Described as a gay Harold and Maude,[2] the film follows Lake, a young man who takes a job in a nursing home and develops a romantic and sexual attraction to Mr. Peabody, an elderly resident in the facility. Unlike most of LaBruce's earlier films, Gerontophilia is not sexually explicit; instead, LaBruce chose to adapt his traditional themes of sexual taboo into a film more palatable to a mainstream audience.[5]
Synopsis
Lake is an 18-year-old closetedhomosexual college student who discovers that he has a romantic attraction to elderly men even though he is already in a relationship with his girlfriend Désirée. One day, he applies for a nursing job at a retirement home, where he meets a resident named Mr. Peabody, and the two of them become close friends. After a while, the two men develop a romantic and sexual relationship. After noticing that the residents are being overdosed on their medication by the employees, Lake decides to take Peabody off his daily medication and help him escape to a better place. This results in the two of them taking a cross-country road trip together that deepens their bond.
Bruce LaBruce intended to give Gerontophilia a 1970s atmosphere by shooting the film with an ARRI Alexa whilst using some Zeiss prime lenses from the era.[6]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 48% approval rating, based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The website's consensus reads, "Gerontophilia's handful of intriguing ideas are let down by tame execution and unconvincing acting that make the movie's premise feel creepy rather than original."[8]
Dave Croyle of Gay Essential called the film a "captivating story of love, loss, and personal exploration."[9]
Rakesh Ramchurn of The Independent commented, "It is rare that I would salute a predominantly underground director's move towards mainstream filmmaking, but by toning down the sex and nudity of his previous works, LaBruce has made a film that I hope will be enjoyed by wide audiences in the months to come."[10]
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