Unicorns

During a night on the town, single father Luke (Ben Hardy) sees Aysha (Jason Patel) perform and is intrigued by her stage presence. He flees, somewhat deterred upon the realisation that she is a drag queen, but Aysha isn’t as quick to write off their chance encounter. She tracks Luke down to offer him a job as her personal driver to and from events, and in need of the extra cash, he is in no position to refuse.

After his breakout performance in Sally El Hosaini’s My Brother the Devil, all-round talent James Floyd provides another lyrical addition to British queer cinema, this time as screenwriter and co-director to El Hosaini. Their collaboration produces a predominantly harmonious blend of acknowledgement and subversion of the genre-typical tropes.

The story may revolve around the British South Asian queer community, yet it is depicted through the eyes of Ben Hardy’s heteronormative character, who functions as a vehicle for the mainstream audience to leave their comfort zone. While Luke oozes masculinity, Aysha is portrayed as hyper-feminine, despite the script’s reluctance to refer to her as a woman. As drag is based on the exaggerated ideas of gender expression, these steadfast poles work in this set-up, even as the traditional affiliations (cars are for men, women are to be chauffeured) can feel rigid at times.

The protagonists’ progression from potential hook-ups to strangers to friends is portrayed realistically, even as the third act feels a little rushed due to time taken up by a violent subplot instead of further nurturing the core relationship. Hardy and Patel provide arresting performances, which prod viewers to embrace the boundless nature of love, and the colourful tapestry of human experiences.

Almost serving as a lighter companion piece to last year’s Femme, Unicorns is a sweet, attentive reminder to look twice in order to discover someone’s true colours.

Selina Sondermann

Unicorns is released nationwide on 5^th July 2024.

Watch the trailer for Unicorns here: