The Case Against 8 **** (2014, Kris Perry, Sandy Stier, Jeff Zarrillo, Paul Katami) – Movie Review

Directors Ben Cotner and Ryan White’s epic documentary looks at the epic legal battle to overthrow California’s Proposition 8, which ended gay marriages there when a surprisingly large number of right-wing Californian bigots voted yes to a new provision to the state’s Declaration of Rights that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Proposition 8 is passed on the eve of a new era in the US, Barack Obama’s 2008 election win, but gay activists get organised and find support in Hollywood (thank you Rob Reiner), and controversially recruit the right-wing attorney who argued Bush into power, Ted Olson.

Four perfect gay people are chosen to be the plaintiffs in The Case Against 8, a gay couple (Jeff Zarrillo, Paul Katami) who don’t want to endorse the compromise of a civil partnership and a lesbian couple (Kris Perry, Sandy Stier), who thought they were married, till California sent them a letter saying ‘licence revoked’. The battle begins, and no one wavers or crumbles, even though the bigots fight hard and nasty.

[Spoiler alert] It eventually goes as far as the US Supreme Court. And, what do you know?, the gays win! The same day the two couples get married first in their states. Tears and laughter and joy, as well as something darned serious, are high on the agenda for this gripping, endlessly twisty courtroom thriller of a documentary, with  film-makers enjoying unique access to all the personnel on the gay marriage side. It’s not in any way an even-handed documentary. It’s as partisan as hell. Well, heaven actually. These guys are on the side of the angels.

Nobody must be in any doubt about the guts and determination of Kris Perry, Sandy Stier, Jeff Zarrillo, Paul Katami. They are today’s gay saints but they are also heroes in any way, shape or form or in any age. That Ted Olson, the attorney who makes it all possible, now he’s an odd one!

© Derek Winnert 2014 Movie Review

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