Customer Reviews

Outrage

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Apparently the previous reviewer didn't actually SEE the film which I do believe is a prerequisite to a good review. This film is an eye-opener, an in depth examination of the extent that closeted gay politicians (and there are many) will go to protect themselves. This protection takes the form of the most vehement method of defense, reaction-formation. The primary point of the film is to question the practice of outing closeted gay politicians who promote and protect their own careers at the expense of the rights of others. Larry Craig is seen as a rather pathetic figure who's accusations of gay encounters go as far back as the 1980's, long before his last bathroom fiasco. Also interviewed are politicians who have come out of the closet (or been forced out) explaining the freedom attained through honesty. Most interesting is information surrounding the current governor of Florida. The film is riveting from beginning to end. Illustrations of a Freudian slip by a Fox news reporter provide a moment of laughter, while the censoring of an Anderson Cooper (of all people) Bill Maher interview which omits Maher's naming of a gay politician gives question to the beltways conspiracy to protect right-wing gay politicians and their staff. You will be amazed and surprised at the disclosures this film has to offer! A must see. Watch for the Republican conservative who takes his gay "right hand man" all over the world for extended travel but makes sure their arrival is always one day apart.

It has been said; "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". Even worse, is when good men lie about who they are and work for the opposition!

Unfortunately it is unpopular in many circles to be homosexual. I understand that you may want to hide to further your career or your political agenda. But to actively work against yourself and your rights is masochistic. If nothing else, I think the movie Outrage will educate all of us as to how self-hatred is belittling to the individual and harmful to society at large.

I love a good documentary. This one is definitely good, and definitely worth seeing!

Everyone's sex life is their own; it's no one's business what we do in our bedrooms, UNTIL some individuals (as our politicians do) decide to exercise their moral authority as though it was given to them by God.

It is disturbing to see how the people who lead our nation display duplicity every day. What good can we expect of people who can't be true to themselves?

It is very important to understand that this documentary does not present a compelling position for or against homosexuality. This documentary simply reveals the cheap games some politicians are playing to deceive their family and their people, while hiding the reality of their lives.

The saddest part for me was seeing the exwife of James McGreevy , the previous governor of New Jersey, who found out that her husband of many years and the father of her daughter was gay all along. How can we believe, as a nation, that somebody who can engage in such a selfish deception with his own family can work for the best interest of his nation?

It is time for people to stop following empty slogans and self appointed saints, it is time to think and this documentary will help!

This documentary really opened my eyes to what is happening in Washington DC. I had heard for years about a large number of closeted homosexuals within the Republican Party. When Larry Craig was arrested for soliciting toilet sex, it came as no surprise. But this documentary really shines a light on more of these hypocrites. Very well done and the facts are meticulously backed up. Must see!

This film doesn't just "out" closeted gay men, more importantly it lays bare a media/political/cultural system that allows self-loathing gay men to get away with their dreadful hypocrisy.

Anyone even remotely interested in how American politics has reached the nadir it has in the 21st century needs to see this documentary.

Not many people can claim to be old enough to recall the marvelous Harry Hay, founder of the original gay rights group The Mattachine Society. Well, I may make such a claim. I recall the way Harry insisted on gay people 'beating' straight society at its own game, dressing well, being well educated, so forth.

He was roundly criticized for kissing up to the straight 'ideal', whatever that is.

Decades later, the unpleasant act of the gay community outing celebrities was begun. No one liked this at all except rabid activists. Trust me, I know because I was one of them, but I was never that rabid.

With this film, another kind of outing is being done that I wholly support. As a lifelong and proud Gay American, in spite of a loving wife who accepts us as we are, and because I live religious vows as a Buddhist priest--I support this kind of outing, and this film. Here the main focal point is the hatred, hypocrisy and un-Constitutional activity in Congress.

Gay bashers on the Hill. Real nice. And most of them are gay. This film tells the recent story of Congress' biggest disgrace, one joined by the mainstream media: gaybashing at its slickest. Exposing gay Congress members is the only way to fight back, as all citizens should.

What disappoints here is that the message is not passionate enough. I admire former Gov. McCreevy for coming out...but is a teary interview with him any substitute for aggressive confrontation? The founder of Blogactive does this type of confronting, Bless Him, but not on film. C'mon, man, where's your Michael Moore spirit?

I for one would have liked to see a lot more in-your-face questioning, more exposition. The disgusting Rep. Craig...wrist-slap. The even more revolting Gov. Crist...really limp-wristed slap. C'mon, where's the Larry Kramer drink-in-your-face reporting? Do I have to sit and listen to Kramer tell the STORY of how he threw a drink in a politician's face?

