Educational Media Reviews Online

F. Scott Fitzgerald Slept Here presents, in its 25 minute length, the fictional story of the social interaction and tension between two friends and their larger circle as well as their interplay with the world (and bodies) that they inhabit and in which they are trying to progress.

The narrative is very compact, but presents a wealth of consideration for viewers. Any summary of the action would necessarily read like bulleted points: sexually transitioning Paul and his friend Gordon return to the former’s apartment and phone a drug dealer; Gordon leaves before she (Kristen) arrives, and, left alone, Paul and Kristen sleep together; Paul is clearly interested in Kristen, but she does not return his calls; Gordon is seeking student work at Princeton (which the notoriously complex, self-confused and -defeating Fitzgerald did attend) and invites Paul to a work/social event….

Such a synopsis cannot begin to capture the rich complexity of the film as a whole, though. Indeed, F. Scott Fitzgerald Slept Here is much more than the sum of its parts, demanding that the characters as well as the audience confront and – essentially – explore ambiguity and liminality, both within ourselves and in the outside world. The film feels like a mix of a student film, Rent, and an episode of Friends; and it is this somewhat mainstream accessibility coupled with the excellent pacing, dialogue, and overall narrative that makes the film feel “friendly” and neither leaden nor forced.

Indeed, the dialogue can be surprisingly blunt and humorous. Gordon, an African American, gets the best lines, saying of the social event, for instance, “I have to pretend I’m one of those Black guys that like white people” and, later, about the University and the extremely “white” party: “This place was made for you [Paul]…[but] I’m on a visitor’s pass.” Indeed, it is surprising that given the issues explored by the film that these lines are nothing but amusing and poignant; they do not come off as offensive or melodramatic.

Too, the universe of the film presents fantastic yet accessible opportunities for viewers to investigate their own thoughts on “not belonging.” For example, the fact that the event to which Gordon refers is clearly accepting of and awed by the transsexual Paul yet dismissive of and patronizing to the African American (or is it his implied[?] homosexuality?) Gordon presents an evocative point of discussion amongst audiences. Similarly, while Paul is a female to male transsexual, the film could easily be read with him as male to female trans – or, indeed, “just” male – or, indeed, “just” female. Since personae and “fitting in” are shown to be such innately fluid states of being, the overall ambiguity of the central characters becomes both a driving plot line as well as a comment on the film itself and our society. Again, given the economy of the narrative, such a kaleidoscope of possible interpretations is quite amazing.

Naturally, the nature of the film – transsexuality, partial nudity, implied gay and “queer” (i.e., non-heterosexual) sex, references to drugs, drug use, tokenism, racism – is not appropriate for (and perhaps not appropriate to) many audiences. (Any film whose first full line of dialogue is “I can’t believe you didn’t tell her I was trans!” and ends with a lovingly joshing line about “huge, flaming faggot[s],” though, probably is not written for mass audience appeal.) But F. Scott Fitzgerald Slept Here is clearly not necessarily marketed toward drawing in the “curious” viewer; it is unapologetically written for an audience that would be interested in it on its own merits.

A film that explores fitting in at school and work, in love, and in one’s own body with great depth, and a film that is extremely well-written and skillfully directed, F. Scott Fitzgerald Slept Here is highly recommended for mature audiences and for libraries and repositories with a focus on gay and lesbian studies, gender studies, and multicultural studies.