“Four” is an outstanding character study directed by Joshua Sanchez, who adapted Christopher Shin’s play. The film, which opens at AMC Cherry Hill Sept. 13, depicts two couples who meet up for sex on the same Fourth of July. June (Emory Cohen) is a shy, gay teen who arranges a hook-up over the Internet with Joe (Wendell Pierce), a gregarious, married African-American man. Sanchez deftly captures the awkwardness and strained intimacy of their encounter, which is contrasted with Joe’s daughter, Abigayle (Aja Naomi King), reluctantly meeting up with the smooth-talking Dexter (E.J. Bonilla).
In a recent Skype session, out writer/director Sanchez talked about the queer content in his film.
PGN: What were you like as a teen — shy but adventurous like June, or more flamboyant like his gay friend Todd (Liam Benzvi)? JS: [Laughs.] I was probably much more like June. I grew up in Texas. My parents were very religious. [Texas] was not a welcoming environment for a gay kid. I was not unhappy as a teen — I struggled with my sexuality — but I had other things to keep me afloat; I was into punk rock, skateboarding and film. I wish I was more like Todd. Gay kids are like that now, the acceptance is greater. I wouldn’t want to ascribe any kind of positivity to struggling with sexuality, but it does prepare you to deal with life. It is a good thing that kids get to be more open now.
PGN: How do you think “Four” speaks to the issues it raises about race, class and sexuality? JS: Gosh, I think it says so much! The questions I get asked most are about Joe and the controversial elements about an older African-American man in the closet who finds himself in that situation in his life, what that says about African-American men in general and their being about to deal with gayness. I’m not sure that it’s a [film] that gives a lot of easy answers.
PGN: How do you think audiences, gay men in particular, relate to Joe and June? JS: I feel that a lot of gay men have a reaction to Joe that is nuanced and complex. You can read all kinds of unsavory aspects into his character, but to me, he was a man who was dealing with a lot of common gay male stuff. It was normal in my view of how gay men develop and the challenges they face. It makes folks uncomfortable to see the younger man-older man, gay-male relationship, which is common for younger guys who look to older men to show them how to be gay. One of the aspects of June’s character is that we don’t see him as a victim. I thought of Joe as someone who had so much potential, intelligence and sophistication, but when you’re not able to be who you want to be or who you are, that’s a sad thing. That’s not to say Joe is without hope, but he’s struggling with it more than June is. There are aspects of June I related to: I was more introverted, and not outgoing, but I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I’ve recognized my ability to stand on my own and be confident, and this film was part of my journey to that.
PGN: The film has themes about being big, being proud of oneself and believing in oneself … JS: I guess that Joe himself … that moment where he asks June to “be big, be American” is right after they first meet, and in a way it is the inciting aspect of the movie. It’s setting the tone of the rest of the film. It brings this confidence out of June. It’s also hypocritical, because Joe has such a twisted notion of what that means for himself. That’s kind of part of growing up, reconciling aspects of yourself that you’re not comfortable with, and learning to love yourself and keep your confidence up.
PGN: And you did that, coming out? What are your experiences as a gay man? JS: When I came out, I was 23, and it was in 2000. It was not the easiest thing. I came to New York [for school], and I knew I had to get out of Texas. I needed that space to come into my own, sexually and otherwise. I had a few boyfriends before I landed into a long-term relationship with an older man for seven years. He’s still a huge part of my life, but I’m in another long-term relationship now, with a guy more my own age. I felt “Four” was honest to my experience.
PGN: What makes your film so effective is how you frame the characters. A scene between Joe and June in the car is amazing; you cut back and forth between them, visually isolating them even though they are sitting side by side. JS: We used a handheld camera to tell the story effectively. We shot it in scope — a long rectangular box — which could keep two characters in the frame at the same time and then pull focus since it was so much about two characters in the same scene.
PGN: How did you decide to film the sex scenes? They are passionate, but not erotic. What was your goal in depicting sex in “Four”? JS: I approached it by [asking], What would typically happen in a situation like that? Staging it was hard for all of us. We shot the Joe/June part in a real hotel room, which adds an authenticity to the vibe. The talented actors were very unafraid — they wanted to push it even more than I was comfortable pushing it. They wanted to tell the truth of the situation. But also with [the straight couple], it was going to be raw and lustful and not the best sex they would ever have in their lives. What made the difference was giving the space and time to the actors to do what they have to do to discover the beats of the performances to bring out the emotions.
Director Joshua Sanchez and actor Emory Cohen will attend a post-screening Q&A after the 7:40 p.m. show Sept. 15 at the AMC Cherry Hill.