In & Out (1997)

'In & Out' was inspired by, but not actually based on, the time that Tom Hanks thanked his gay high school drama teacher in his Oscar acceptance speech for his performance in 'Philadelphia'. In 'In & Out' a young actor (Matt Dillon) thanks his high school drama teacher (Kevin Kline) in his Oscar acceptance speech for a film in which he played a gay solder (in 'Philadelphia' Hanks played a gay lawyer), only said high school drama teacher is only days away for marring his long time girlfriend, another teacher at their rural Indiana high school played by Joan Cusack. A media circus results and Kline finds his life greatly complicated, he denies repeatedly that he is gay, but then maybe...

Released a year after 'The Bird Cage', another gay mainstreaming 90's comedy, 'In & Out' is the kind of film that reminds you how far the culture has come in such a short time. It squeezes a lot out of what today probably wouldn't be that big a deal. Good spirited, the first half of the movie is fairly conventional, more or less on autopilot, while the second half is much stronger. The film has a solid supporting cast including Wilford Brimley and Debbie Reynolds as Kline's parents, and Bob Newhart as a (inevitably pensive) high school principal. Tom Selleck plays a recently out gay entertainment reporter, which is somewhat surprising casting given his image and the fact that Selleck is a conservative, he does a good job. Everyone does a good job. A pre 'Six Feet Under' Lauren Ambrose has a small part, and Selma Blair has an even smaller non-speaking one. Whoopi Goldberg, Jay Leno and Glenn Close cameo as themselves. Directed by Frank Oz from a script by gay writer Paul Rudnick. ***