ALASKA IS A DRAG

US, 2017, 83 minutes, Colour.
Martin L.Washington, Maya Washington, Matt Dallas, Christopher O' Shea, Jason Scott Lee, Margaret Cho.
Directed by Shaz Bennett.

This film stars actual twins, Martin L.Washington and Maya Washington as twins, living together in Alaska. They are strongly bonded twins, live in a caravan, the mother having left them long since, the audience discovering their father, African-American?, is the odd man who stands on the highway with placards about Jesus and salvation.

Martin is Leo, working in a cannery, which is shown in some detail with Jason Scott Lee as the manager, Diego. But, literally, he dreams of being a Drag Queen. He and his sister to quite some dance moves as they walk home. Maya is Tristen, suffering from a terminal cancer and undergoing treatment.

The emotional conflicts of the film occur at the cannery, especially one of the men, while, with his buddies, antagonistic towards Leo (with some revelations about relationship in the past). A newcomer arrives, Declan (Matt Dallas), defensive of Leo, finding friendship with him and his sister, often visiting them at their trailer.

The development is that Diego encourages Leo to boxing training, sparring with Declan, eventually fighting with Kyle.

In the meantime, there is a Drag Queen competition, Leo and Tristen buying clothes, Leo participating, nervous, performing. Ultimately, there is a fight where Kyle forces Leo to fight Declan.

There are some personal family complications and Leo and Tristan, despite the love between Leo and Declan, decide to leave Alaska in search of their mother. Declan sees them to the border.

1. The play on words in the title? Humdrum life in Alaska, at the factory, trailer life? The desire to be a Drag Queen?

2. The Alaskan settings, the background scenery, the trailer park, interiors, the factory, interiors, the diners, the clubs, the hospital? Authentic feel?

3. The musical score, the range of songs, the Drag Queen songs?

4. Leo’s story, his twin sister and their bonding, the flashbacks to the memories of the past, with their mother, dressing up, her encouraging them, her walking out on them? Their father and his church, standing on the roads with the Jesus posters? Work at the cannery, with Diego and his support, Diego encouraging his boxing training, the clashes with Kyle – and the memories? Friendship with Declan, attraction, the ambiguity of Declan’s reactions? To the kiss? The boxing bout with Kyle? The later challenge, Kyle forcing him to fight Declan? Imaginative moments, imagining himself as a Drag Queen and performing? His posings, walking down the lane with his sister and their movements? Going to the market, buying the clothes?

5. Tristen, twin, devotion to Leo, shared lives, the trailer, walking the lane and the dance moves? At the market, the clothes? Her cancer, going to the clinic every day, hope for reprieve, the recurring of the growth? Friendship with Declan? Sharing evenings, drinking, reminiscing? Her upset with Leo missing, getting her father to help, the showdown in the diner?

6. Declan, working at the cannery, defending Leo, clashes with Kyle, support of Diego after his firing him? At the gym, the boxing? The attraction to Leo, ambiguous? Kyle setting up the fight? Evenings at the trailer, drinking? The Drag Queen competition, Leo singing to him, his leaving, congratulating him?

7. Kyle, the past, working at the Cannery, clashes with Diego? Homophobia? Taunting Leo, clashing with Declan? Boxing, the fight, his friends, demanding Leo fight Declan? The scene in the club, Kyle and his friends ousted by the managers – and their being a gay couple?

8. The bar, drinking, in drag, the competition, Jan and her management, tough, friendly, the twins and their father coming in for a drink? The competition?

9. The man at the hospital, his comments about smoking, his being the host of the competition?

10. The competition, the ranges of performance, Leo nervous, his dress, the song, coming second?

11. The decision to leave, the father’s revelation about his sending the postcards, packing, Declan driving them to the border, their prospects?