Controversial, heartwarming, cross-racial, cross-sexual movie 'Steam' opens in L.A. and New York

March 10, 7:16 AMBisexuality ExaminerMike Szymanski

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 "Steam" is a movie that is charming, heart-wrenching and heart-warming all at the same time. You'll learn about different cultures, different religious beliefs, different ethnic practices and different sexualities. That it was written and directed by a white guy is all the more surprising.

Kyle Schickner, who wrote and directed "Steam," is also out as bisexual. He's been married, and he's been an activist, and he's done movies that have bi themes in them. "Steam" has a bit of a bi theme too, and it got him in a lot of hot water with some of the PC police (that's "politically correct" for those who missed the '80s.)

But first, the real story of this film is about women of different backgrounds, different worlds, who come to a steam room to just let all their junk sweat out of them. Their paths cross, but only peripherally, and ephemerally, like the steam in the room.

Ruby Dee, the actress and activist and better half of the husband-and-wife team of Ossie Davis, is going to be 85 this year. She was convinced by Schickner to take on a role of a recent widow, and it was just after she lost Ossie in real life. She wasn't sure she could do it, but the reality of the pain and anger she brings to her character comes right through the screen. When she sings "Amazing Grace," break out the tissues. She's harangued by her preacher and the religious ladies of her church, but she really just wants to develop a relationship with a new man she has just met—whose children hate her.

Then, there's Ally Sheedy's character. Ally (of course, from "The Breakfast Club"), plays a character with a cute kid who has a jerk of an ex husband and she falls for her son's new coach, played by hunky Alan Ritchson. She plays a mom dealing with growing older, and dealing with a child she's losing touch with (played by Zach Mills who co-starred with Dustin Hoffman in "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"), but she is helped out by her wisecracking friend, played by Chelsea Handler (who has the great groundbreaking talk show "Chelsea Lately").

Then, there's newcomer actress Kate Siegel (an actress who is out as bisexual), who plays a character from a strict and stiff family, and she's questioning her sexuality, especially after meeting a voracious bisexual girl, Niala (played by Reshma Shetty). Niala is an activist for safe sex and involved in a needle giveaway program, and Kate's character is transfixed and seduced by her. Not to give anything away, but when Niala acts like (what some would say) a "typical bisexual" would act, then things are going to unravel.

Some misguided bi activists have protested Schickner's movie because of this character, but as he says, "I've known bisexual people like that, in fact, I may have been that person at some point in my life, and I wanted to make a character that was realistic, and also happened to be bisexual." Yes, maybe it takes one to know one, but the heat he took over the movie was quite unnecessary and ridiculous. He was practically asked to turn in his Bisexual Card, which of course he isn't doing. And ironically, most of the critics haven't seen the good bi characters he has in "Rose by Any Other Name," one of his earlier films.

In a moment of full disclosure, I have to say, I've known Kyle for more than a decade and even appear in his campy film "Full Frontal." He lives downstairs from me, and just today I got to meet the very cool Ally Sheedy and talked to her briefly about her bi role in "High Art." (Ally is in town to do "Chelsea Lately" and there's a movie premiere on Friday.)

This is a movie that I can safely recommend to both my sister and my mom, to Republicans and Democrats, to my students in college to my son's elementary school teachers, to my close friends and even total strangers. Not many movies are like that. There's nothing offensive or icky, although there are things most likely to make someone uncomfortable, no matter who they are.

The film debuts in Los Angeles on Friday the 13th and runs for two weeks, and it opens in New York on March 19 with parties after at both locations. Go to http://www.steam-the-movie.com for more information, and then tell me what you think about the film right here.
 

 www.youtube.com/watch. (Click here to see a YouTube clip)

Another clip, which I'm sure will get you into the theater:

(Ally Sheedy at Frameline Festival: www.youtube.com/watch 

Also, the "Steam" trailer

 Check out the slide show below, too.