Back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, I started watching a lot of LGBT movies, and thankfully, I wasn’t lacking for options between Netflix and the local video stores. Some of the movies weren’t great, but when you’re desperate to see even the tiniest hint of yourself represented in films, you take what you can get.

One of those not great movies was The Velocity of Gary. In a nutshell, it’s about a hustler named Gary (Thomas Jane) who falls in love with a former adult star named Valentino (Vincent D’Onofrio) who has a girlfriend named Mary Carmen (Salma Hayek). The arrangement is interesting and complicated and, eventually, sad (because a lot of LGBT movies back then had to go for the emotional jugular). I saw a review that called it a “poor execution of a good idea,” and I think that really does sum it up. I don’t hate it, but it definitely could have been better.

However, despite the issues with this movie, it does have one very nice thing going for it. And that would be this:

I own this movie because of that scene.

Thomas Jane has said that he’s proud of having one of the longest gay kisses in screen history. (Valentino was bisexual so it wasn’t a “gay” kiss, but I’ll let that slide.) And I’m proud of him for doing it. 😀 😀 😀