More and more these days, we are seeing independent films comprised of all-star casts. It takes a solid screenplay for this to happen, and it was obviously Tommy Stovall's amazing script that drew these talented actors to the project.
"Hate Crime" is a story about the power of love, prejudice, religion, and revenge. While the 2 central characters in this film are gay, this is not a "gay movie", although it hits a little closer to home for those in the gay community. The role of religion and the church also play a big part in this story. Stovall does an excellent job of portraying the contrast between a church that preaches of God's wrath and abomination and one that preaches of love and acceptance. It is thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, calming, disturbing, and entertaining all at the same time. The soundtrack is also amazing, and I hear they are looking into releasing a single.
Unfortunately, this film is still only being shown at film fests and is scheduled to screen in Ft. Worth, New York, and LA in the next few months. This film definitely has mass appeal, and NEEDS to be picked up by a major distributor so that it can be seen in theaters across the nation. Although this film isn't intended to have a specific message, it gets people to think, and that's what a good story is all about. At a time when the country is arguing about the definition of "marriage", "Hate Crime" just might remind us to think about the true definition of freedom.
