Fire Island is Hulu's most recent romantic comedy and the latest spin on the Jane Austen classic,
Pride and Prejudice. Sadly, great LGBTQ+ films are still somewhat difficult to come by, especially ones with happy endings. "Bury Your Gays" is a popular phrase for the entertainment industry's tendency to give LGBTQ+ characters a bad ending: such as death, heartbreak, turning straight, or worse. While some sad endings are narratively justified, it's such a common ending that finding a happy gay couple is exciting, and
Fire Island is just that movie.
The film takes inspiration from New York's real Fire Island, which has been home to a gay resort and
afternoon tea dances since the 1950s. It follows the friendship of 5 gay men spending their last summer together at the resort, while also attempting to hook up along the way. While it certainly has its flaws, this is a wonderfully diverse addition to LGBTQ+ film!
The movie pulls you in right off the bat, as a gay men's chorus sings the Searchlight Pictures tune, off-key. There is hardly a single moment where the humor takes a break. The strength of the comedy can be off-putting to some, hence, the reviews of
Fire Island are quite mixed. It especially focuses on sexual, club-crawling humor and LGBTQ+ jargon, situations, and jokes that the general public could get lost on. However, I have not seen a single rom-com that isn't over-exaggerated, it's just part of the genre. That being said, this movie employs many staples of rom-coms including a dance scene, a karaoke sing-a-long, party games, walking on the beach, and even the ever-loved chasing your love before they leave trope. Although these are common tropes, they're used in refreshing ways, and it truly feels like this movie was made by people with these lived experiences. The director explains:
You might be wondering how this is related to
Pride and Prejudice 
