It's in the Water

It's in the Water is a charming little indie set in the sleepy, conservative Southern town of Azalea Springs. When an AIDS hospice opens up, the local homophobes go up in arms, polarizing the community. The heart of the movie, though, is the story of Alex, our listlessly married heroine who begins to have second thoughts about her orientation. (There is also a very slight "comic" subplot involving a rumor that drinking the local water turns people gay. Ignore it.) While Alex's discovery process is a rather quick one due to the constraints of movie timing, it is well handled, including an affectionate sequence during which Alex watches the entire Lesbian Film Canon. While the straight characters tend to be rather broadly drawn, It's in the Water is a gentle film at heart and well worth an evening. The DVD edition includes commentary by the director and leading actresses that is both funny and interesting--in particular the discussion of what it was like for two straight actresses to play their first gay love scene. --Ali Davis