Daniel Craig's 'Queer' Premiere at Venice: A Raw & Explicit Performance

Daniel Craig's latest movie Queer, by acclaimed director Luca Guadagnino, has received rave reviews from critics following its premiere at the Venice film festival on Tuesday. The movie, which is an adaptation of William S Burroughs’ second novel of the same name, sees Craig play William Lee, an ex-pat living in Mexico City, who gets by on part-time jobs and army benefits.

Craig, who has also turned heads recently for his new haircut for the third Knives Out film, soon becomes obsessed with a young man, played by Drew Starkey, who he decides to pursue.

Much like some of Guadagnino’s previous movies, such as Call Me By Your Name and Challengers, Queer does not shy away from its character’s sexual desires but unlike those movies is reportedly more explicit than ever, which according to Kyle Buchanan of the New York Times generated audible discomfort from those watching in Venice.

In a rave review for Indie Wire, Ryan Lattanzio described two of the film’s sex scenes as “feverishly charged” and “the most explicit gay sex scenes I can remember in any mainstream movie”.

David Rooney in The Hollywood Reporter, praised Craig for a “transfixing performance that balances colourful affectation with raw hunger.” Robbie Collin in The Telegraph also highlighted that the sexual encounters seen in the film “are about as graphic as modern male movie stardom allows”.

Craig’s turn was also commended by The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw who described a pistol carried around by the actor in the film as “a droll phallic symbol for this erotic cowboy who is very much a lover, not a fighter.”

Speaking about the movie at the film festival, Craig said: “There’s nothing intimate about filming a sex scene on a movie set,” adding: “We just wanted to make it as touching and as real and as natural as we possibly could. Drew is a wonderful, fantastic, beautiful actor to work with and we kind of had a laugh. We tried to make it fun.”

During the press conference, Guadagnino was forced to interject after a reporter asked about the sexuality of Craig’s most famous character, James Bond. The Italian director told everyone to “be adult in the room for a second” and reminded them “there’s no way anybody could know James Bond’s desires. The important thing is that he does his missions properly.”

Another of Craig’s co-stars in Queer, Omar Apollo, recently told Interview magazine that he lost weight in anticipation of a sex scene with the British star. “I had to get on the soup diet,” said Apollo. “Luca did not tell me to lose weight, but when you’re about to have a sex scene with Daniel Craig, you’re like, ‘Oh, dude, I can’t be looking off.’ I was at 200 pounds because I’m six-five.”

The Story Of Queer

Queer is a story of lost love and last love and mad-about-the-boy obsession, featuring an excellent performance from Daniel Craig – needy, horny, moody, like his Knives Out detective Benoit Blanc on steroids and with something of his portrayal of Ted Hughes from 2003’s Sylvia.

It’s adapted by screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes from the autobiographical novel by William Burroughs, directed by Luca Guadagnino and wonderfully shot by cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom with digitally rendered landscapes and streetscapes that bring the boozy, bleary reality into alignment with the many (disquieting) dream sequences.

Craig is Lee, an expatriate American based on Burroughs himself – the resemblance is made more overt in a Kubrickian sequence giving him a succession of hallucinatory flashforwards into old age. Lee lives cheaply and indolently in Mexico City after the second world war, hanging around bars, drinking, doing drugs and picking up guys – he is queer, and the word here (in a movie set in the 50s, from a book published in the 80s) might complicate still further the issue of when the word shed its derogatory overtones. Lee conceives a passionate obsession with Gene (Drew Starkey), a handsome American who appears to be straight but attracted to Lee.

Together they go on a weird holiday to South America, because Lee wants to try the fabled hallucinogen yage, or ayahuasca, because he’s heard it gives the user telepathic powers and – poignantly enough – he wants to discover what Gene really thinks and feels about him. It’s a bizarre and uproarious journey into the jungle whose comedy briefly annuls the pain of what he suspects is unrequited love and brings the two into contact with a fierce, reclusive, gun-totin’, snake-wranglin’ scientist and yage expert – a show-stopping cameo for Lesley Manville. There are luxury-cinephile walk-ons for directors David Lowery and Lisandro Alonso.

