30 Second Bottom Line: A documentary about three politically conservative Christian "families" who discover their child is homosexual. A true discourse on the subject of gays and lesbians.

Story Line: Susan Jester's first marriage ended when her husband was killed in an accident and the second in divorce. At the age of 39, she came out of the closet to live the life of a lesbian. Her mother, Kathleen Bremner honestly believes that Susan is misguided and that because of problems in Susan's childhood, she became a homosexual. Kathleen believes there are five root causes of homosexuality. One can become a homosexual if something is amiss with the paternal relationship, strong negative peer pressure, there's exposure to pornography, being the member of a dysfunctional family and/or brainwashing by the media. It's difficult to argue that these things do not affect us in any number of ways.

Susan's son is gay and one of the odd things in this family is that the homosexuals seem to be getting on with their lives while the heterosexual folks are clearly consumed with the behavior of the homosexuals. The parents believe that there is no such thing as a

Brett Matthew is the son of a Mormon Bishop and was kicked out of the Air Force because he was gay. His discharge was honorable, but he was denied the benefits of being a veteran. For him being a homosexual is like being treated for a disease or bad habit that needs to be broken (e.g., stealing or cursing). Brett's trauma is not being able to hold his head high and to be his true self around the family that means so much to him. When he goes home for the first time since "coming out," to attend his grandmother's wedding, you share his pain in not wanting to be in one place too long so that he can avoid uncomfortable conversations. Seeing the first dance at the wedding lets him know what he will never have with respect to family.

Perhaps the most intriguing situation was with Brian Bennett, a gay Republican who was a close aid of arch conservative, California Congressman Bob Dornan. They were so close that they spent many key holidays together and he referred to Dornan as Poppy (as in Pop or father). When he told Dornan that he was gay, they drifted apart.

Tell Me More About It: Director Dong knows his subject as he has done "Coming Out Under Fire" (a study of gays in the military) and "Licensed to Kill" (about those who use religious or societal justifications to beat up or kill gays). "Family Fundamentals" is one of the most appropriate titles I can think of for a film that gets to the core of what it's like to be a homosexual, told from different points of view.

Although I can see the rationale for some folks, like Kathleen, accepting that there are five¾or pick a number¾causes of homosexuality, life is just not that simple. There are too many people that practice homosexuality for this to be simply explained away as "learned behavior." Very important is the medical evidence put forth. Sure there are some that the five reasons may apply too, but it's deeper than that. People don't go through heterosexual marriages so they can "become" gay. Women don't have children and just decide to become a lesbian after the fact.

"Family Fundamentals" is more about what it feels like to be gay or lesbian and not being accepted, rather than about being a homosexual among like-minded people (Circuit). Although the film does not bring the different points of view together, it does show how and why people see things quite differently in an environment where they are not shouting at one another with hateful feelings.

There are many films on homosexuality that make us think that we are closer to harmony that is actually the case. Now we know just how wide the divide is. Even with this, there is more hope than despair and that's a good thing.

Brian Bennett	Kathleen Bremner
David Jester	Susan Jester
Brett Matthew	Director: Arthur Dong