Portrait of Jason is a compelling documentary exploring a POC queer man’s experiences living in the USA throughout the 20th century. Jason Holliday (Aaron Payne), the central star, is a male prostitute and aspiring cabaret player who travels all around the US to make money and survive. While only 43 at the time, he had already traveled cross-country and met many unusual characters. As Holliday is the main focus and star, the film depicts Holliday as he recounts all these woes and foes found in life. In his digging, he touches on several themes familiar to American history and strikingly applicable to modern times. Racism, homophobia, classism, sexism, and the unspoken/taboo peculiarities of humanity are just some of the themes presented in an organic and timeless interview on a subject of complex intersectional identities and highly irregular social experiences. Holliday’s mind is a charismatically intellectual one to pick, leaving viewers to decide how much of his story is understandable and relevant.
Holliday is an eccentric, sharp old soul. With each story he recounts, he draws viewers in with an amusing, lighthearted (though layered and fully transparent) scope to see them through. With lots of charm and practice, he presents even the most tragic tales of brutal murders and blatantly racist or homophobic interactions as jokes, funny stories, or so-terrible-you-can’t-not-laugh narratives. This allows the overall intent behind these stories to surface without scaring or blaming those in front of the screen. They are much easier to swallow and, thanks to Holliday’s impeccable attention to detail, wholly revealing of the gravity of the overarching issues discussed.
Some of Holliday’s recounts are harder to comprehend, especially as he becomes increasingly intoxicated. He slurs his words occasionally, gets lost in remembering, or says nonsensical things that disrupt the otherwise smooth, charming storytime. While this occurs more often than expected, they don’t reduce the impact of the substance and questions raised otherwise. Overall, Portrait of Jason is a reflective, well-told documentary that forces viewers to confront how challenging life is for minorities––and laugh simultaneously.
Portrait of Jason
1967
dir. Shirley Clarke
105 min.
Screens on 35mm Saturday, 10/7, 2:00pm @ Brattle Theatre
The Queer Film Guide author Kyle Turner in attendance
Part of the repertory series: Queer Pride/Queer Wrath