The Exploration of Sexuality

Guadagnino shows that this is an eroticism of the streets: Lee spends so much of his time walking from bar to bar, or – with a guy – from a bar to a hotel. (There’s a great sequence when Lee walks to the accompaniment of Nirvana’s Come As You Are and that track never sounded more purely sensual.)

He hangs out with other guys in the same situation as him, chiefly the witty, dyspeptic Frank (Jason Schwartzman), but Lee is special: he seems more like an artist, although whatever artistry this is, it appears, like Wilde’s genius, to be put into his life, or his bed. Craig’s Lee is always sure of himself, somehow even when he’s utterly distraught: when a doctor sternly tells him to give up drugs, Lee sheepishly says that, yes, he really should, but this is only so that this doctor will prescribe some emergency opiates in the meanwhile – he has no intention of actually modifying his own behaviour.

A Performance That Shines

It is a really funny, open, generous performance – perhaps the only disadvantage is that he upstages Starkey, just a little, and his mesmeric screen presence will draw our attention back to Lee, away from Gene and his ambiguous intentions and emotions. Craig is so dominant that sometimes it seems that Gene is almost not worthy of him. Craig is strangely magnificent.

The Buzz Around Queer

Daniel Craig and co-star Drew Starkey will premiere their film “Queer” on Tuesday night at Venice Film Festival. It’s directed by Luca Guadagnino, who has adapted William S. Burroughs’ novel about an American expat in Mexico City for the screen. (Sept. 3)

Actors Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey and Venice Film Festival regular Luca Guadagnino arrived on the Lido Tuesday to debut their film “Queer” and speak to assembled journalists at a press conference promoting the movie. (Sept. 3)

Daniel Craig poses for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Daniel Craig upon arrival for the press conference of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Daniel Craig poses for photographers upon arrival for the press conference of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

This image released by A24 shows Daniel Craig, left, and Drew Starkey in a scene from Luca Guadagnino’s film, “Queer.” (A24 via AP)

This image released by A24 shows Daniel Craig in a scene from Luca Guadagnino’s film, “Queer.” (A24 via AP)

Daniel Craig poses for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Director Luca Guadagnino, from left, Daniel Craig, Jason Schwartzman and Omar Apollo pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Lesley Manville, from left, Drew Starkey, director Luca Guadagnino, Daniel Craig, Jason Schwartzman, and Henrique Zaga pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Drew Starkey, from left, director Luca Guadagnino and Daniel Craig upon arrival for the press conference of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Director Luca Guadagnino poses for photographers upon arrival for the press conference of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Drew Starkey poses for photographers upon arrival for the press conference of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Daniel Craig, from left, director Luca Guadagnino, and Drew Starkey pose for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Rachel Weisz, left, and Daniel Craig pose for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Daniel Craig signs autographs upon arrival for the premiere of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

Daniel Craig, left, and Rachel Weisz pose for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film ‘Queer’ during the 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Venice Film Festival regular Luca Guadagnino was back on the Lido to debut his new Daniel Craig film “Queer” on Tuesday night.

A festival favorite, Guadagnino had to forgo a splashy red carpet premiere for the sexy tennis drama “Challengers” last year, when the studio delayed its release amid the actors strike. But the filmmaker is returning with another highly anticipated project, adapting a William S. Burroughs novel about an American expat in Mexico City in 1950 who develops an obsession with a young, male student.

Guadagnino, 53, first read the book when he was 17 and it made a profound impact on him. He didn’t know who Burroughs was, or his significance in his time, but he fell into its world at the same time he was dreaming of building worlds of his own in movies.

“It really transformed me and changed me forever,” Guadagnino said. “Because I want to be loyal to that young boy, I want to bring this to the screen.”

