The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded in the 1820’s by Joseph Smith. When a follower turns 18 they are allowed to serve on a two-year mission to convert new members. If a member breaks one of the church’s rules they risk being excommunicated. Mormons once forbid acting on same-sex attraction. Generations of LGBTQ+ folks were banished from the church. Communities and support groups formed. Filmmaker C. Jay Cox imagined a story where his pre and post Mormon self could “talk to each other.” This inspired his 2003 film Latter Days.

Christian (Wes Ramsey), a handsome waiter, has been sleeping his way through Los Angeles. A group of Mormon missionaries move in next door. His locks eyes with the adorable Elder Davis (Steve Sandvoss). The ingredients are there for a sexy romcom. (Or a pornographic film). But the second half switches focus to Davis. The romance has destroyed his carefully planned life. The screenplay changes to an overwrought melodrama. Latter Days has earned a reputation as a “so bad it’s good” gay movie. I find the first half works better than the second. But it all stems from a place of deep sincerity.

Let’s take a look in this spoiler filled recap. Content warning for discussions of conversion therapy and self-harm.  

Act One: Romcom

Scene One: An Apartment Complex in Los Angeles
CHRISTIAN (a sexy waiter): Hi new neighbors! Yes, my name is Christian. It’s that kind of movie. I brought beer.
ELDER DAVIS (a closeted Mormon): Thanks, but Mormons can’t have beer.
ELDER JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT (a jerk): Or talk to fairies!

Scene Two: An Upscale Restaurant
OTHER WAITERS: We bet you can’t seduce that Mormon and steal his sacred underwear.
CHRISTIAN: You’re on.
JACQUELINE BISSET (Their boss): Back to work darlings!

Scene Three: Apartment Complex
ELDER DAVIS: Movie quote.
CHRISTIAN: Movie quote. We both watch movies! We’re meant for each other!
(Christian accidentally scrapes his bottom on a faucet. Pretends to faint.)
ELDER DAVIS: Let me disinfect that wound.
(Christian strips. Davis applies bandages to his smooth bottom. Christian tries to kiss him.)
CHRISTIAN: Let’s have sex. It doesn’t have to mean anything.
ELDER DAVIS: Sex means nothing to you? You’re shallow. Insubstantial like a marshmallow. (Storms out.)
CHRISTIAN: Well now I feel callow.

Act Two: Character Growth

Scene Four: Reunion
CHRISTIAN: I’m delivering food to people with AIDS. Who’s shallow now Elmer?
ELDER DAVIS: It’s Elder. And I’m performing grief counseling for Jacqueline Bisset.
CHRISTIAN: We both have subplots! We’re meant for each other!
(Davis and Christian kiss. The other Mormons catch them.)
ELDER JOSPEH GORDON-LEVITT: Ew! The homo infected Elder Davis! Now he’ll be excommunicated!

Scene Five: Salt Lake City
CHRISTIAN: I came to find you! I’m in love! What if we’re meant to be together?
ELDER DAVIS: You barely know me. But since I’m a sinner, let’s have three hours of softcore sex.
CHRISTIAN: Now I know why Millennial baby gays loved this movie.

Act Three: Melodrama

Scene Six: The Davis Home in Idaho (Trigger Warning)
MORMON DAD: Excommunicated!? Your lifestyle has brought shame on our family.
AARON DAVIS: (no longer an Elder) Your great-grandfather had multiple wives.
(His Mom slaps him. He screams and attempts suicide. The phone rings.)
CHRISTIAN (on the phone): May I speak to your son?
MORMON MOM: He’s dead…
CHRISTIAN: WHAT!?
MORMON MOM: … to me. (Hangs up.)

(Aaron and Christian share a sexy techno conversion therapy dream sequence. It’s stylistically different from the rest of the film.)  

Scene Seven: Restaurant.
CHRISTIAN: Why is there so much movie left? How many subplots before I find Aaron?
AARON DAVIS: I went to conversion therapy but I heard a song on TV that your friend wrote about how much you love me so I came back to L.A. but you have a new housemate that I thought was your boyfriend so Jacqueline Bisset invited me to this restaurant and I found you.
CHRISTIAN: What?
AARON DAVIS: Don’t make me repeat that.
(They embrace.)

THE END

Turn It Off Like a Light Switch

One of the sly pleasures of “Latter Days” is the sight of this gay-themed movie recycling so many conventions from straight romantic cinema, as if it’s time to catch up.

Roger Ebert, 2004

Excommunication can be traumatic. It continues to inspire art like the angry songs of Tyler Glenn and the hopeful anthems of David Archuleta. Closeted Mormons would provide comic relief in 2003’s G.B.F. and 2011’s musical The Book of Mormon. They would be tragic in 1993’s Angels in America, 2012’s The Falls and its two sequels. Latter Days’s Elder Davis straddles both worlds.

“Mormon” remains a popular subgenre in gay porn. Why do people fetishize them? The perception of clean living and repressed desires add drama. A twink enjoying sex is fine. But add some Mormon undergarments and you’re breaking taboos. Roger Ebert compared the phenomena to fantasies about nuns. “We know they’re not really nuns, but the costuming is supposed to add a little spice.” Latter Days makes us wait an hour to get an eyeful of Elder Davis. Once the fantasy is fulfilled, we’re asked to stick around and invest in his fate.

Steve Sandvoss’s open-hearted performance carries the film. He would soon retire from acting. His co-stars are still working steadily. In addition to Jacqueline Bisset and Joseph Gordon-Levitt there are cameos from Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Khary Payton (The Walking Dead, Teen Titans Go!), Mary Kay Place (The Big Chill, Being John Malkovich) and Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). None of them are doing their best work. But their presence is welcome.

Latter Days is not top tier queer cinema. But it remains a fond memory for ex-Mormons and queer folk who saw it during their formative years. The ongoing clash between sexuality and organized religion remains relevant today.

You can stream Latter Days on TUBI. You can find more of my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.