Film Review: Ask Not

Title:               Ask Not
Director:              Johnny Symons
Producer:            ITVS (Exec), Johnny Symons, Leah Wolchok (Co)
Cinema:               S. Leo Chiang, Peter LoGreco, Andy Schocken
Editor:                  Andrew Gersch
Music:                  Norman Arnold
Sound:                 Philip Perkins
Year:                     2008 (90 minutes)

Synopsis: “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” remains one of the most blatant forms of government discrimination existing as law. Director Johnny Symonds’ Ask Not is a rare and compelling exploration of the effects of the U.S. military’s policy against openly gay service members. A provocative portrait of bravery amidst exclusion, the film reveals the personal stories of Americans willing to risk their lives for a country that criminalizes the act of coming out of the closet. Current and veteran gay soldiers reveal how “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” affects them and their loved ones during their tours of duty, as they struggle to maintain a life of required secrecy, and powerfully provokes thoughtful dialogue about the merits of banning those who are honest about their identities from serving their country.

Review: In a sense, Ask Not is a propaganda film, meaning that it has an agenda. The agenda in this case is to show the prejudicial nature of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of the United States military. Even so, director Johnny Symons has crafted a very good film that makes the case he wants to make while still telling the whole story. In other words, Symons didn’t make a one sided film. What he made was a very well researched film that stays objective, but still makes an irrefutable case for the fact that “don’t ask, don’t tell” is unfair, counter-productive, and un-American.

The film follows several former gay soldiers (former soldiers, not formerly gay) as they travel across the country to give presentations on the folly of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The four men were all well-respected, well-liked soldiers who served honorably and held extremely important positions as Arabic interpreters; a position the military has had a very difficult time filling. A newly enlisted gay soldier is also profiled. His identity is kept secret for fear he’ll be found out and discharged. Finally, a group of gay and lesbian activists is filmed trying to enlist in the military and protests when they are turned away for being openly gay.

The one problem I had with the film involved two of the former soldiers who developed a relationship while traveling the country to discuss the don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. In one scene, the two are seen kissing in a vehicle as the former soldiers drive down the road. To me, the scene felt staged and a bit obligatory, as if the director felt he had to include the scene to drive home the point that the two men are really gay. It was unnecessary and felt out-of-place with the rest of the film.

With the exception of this one complaint, I liked Ask Not. It made a very powerful case against the don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of the U.S. military and it did so while remaining objective.

(4.0 out of 5.0)