A longtime fan of Craig, an actor who he said is unafraid to be fragile on screen, Guadagnino also said he never thought he’d be able to get him in a movie. But Craig’s “yes” came immediately.

“If I wasn’t in this movie, I would want to be in it,” Craig said. “These are the kinds of film I want to see, I want to make, I want to be out there…they’re challenging but they’re incredibly accessible.”

A few hours before the premiere, Craig spoke to The Associated Press about the role, which included nudity and sex scenes. His character, William Lee, spends his days drinking tequila in sweaty bars and his nights pursuing men, or doing heroin alone. It’s a raw and exposing performance, but Craig trusted his director’s vision.

“I think if it was wrong, (Luca would) say something, but if it was right, he’d just say, you know, move on. Let’s do it. Let’s go. We have it,” Craig said. “Which can be a little disconcerting, but I think after a while you just go, ‘I’m in his hands.’”

“Challengers” screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes wrote the script for “Queer,” adapting a novel that was written in the 1950s but not published until 1985. It’s a story that others have tried to adapt over the years, including Steve Buscemi and Oren Moverman. Kuritzkes also went beyond the slim text, adding a third act that isn’t there, and weaving in some of Burroughs’ own biography into the main character.

This gave Craig opportunities to study Burroughs himself for inspiration.

“I always felt that Burroughs had a very public face, and I wanted to know what the private part of him was like,” said Craig, who spoke to a few people who knew him. “I think in ‘Queer’ you sort of see more of that than you do in his other books.”

To play the young object of his affection, Eugene Allerton, Guadagnino cast rising actor Drew Starkey, who said he devoured the novel in a day. Starkey said he was intimidated to work alongside Guadagnino and Craig.

“I was familiar with both their work. I was fans of both their work,” he said. “I think coming into any situation is nerve-wracking. And there was an extra layer on top of that.”

Starkey and Craig did dance classes together to get comfortable with one another and the choreography of the intimate scenes.

“There’s nothing intimate about filming a sex scene … we just wanted to make it as touching and as real and as natural as we possibly could,” Craig said. “Drew is a wonderful, beautiful, fantastic actor to work with. We kind of had a laugh. We tried to make it fun.”

Craig and Starkey star alongside Lesley Manville and Jason Schwartzman in the film, which is playing in the main competition and will be released in theaters by A24. Guadagnino also reunited with composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for the score, as well as designer Jonathan Anderson for the costumes.

“Luca is the only person I could work with in this medium because he’s the only person who gives trust to everyone and lets them paint their part of the picture,” said Anderson, who ensured that every item they used was from the period.

Instead of filming on location in Mexico City, Guadagnino chose to create the world of Burroughs’ mind inside Cinecittà Studios. He wanted to evoke the spirit of Powell and Pressburger in doing it.

Reviews for “Queer” praised Craig in particular for his vulnerable performance.

“’Queer’ is this emotional thump. It’s this tiny book. And it is about love but it’s about loss, it’s about loneliness, it’s about yearning,” Craig said. “If I was writing myself a part with all of the things I want to do this would fulfill all of them.”

The 81st edition of the Venice Film Festival has entered its final week, with the premiere of “Joker: Folie à Deux” to come on Wednesday. There have been many movie star moments, with the likes of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton and Michael Keaton having graced the red carpet outside the Sala Grande theater.

Though no clear favorite has emerged, the films have inspired debate and discussions: “Babygirl’s” depiction of sexuality and desire; the authenticity of “Maria” and Jolie’s performance; the merits of Almodóvar working in the English language; what we really want out of a Pitt and Clooney reunion; and whether “Disclaimer,” Alfonso Cuarón’s seven-part Apple TV+ miniseries, which is not in competition, can reasonably be considered the best film of the festival.

Awards will be presented on the final day of the festival, Sept. 7.

More coverage of the 2024 Venice Film Festival: https://apnews.com/hub/venice-film-festival