Do I Sound Gay?

This interesting film follows Thorpe as he explores what he considers a "problem" that has bothered him for years: his obsession about "sounding gay." He wonders, "Who can respect, much less love, an old braying ninny like me?" So begins this film, which takes Thorpe on visits with experts including a speech pathologist, a voice coach, and a speech scientist -- as well as friends and celebrities like Tim Gunn, David Sedaris, and George Takei) -- all while he examines the stereotypes people knowingly or unknowingly tap into as part of daily life.

Fascinating and often funny, though at times overly detailed with minutiae, Do I Sound Gay? is part linguistics study, part sociology, and part memoir, making for a compelling whole. Thorpe invites viewers to join him on his journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance, taking interesting detours into TV and film history, speech therapy, and his South Carolina family’s past. There are some surprising takeaways, such as how villains speak in Disney movies, which somewhat justifies the movie's meanderings. But it would have benefited from a more refreshing ending -- or at least a more refreshing route with fewer breadcrumbs on the trail that viewers couldn’t easily spot coming.