Gay Best Friend: Michael in "Camp" (2003)
Thursday, June 24, 2021 at 9:00AM a series by Christopher James looking at the 'Gay Best Friend' trope
I wish I looked as good as Michael (Robin de Jesús) at my prom.Back in 2003 there weren’t many places where a gay kid wouldn’t be the “other” person. That’s why the “gay best friend” trope became so prevalent. Film would always show us the “token” gay person in a non-threatening supporting role, reinforcing that they were “different” than the norm. Camp flips this on its head. The comedy takes place at Camp Ovation, a musical theater camp outside of New York. It’s one of the few places where the gays outnumber the straight men.
This dichotomy between being “othered” and being welcomed is established in the first scene, with the song “How Shall I See You Through My Tears” from The Gospel of Colonus. This performance is intercut with the entrance of Michael (Robin de Jesús), as he arrives at prom in drag...
His attire isn’t taken well both by the administration (they refuse him entrance) and his fellow students (they beat him up). Shots of him being kicked by boys in suits are interspersed with moments from the performance where Michael is welcomed and hugged by the rest of the cast of The Gospel of Colonus as part of the song. Camp Ovation provides him with a home and sense of belonging that he can’t find anywhere in high school.
All the musical theater kids instantly start sizing up the straight kid.
Ellen: Thirty foot rule?
Spitzer: What's that?
Ellen: Means Michael has to stay thirty feet away from him until we find out if he's straight or gay.
The arrival of Vlad (Daniel Letterle) sends shockwaves through Camp Ovation. Finally, a straight boy has come to musical theater camp. It’s a fun reversal of the classic trope. Now, the straight boy is the fish out of water. However, Camp starts to revolve around Vlad, as he throws everyone’s hormones out of whack. Every girl and every boy wants a piece of Vlad, particularly Michael.
There’s a raw authenticity to the basis of Camp that allows it to get believably heightened. For one, all of the teens look like real teenagers. For example, Michael’s face is covered with acne and his voice cracks as he talks with Vlad. He feels like someone who hasn’t fully come into his own, stuck in the worst part of their awkward phase. This also feels like a reason behind his drag persona at prom and interest in acting. He doesn’t want to be the pimply gay kid, he wants to be the fabulous femme fatale. Michael hasn’t fully accepted himself yet.
How many of us have made the unfortunate decision of falling for a straight person?
Vlad: Are you blushing?
Michael: Are you kidding? I'm doing everything but bat my eyes!
Vlad senses the insecurity of all the people around him and preys on it. He knows Ellen (Joanna Chilcoat) is insecure about her body, despite her talent. Thus, he flirts with her rather than resident hot girl, Jill (Alana Allen). Though ostensibly straight, Vlad also sets his eyes on Michael, who is his roommate. On their first night together, Vlad tries to convince Michael that he also might be straight. However, he does so with some weird reverse psychology, flirting with him in the process. He tells Michael that he would be quite the catch with the ladies, specifically saying his Latin flair would be a major draw.
Vlad knows exactly what he’s doing in his scenes with Michael. He plays nice with Michael, making them seem like best friends. Yet, all Vlad wants is attention. He leads Michael on, playing with his emotions. Michael isn’t stupid. He knows to a degree that Vlad is queerbaiting him. Yet, he can’t help but swoon over his puppy dog eyes and chiseled physique. He knows that Vlad is speaking sweet nothings into his ear, but he lets them continue.
It’s not just Vlad’s body that makes Michael fall for him. Michael is desperate for companionship and positive attention. At school he’s beat up. His parents don’t visit him during his performance or call him on his birthday. In fact, Michael has moved out of his parent’s house after his Dad was unsupportive of him post-prom. How can one love themselves when their parents don't love the person they’re destined to become. Michael tries to find his chosen family at Camp Ovation. Luckily, the camp reflects back to him that he is normal and his interests are valid. For his birthday, everyone dresses up in drag to make him feel comfortable and beautiful. Michael has found his tribe and understands that there is a life ahead for him to live authentically.