In any case, don't miss the educational chance with this film. Only be warned: there is fairly explicit interview material at the start and it very nearly put me right off watching the rest of this otherwise decently presented documentary.

And who knows? THIS may be a historical beginning of a new GAY ERA.

Though this is a well done documentary, it is about gay and lesbian issues with government officials. The description should mention that.

Kirby Dick ("This Film Is Not Yet Rated") in "Outrage" has produced a film that every gay and lesbian in this country should see and take to heart. And it should be required viewing by the main stream media as well. Mr. Dick's purpose was to make a film showing the hypocrisy of closeted gay people in positions of power-- congressmen, mayors, governors, et.-- who introduce and pass laws harmful to gay people. It is his belief and the activists he interviews-- Larry Karmer, Andrew Sullivan, Michelangelo Signorile, Rodger McFarlane, of course Michael Rogers et al.-- that these reprehensible people should be thrown out of their closets sooner rather than later.

Mr. Dick names names: this extremely-well documented documentary begins with the pathetic story of Larry Craig, the Republican Senator from Idaho who was busted in a men's room: "I am not gay." Others on the wall of infamy: Ed Koch, Charlie Crist, David Dreier, Jim MCCrery. Mary Cheney, the former employee of Coors Beer, makes the list too although she is not in the closet. She gets highlighted because she could have done something for the rights of gay people since she is the daughter of the ex-vice president but chose not to do so.

There are few heroes here. It is difficult to get much excited about Jim Kolbe who outed himself before someone else did or Jim McGreevey for that matter, or two former Log Cabin Republicans who offer commentary. Mr. Dick said when asked about why he used these two men in the film, is that they knew of many closeted Republicans who work for many elected officials in Washington. My favorite quotation is this really stomach-turning film: "You can't swing a cat without hitting a gay staffer in Washington." A close second would be what Larry Kramer said when Ed Koch, who lived in the same apartment building with him and McFarlane, knelt down to pat Kramer's dog at the apartment mailboxes. He grabs up the dog and says: "That's the man who killed all of Daddy's friends."

There are other features included with this DVD: deleted scenes (one in which Michael Rogers goes to the Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky), a moving tribute to Rodger McFarlane, a panel discussion with Larry Kramer, McFarlane, Dick and Michelangelo and Sigorile, and Dick taking Q's and A's from an audience.

Powerful, depressing, outrageous, "Outrage" deserves to be seen and acted on. The good guys in the film remind all of us-- and show footage from a speech by Harvey Milk years ago where he said the same thing-- that gays and lesbians all over the U. S. should come out now. That includes closeted politicians

This was an excellent movie however there were a couple times where the disc did skip a little but besides that I would highly suggest it

"Outrage" is told from the point of view of gays who want to see certain closeted gays in government outed--those underground gays who consistently vote for or advocate anti-gay agendas and consistently oppose spending for Aids research. Some of the gay Congressmen outed have voting records that are almost one hundred per cent anti-gay rights. Some closeted politicians are hypocrites who often needlessly take homophobic stands. One theory expounded in the documentary: their anti-gay stances may be based on self-loathing.
The film uses commentary by openly gay Congressman Barney Frank who was himself outed years ago. Gay activist Larry Kramer appears. There's a great deal about and commentary by former New Jersey governor James McGreevey who outed himself at a famous news conference with his wife standing by his side. The film starts with the arrest of Senator Larry Craig of Idaho after the famous men's room foot tapping incident.
There is a section of the film on the culture wars, on gay marriage and the efforts to ban it. A good quote: "The closet suffocates the integrity of decent people." The movie calls for honesty and truthfulness. One commentator says that politicians are so used to positioning themselves and spinning, that closeted ones become skilled at deflecting accusations of being gay.
The documentary names names, but some of the "evidence" presented in the film is suspect and flimsy at best. The movie, for example, "outs" former New York City mayor Ed Koch. He did very little about the devastating epidemic of HIV/Aids when he was mayor of a city where the epidemic had deadly consequences. But a man who claimed to be a former sexual partner of Koch never officially went on the record substantiating the claim that the former mayor was gay. The same kind of flimsy evidence shows up when the film is talking about Florida governor Charlie Crist. Some of the cases in the film are largely built on hearsay.
It's an interesting and enlightening documentary, worth seeing, and the crusaders for outing make a persuasive case for the practice. Hypocrisy should be challenged.