If like Queerguru you really enjoyed “Everybody’s Talking About Jaime” an exuberant queer Brit musical that everybody loved to talk about, then you may want to take a step back in time to see the real story it was all based on. Rotten Tomatoes critic’s consensus of the musical was “It may not be as effervescent as its title character, but Everybody’s Talking About Jamie remains an infectiously enjoyable musical with an uplifting message’ All the more reason then to watch the 2011 film “JAMIE DRAG QUEEN AT 16” that introduced us to the indefatigable young man who made sure he was destined to escape the mundane life he had been preordained to accept.
How the BBC first discovered Jamie is unknown but someone quite rightly spotted that the camera would love this 16-year-old charismatic unpretentious Northern lad. It was unusual for him to be growing up gay in an ex-mining village in County Durham, with his single-parent mother supporting him without any hesitation. Sadly more usual was all the homophobia that his absent father showed.
Jamie had already faced his fair share of difficulties at school in particular where he was the only openly gay student. Yet that didn’t stop him from planning to share his true passion with the world, by going to the School Prom in a dress. To help prepare for that, Jamie spends time with an established local drag queen who quickly became Jaimie’s drag mother. He helps the totally inexperienced Jamie with makeup and costumes and with establishing his own act that he gets to perform for the very first time in public in a Club
It greatly increases Jamie’s courage and also his determination that he will go to the Prom as his new alter ego Fifi La True, but the school teachers are having none of it. Citing an anonymous complaint they ban Jamie from the Dance if he doesn’t wear men’s clothes
No spoilers here BUT let’s just say that the final scene will have you grabbing for the tissues.
This moving and uplifting documentary follows Jamie’s emotional story as he makes a bold step on his difficult journey into adulthood. It’s a story of fighting prejudice from all angles, but most of all having the inner strength ….. even at 16 …. of being true to yourself.
Quoting Jamie himself who reasons Sometimes you’ve just gotta grab life by the balls, then you take those balls, you tuck ’em between your legs and you put your best fucking frock on
Jamie Drag Queen at 16 is streaming on Amazon Prime
Review Roger Walker-Dack
Creator and Editor-in-Chief of QUEERGURU. Member of G.A.L.E.C.A. (Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association and NLGJA The Association of LGBT Journalists. and The Online Film Critics Society. Ex Contributing Editor The Gay Uk & Contributor Edge Media Former CEO and Menswear Designer of Roger Dack
Labels: 2022, British, documentary, drag queen, Jamie
