Do you ever think about what your close-knit friend group may look like in adulthood? Bonds built in high school and college forging through decades with ever changing feelings and each own’s experiences, remaining friends for life. Lakeview is a clever, genuine comedy following an all-queer ensemble of friends through love and self-discovery.
Darcy (Lesley Smith) has recently divorced from her husband and is struggling through custody battles, and all of what comes with it. Struggling but not showing it, Darcy hosts her friends at her parents’ lakeside house for what they have deemed a celebration. The wives, or Julies, Julien (Kathryn McCormack) and Julie Anne (Stephanie Clarke), Lucy (Jessica Marie Brown) – recently broken up with – Lauren (Nicole Steeves) and her much younger girlfriend Phoebe (Faly Mevamanana), and Darcy’s ex, Dax (Hilary Adams) all join together for their friend. But it might be harder than they think to keep the weekend focused on Darcy when they all have their own dramas, relationships and personal growth thrown into the mix.
Once you get used to the different style of cinematography, Lakeview feels close and comforting – while watching as a queer viewer. Not only is the scenery gorgeous, as it is filmed in beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia, but it is the development of the characters that truly hold the film. The writing of each character combined with how each actor portrays her creates connection and empathy for every member of the friend group. Joked about as being the token ‘straight’, Darcy is bisexual and has just divorced her husband, but the longing for more can be seen through her eyes as Smith portrays her. Pulling from reality, though happily married Thorne reminds us through the Julies that all couples have their problems, but how they choose to deal with them is where the importance lies. From the dynamic between Lauren and Phoebe – with their age difference – to Lucy dealing with a breakup from a relationship of four years, and Dax as the bad boy, each friend represents a different ‘token queer’. Different personalities clashing with each other at times, Lakeview encourages audiences to see that no matter what happens, if friends are truly there for one another, they will not let silly arguments come between them.
Navigating life and love is something we all do, whether we are straight or not, and it feels as though this is very seldom seen on screen. Lakeview succeeds in how it is not just simply telling the audience what each character is going through, it is showing audiences. Through each shot, but more importantly each actors’ portrayal, audiences become connected and empathetic to each struggle and each progression the characters make throughout the film. As a queer viewer, watching a film about a queer group of middle-aged women dealing with personal dramas you wouldn’t normally see on the big screen is an important development for cinema. Showcasing more honest, queer stories shows the world that we are out there and have our own lives as well. Thorne captures female friendships, relationships, love, and dramas with such grace in Lakeview.
The filmmaking style and cinematographic techniques may seem typical, but the importance of the film lies within its storytelling and acting. Tara Thorne’s Lakeview truly captures the essence of a life-long group of friends in this revitalizing and authentic portrayal. For younger members of the audience, imagining where you’ll be when you’re older, and for those there now, Lakeview is a comedic but emotional film all female queers can connect to in some way.
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