A lot of reviewers are confused or even outraged by this movie. Well, guess what? That's because you only got HALF the story. I remember Michael and his boyfriend (in real life named "Benji") and their polyamrous relationship with a third young gay man ("Scott" in real life). In fact, I saw them all speak in NYC at a bookstore when they were promoting "Jim in Bold" (a documentary that spotlighted a young gay man's suicide juxtaposed with footage of Michael and company touring the USA and speaking with gay teens in rural/conservative areas). They were all "Rah-rah-rah GAY and Michael was especially honest about his own homophobia growing up. It was also obvious that they were sexually active - and, in fact, when I spoke with Scott afterward, he gave me his phone number.... Well, after awhile they fell off the radar and I never knew what happened to them...UNTIL I googled "Young Gay America" and found that Michael had gone str8. In interviews he diligently avowed his "straight" awakening and relationship with God. And that's what you get from this movie. What is not at all discussed or even hinted at is what actually caused this catharsis: Benji seroconverted as a result of their cross-country tourings. Whether Michael has HIV or not has never been revealed - only that Michael turned to God when faced with such close encounter with HIV. In that regard, he reminds me of any drug addict who almost fatally ODs but then, upon awakening and finding themselves alive, they make a promise to God to repent and promote salvation to the Lord. Now do you get the movie?
Review of I Am Michael
