position.

It’s worth mentioning that the film is equally enjoyable for gay, lesbian and straight viewers – something very rarely seen in the niche-oriented LGBT film canon. It fosters a sort of family vibe that makes the jokes all the sweeter – no one is being laughed at (except possibly the awful football coach), and the stereotypes that do exist are played down to negligible levels.

Another way the film keeps the laughs flowing is with an extended cast of cameos. Jane Lynch makes a particularly hilarious scene-stealing appearance toward the end of the film, spouting a few of Tru Loved‘s greatest lines (aside from Lo’s grandma, of course). Gay icon Bruce Vilanch (Hairspray, Get Bruce!) appears in a sizable role. Special mention goes to Nichelle Nichols, who’s sassy, grizzled manner and fantastic laugh lines are a treat in every appearance.

The acting is quite good, with comedic turns from the supporting cast and standout performances from young actors Najarra Townsend and Matthew Thompson. Both bring earnest, honest turns as kids dealing with the growing pains associated with LGBT prejudice. Townsend especially rises above some of the film’s more saccharine lines.

Matthew Thompson (left) and Townsend

Tru Loved looks bright and bubbly, with a lively color palette and dynamic camera work. Especially fun are the fantasy sequences showing Tru’s inner thoughts on such subjects as what goes on in the teacher’s lounge and how English class could be made more enjoyable. It’s all very lighthearted and borderline camp, though there’s an undeniable earnestness to the film.

Still, this much sugar is bound to give some viewers a headache, and Tru Loved doesn’t exactly break new narrative ground. It’s a teen-centric comedy at heart, and the usual tropes of a coming-out story are trotted out in all their tired glory. You’ve seen it all before in countless other queer films, though Wade has a light touch with the melodrama.

What it does so well (aside from generally being an entertaining film) is present a picture of happy, well-adjusted families who just happen to be gay – and multiracial. Wade has constructed a picture that is tailor-made for bridging queer and straight audiences, the kind of fare that could easily be played on broadcast TV.

This is truly a film that deserves a wider audience, and a treat to LGBT viewers who are in on every joke.

Tru Loved is currently screening at various LGBT film festivals. For more about the film, visit its official website. This review was written after a screening at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

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