In the immortal words of alcoholic teacher Bert Hanley (Don Dixon): "Teenage faghags become adult faghags. Straight boys are straight. You can't turn 'em just because you need to be loved."
Vlad: Well, now that camp's over - almost over - and we live kind of close to each other I was hoping that... we can go out sometime.
Michael: I *know* you're not asking girlfriend out for a date after all this.
Vlad: If she'll forgive me.
Michael: This boy not only has cajones, but he's got burritos and huevos rancheros too.
Ellen: [to Vlad] Okay.
Michael: What?
Vlad: Really?
Ellen: I'll go out with you.
Michael: Ellen, you're like some Jenny Jones guest!
Ellen: Michael, eventually I have to start hanging out with boys who don't wear dresses. I thought we came here to go swimming.
The drag birthday wasn’t enough to cure Michael of all his insecurities. He ends up sleeping with Dee (Sasha Allen) to prove to Vlad that he has tried heterosexuality. “I figured you might feel less threatened if you thought l was capable of sex with a woman,” says Michael to Vlad. All this revelation does is confirm that Vlad still has control of Michael’s affections and that he needs to see if he can also have sex with Dee. She rebuffs him and Ellen catches Vlad going after her. In the classic sense of the “gay best friend,” Michael only exists in Vlad’s world as a pawn that he has in his pocket.
After the final performance of the summer, Vlad coerces Michael to the lake. It’s here that he makes a desperate ploy to keep his friend interested, by stripping naked and going skinny-dipping. Ellen comes by to confront Vlad, only for him to counter her anger by asking her out. Surprisingly, she accepts, confusing Michael who thought they had the upper hand. Another classic trope of the “gay best friend” is to be the one who must “talk sense” to the female lead. This was the entire concept behind the popular Sassy Gay Friend YouTube series from over a decade ago. However, almost instantaneously Michael shrugs and joins them in the water. For him, it’s better to be wanted and have fun, even if he and Ellen both know Vlad’s affections for them are fake.
The movie ends with them splashing around in the water as happy music plays. However, how happy of an ending can it be with both Michael and Ellen accepting less than they deserve? One wishes that Camp would end with Michael and Ellen realizing their self worth and telling Vlad to hit the road. Yet, how many of us actually knew our worth in high school? Here’s hoping that Michael goes to a performing arts college, lives his truth in New York and has a fabulous and enriching adult life. He may not know it by the end of the movie, but he is special and deserving of real love.
Reader Comments (5)
This is actually one of my favorite movies, even though I know parts of it are messy. The theater scenes are surprisingly believable and there are some downright funny moments. Anna Kendrick's full on All About Eve machinations made me giggle throughout.
I am glad that Robin de Jesus has had such a good career after this. I really hoped that would happen for the creative team as well.
I've been trying to push this movie on various friends for years, especially when Glee was at its TV height, recommending Camp as better performed and more realistic theater kid scene. (Speaking of theater kid/gay best friend, has Montgomery McNeil from Fame been discussed in this series?)
Ultimately, every time I see Robin de Jesus, I still see Michael from Camp… a Michael who is living his truth, and attaining the best success ever.
I think you're too harsh on Michael regarding the ending. Vlad strips and comes onto Michael, but it's important that Michael refuses him and calls him out on his bullshit. In 2003, that was huge, that a gay guy wasn't going to take scraps, wasn't going to settle. Here he's already living his truth, as you put it.
Overall I love this film but I'm still confused at how sympathetic it tries to make Vlad.
This was a film that was shown a lot on IFC. I don't remember if I had seen it in its entirety but I couldn't help but enjoy the sense of community. I think it's a film that needs to be revisited.
Sweet film! Interesting take here on how the gay best friend dynamic is turned on its head.
I remember liking it when I first saw it, but also really wanting to like it more, if that makes any sense. I think that too much time is spent on Vlad, and he's just not that compelling. Anna Kendrick and Tiffany Taylor really shine here, but sadly only have supporting roles. I didn't realize that Robin de Jesus was the same actor who was a standout in the recent Boys in the Band remake. He's got talent.