The new hit movie “In and Out” has been Hollywood-ized within an inch of its life, desperately trying to make us gay people palatable for the mainstream with cheap, cutesy gags and stock stereotypes. I chuckled a couple of times, but overall I felt really let down.

Comedy is so much better when it springs from real characters and at least semi-believable situations, with some wit attached, rather than out of cardboard cut-out idiots.

Plus, I’m so tired of being portrayed as less than “normal” in film and on TV. I know that African Americans suffered through the same process, but how far must we go before we can learn from past mistakes, get over ourselves and treat the world with fairness and openness? We are all people, regardless of race, religion, sex or orientation.

I also had a major problem with the “hmmm, I never thought of it before, but maybe I am gay” angle. It was confusing and absurd. There was no attempt at all to make some sense of this gay man’s situation for the audience. Even a one- or two-line explanation like “I realize I’ve been repressing it all these years; I’ve been fooling myself, too” would have helped.

Bottom line: “In and Out” is just more overhyped Hollywood junk. Some say it’s a good sign of progress that a film with a gay theme like this was even made, much less become a number-one hit, but I say “what a disappointment.”

William C. Stosine

Iowa City