There is a very good chance that after viewing this new documentary you will end up being more baffled about this whole extraordinary tale, than you were at the very beginning. Based on a true story that is shrouded in a whole combination of deceit, fantasy and bold-faced lies that stretches both one’s imagination and patience that it results in the overwhelming feeling that this is one of the most intricate artistic cons ever, or it is the discovery of a literary genius.
J.T Leroy is Laurie Albert who wrote acclaimed books in the later 1990’s while posing as a HIV+ ex-prostitute transgender male, and solely via the phone manipulated an array of literary experts, celebrity figures and a therapist to acclaim her very graphic work as nothing short of masterpieces. When people then start to demand that ‘he’ make some public appearances, Albert’s sister -in-law donned a wig and big dark glasses and posed as the androgynous Leroy.
Albert even appeared in public sometimes posing as Speedie who she claimed was Leroy’s British assistant, but emboldened by the success of this complicated masquerade, she got greedy and tried to secure film deals, and also establish a music career for her and Geoff Knopp, her husband.
In 2005 when there were a series of exposes as to Leroy’s real identity and all the somewhat embarrassed celebrities ran for cover, Albert creatively spins several different explanations, such as the whole thing had just been one long performance piece of art. When she then starts to go for the sympathy vote with claims that her fraudulent actions had all been a result of her being molested and abused as a child, our patience really runs out.
This disappointing mish-mash recounting of Albert’s story is notable for two points. The fact that she successively fooled the good and the great with her books still doesn’t take away that whoever authored it, it was presumably still extraordinary work. Secondly, and more importantly, the fact that Jeff Feuerzeig the filmmaker failed to get any contributions from Leroy’s celebrity fans, meant that Albert could, and did, manipulate him and his movie exactly like she had done with everyone else.
Labels: 2016, documentary, Sundance
