Posted: 09/03/2010

Rag Tag

(2010)

by Sawyer J. Lahr

Rag Tag

What would be just another coming out story is complicated by the African ethnicity of two unconventionally handsome romantic leads in Rag Tag. Written, produced, and directed by Oxford and USC-educated, Adaora Nwandu, the debut feature film takes on gay African masculinity in a very self-aware and milestone gay romantic drama. Nwandu’s childhood buddies of the London streets grow into sexually pressed adults who must break with moral and cultural precepts. Innocent fun and games of their youth gone, Rag (Danny Parsons) wonders if they might reunite their mutual affections, but Tag (Damola Adelaja) rejects him out denial and unfinished business with a girlfriend.

Like BBC’s East Enders episodic drama, there is some class struggle and racial sensitivity. The television style of the production allows the men to come together at a more natural pace. These characters are thrown new conflicts and the story gains many subplots as the filmmakers navigate intolerance, unemployment, crime, and highly suspect international business deals involving money laundering.

Unlike an adolescent coming out experience, these late twenty year-olds have already made commitments to heterosexual life that younger men are still only experimenting with while in denial. Rag sees his son and ex-girlfriend infrequently since giving up custody, it’s assumed, after he told her about his sexuality. Rag has as little luck finding a job with his menial skills as Tag who applies to a law firm. Rag tries to find what he might want to do with the rest of his life and who he would like to spend it with him.

Their employment troubles improve as they are drawn closer and seriously consider moving in. After returning from a steamy trip with Rag to Nigeria, Tag puts himself at risk of losing his job helping a wealthy friend follow-through on a business transaction having something to do with land contracts and property.

Rag Tag has the depth and innocence every independent film needs to make up for a tight small budget and unknown, sometimes untrained actors. The love-making scenes are tastefully but erotically handled with a hip-hop edge sure to turn on a viewer with a fetish for tattooed dark skin and a gay thuggish appearance.

Purchase the DVD at Ariztical.com among other memorable titles such as the Eating Out Series. For Trailers, reviews, credits, and more details visit http://www.ariztical.com/

Sawyer J. Lahr is Chief Editor of the forthcoming online publication, Go Over the Rainbow. He also writes a monthly film column for Mindful Metropolis, a conscious living magazine in Chicago, IL.

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