The drag queen heroines of Kinky Boots and Any Day Now, two movies I just saw back-to-back, couldn’t be more different from one another. In the first Chiwetel Eliofor plays a majestic amazon who inspires those around him with physical and moral courage. In the second Alan Cummings plays a slight, emotional train wreck who struggles to piece together his professional and romantic lives. While the first queen is dazzling, it’s the the second that breaks your heart.
It’s a platitude to note that drag is an exaggeration of a woman’s traditional role, a heightened expression of femininity. But there’s a more universal appeal to it too. Drag performers turn themselves into a fantasy of who they want to be, which is something most of us are doing a lot of the time. We make and remake ourselves continuously to meet an idea we have about what is beautiful or good or strong, an image that isn’t always within reach. There’s something deeply human in the striving. This might be why the Alan Cummings character is so moving. He’s expressive about who he wants to be (artist, father, lover) and fights all-out to get it. His high heels, makeup, and glittery dresses are more than fashion; they’re combat dress.