Queer, the “extraordinary” drama starring Daniel Craig and Lesley Manville, is on TV tonight (10 February). With an internationally renowned director at the helm and a host of award nominations under its belt, you won’t want to miss this one.
The 2024 film, which is based on William S Burroughs’s 1985 novella of the same name, sees James Bond star Craig portray William Lee as he ventures to Mexico City, where he becomes infatuated with Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey).
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Luca Guadagnino from a screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes, the period romantic drama boasts a stacked supporting cast including Jason Schwartzman (Asteroid City), David Lowery and Omar Apollo.
After being released theatrically in late 2024 before streaming on Mubi, Queer will air at 11pm tonight on BBC Two. If you miss it tonight, don’t worry as it will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer following its broadcast.
Despite the film underperforming at the box office, it was praised by critics, with Rotten Tomatoes currently reporting an approval rating of 77% from 245 reviews. Much of the praise went to Craig’s central performance, though reaction to the narrative was mixed.
A24
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“This complex churn of emotions demands much from Craig, and he proves equal to the task. It is a pleasure to see him so loosey-goosey after his tightly controlled 15-year turn as 007 and he gives possibly his finest performance to date,” wrote The Financial Times.
“The weight of it all comes down to Craig, and he’s a wonder in a fedora, dirt stains on his linen pants,” opined Associated Press, while Rolling Stone called it “beautiful, filthy [and] extraordinary”.
Empire Magazine’s review was more mixed, however, writing: “[It’s] a feverish, quietly sad exploration of longing and infatuation. Its lack of focus stifles the experience, but Daniel Craig has rarely been as compelling a watch.”
Mubi
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Craig, who was nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance, previously spoke exclusively with Digital Spy about the themes at play.
“There are a number of things happening because the book is incomplete,” he said. “The feeling that you have at the end of the book is the feeling that he wants you to feel, which is sort of an emptiness and a kind of ‘What? What’s next?'”
Queer airs tonight at 11pm on BBC Two, and will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer after broadcast.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.