Review: National Anthem – “a poignant piece of work that showcases some terrific performances.”

If feature film debuts often become a cinematic wasteland for coming-of-age tales with tiresome premises, then filmmaker Luke Gilford deserves some credit for bringing fresh perspective to such an overexploited genre and extra points for telling a joyful LGBTQ+ themed story rather than revisiting the typical doom and gloom of certain queer films.

Stemming from his 2020 photography monograph of the same name, made of 100 portraits documenting America’s queer rodeo subculture, National Anthem is a visually captivating journey following a young man who finds a sense of belonging in the most unexpected of places.

Dylan (Charlie Plummer) is a 21-year-old from rural New Mexico, who relies on any work he can get to support his broken family. With his father MIA and his hairdresser mother (Robin Lively) drowning her sorrows in drunken one-night stands Dylan is practically raising his little brother Cassidy (Joey DeLeon) on his own, struggling to make ends meet.

One day he tags along with a group of seasonal workers to House of Splendor, an idyllic ranch inhabited by a vibrant community of queer rodeo performers. Initially taken aback by the unconventional environment which couldn’t be any farther from the reality he’s used to, the quiet boy works hard and keeps to himself, motivated by his desire to save up enough cash that will allow him to buy an RV and leave his aimless small-town life behind.

Soon enough though Dylan lays his eyes on beautiful Sky (Eve Lindley) whose free-spirited energy quickly becomes contagious, pulling him out of his shell as he joins the ranch’s gang at drag shows, local queer rodeos – where he even rides a bull for the first time – and mushroom trips in the desert. The biggest genre trope here is unrequited first love and the inevitable pains that come with it, but the drama isn’t brought by your average coming-out storyline.

Sure, Dylan is reticent at first and the super-talented Plummer (Lean On Pete, Looking for Alaska) delivers his soft-spoken, inward nature with traits almost reminiscent of Heath Ledger’s Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. Yet, the feelings he develops for a trans woman are not challenged by internal (or external) homophobia. If anything, Dylan lets himself fit in with the eclectic population of the commune rather naturally as they welcome him within their chosen family without second-guessing him.

The main conflict lies in his struggle to fully adapt to the polyamorous nature of the place as Sky is technically in an open relationship with the ranch’s leader Pepe (a solid Rene Rosaldo) but the man doesn’t necessarily seem eager to overshare her attention with the boy. Sky on the other hand is brutally honest with Dylan about the fact they’re just having fun and although he allegedly accepts the terms of their societal norms-defying relationship, it becomes apparent that he’s too smitten to truly be cool with it.

Intricacies of love aside, Gilford does a great job at establishing the world of the film and directs his talented cast by leaning into their naturalistic performances. His photography background is evident throughout the gorgeous camera work that captures the rural beauty of the American South-West in lyrical fashion, and you get a strong sense of how he strives to convey the empowerment that comes from queer joy. There’s no denying he’s a filmmaker to watch, as clearly punctuated by the Discovery Award for Best Debut Director the film has earned him at this year’s Raindance Film Festival here in the UK.

National Anthem’s pitfall is that it’s a bit thin on story, which results in the conflict not being as fleshed out as it should be to sustain the narrative tension required by a work of fiction. It almost feels like the concept might’ve benefitted from the breathing room of a TV series format to develop its characters fully or maybe go the opposite direction and embrace the documentary roots of its photographic source material.

Despite all that, this is most definitely a poignant piece of work that showcases some terrific performances. I already knew it almost a decade ago when I first watched him in indie sensation King Jack but Charlie Plummer confirms to be one of those rare, fearless, natural talents, destined for big things. He strikes me as the DiCaprio of his generation. And of course, massive shout-outs are in order for Eve Lindley, who effortlessly embodies Sky’s hypnotic charm and vulnerability and for Mason Alexander Park who plays Carrie, a sort of Jiminy Cricket to the lost and confused protagonist, with such empathy and warmth that leap off the screen.

National Anthem is available on UK and Ireland digital platforms from 9^th December.