Queerly Ever After #47: THE CURIOSITY OF CHANCE (2006)
Queerly Ever After is a bi-monthly column where I take a look at LGBT+ films that gave their characters a romantic happily-ever-after. There will be spoilers. Also, don’t forget to buy your Queerly Ever After merch right here.
New Kid in School
Chance Marquis (Tad Hilgenbrink) is a new student at the European-set, English-language Brickland International High School. Being the son of a military man, Sir (Chris Mulkey), he’s moved around a lot over the years. The Curiosity of Chance never tells us exactly where in Europe the film is set, though it was shot in Belgium; all we know is it’s set in Europe and takes place in the 1980s. The movie is an homage to the high school films of the 80s, specifically John Hughes movies. Upon starting school at Brickland, Chance, who shows up in a top hat and tails, immediately finds himself the target of the school jock, Brad Harden (Maxim Maes), a Neanderthal to the nth degree. He also is befriended by student photographer Hank Hudson (Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyze), who carries around a mysterious metal briefcase, and the perpetually annoyed Twyla Tiller (Aldevina Da Silva).
After being assigned by the school advisor to the student newspaper to write a piece on the school’s football (soccer) team, he strikes up a tentative friendship with jock, and neighbor, Levi Sparks (Brett Chukerman), the maybe-straight boy who has caught his eye. Unfortunately, Levi is also friendly with Brad, and Brad rules the school, so when Brad tells Levi to drop his friendship with Chance, he doesn’t hesitate. The beats in this movie have all been played out before, and better in countless other movies. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cute and relatively enjoyable, but it doesn’t really do anything.
The Art of Drag
One night, Twyla takes Chance and Hank to a club in the city, whatever city that might be. This club just so happens to be a drag club, and Chance finds himself enamored of the performers. He makes his way backstage to the dressing rooms where he is immediately taken in by veteran drag queen Claire Vuoyant (Danny Calander). Claire convinces Chance to try drag out for himself by performing at a drag open-mic the next week.
Chance’s drag performance is a huge hit with the crowd and Hank takes a bunch of photos of Chance. One of those photos finds its way to Brad after his girlfriend Toni Durazo (Joyce Berx) sees Hank developing them and then steals one. Already the victim of Brad’s relentless bullying, which vice-principal Smelker (Magali Uytterhaegena) knows about but does nothing to stop (I’m really tired of adults who do nothing), the taunting gets worse when the photo of him in drag is photocopied and pasted all around the school. Seriously, if one student posted photos all over the school to humiliate another student is it not the administration’s job to do something other than to tell the victim to take a few days off?
Chance and Levi, Friends Again
After Brad’s actions, Levi decides he’s finally had enough of the putrid jock and goes to apologize to Chance. They then decide to start a band together to compete in an upcoming battle of the bands. This movie really mixed together plot points from just about every 80s high school movie, which often makes this one feel aimless. Anyway, their band, Dramatic Pause, competes in and wins the competition, and then Brad is expelled from school for using steroids.
The movie ends with Levi kissing Chance in the school hallway. The ending to this one is definitely more open-ended than other movies on this list, Chance admits that the kiss may or may not have happened. Given that nothing that has happened heretofore in the film has been fantasy, I’m under the impression that this kiss also happened.
In Conclusion: The Curiosity of Chance
The Curiosity of Chance is a cute, albeit nothing special movie. It’s a fun watch, but it won’t linger with you well after the credits have rolled. In its attempt to pay tribute to the 80s films that came before it, it throws in too many different plot points to come together well enough.
The Curiosity of Chance came out in the USA on July 15, 2008. For all other release dates, see here.
Watch The Curiosity of Chance
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema – get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
Join now!
