It’s giving gay: Hulu’s new 2022 movie, “Crush” and what it means for upcoming queer media

This past year has consisted of a record amount of movie binging for everyone and my viewing schedule has resulted in a personal awakening. I’ve realized that I unabashedly love a quirky teen rom-com and I refuse to change. Whether it’s the sardonic romance in “10 Things I Hate About You” or the giddy girl power of “Bend It Like Beckham,” I can’t get enough. It seems like the film world’s rom-com catalog has dropped off a bit since the powerhouses of the 2000s but hopefully, directors and producers will hear my plea for more and follow suit. Until then, I have more time to appreciate some of what this decade has to offer, especially the movies that are giving me some long-awaited queer content.

Now, I love gay yearning as much as the next guy, but the queer content that’s been coming out isn’t exactly a weight off one’s shoulders. In an effort to make social commentary or a commitment to sticking true to life, so much of queer cinema leans into the homophobia of it all and it’s a cause for heavy viewing. I appreciate every powerful depiction of struggle and the unfortunate consequences that come with coming out and I understand the tremendous impact of films like “Tangerine, “ “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Beach Rats.” Film is a reflection of the world at large, so with that comes the trauma of living as a gay person. Don’t get me wrong, Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” is a revelation and I sob every time I watch “Brokeback Mountain,” but sometimes I just want an uncomplicated, happy ending. Film is a form of escapism as much as it is a form of commentary and, to that end, the LGBTQ+ community could use some media that does just that.

I want a movie about a queer relationship that is cheesy and predictable in all the right ways. Just for once, I don’t want the characters to have to grapple with homophobic parents and peers or battle the trauma of internalized homophobia. There is so much more to queerness than pain and suffering and film should reflect that. Gen Z is more accepting than ever and frankly, popular media needs to grow and evolve to keep up with a more progressive generation. Teenagers should see their identities being celebrated on-screen, not under fire. This is why I’m so excited for the release of Hulu’s new movie, “Crush,” premiering on April 29, 2022.

According to IMDB, “Crush” is about an “aspiring young artist [who] joins her high school track team and later discovers what real love feels like when she finds herself falling for an unexpected teammate.” The main character, played by Rowan Blanchard, is faced with two conflicting crushes on two different girls and has to follow her heart. Now that’s a plot that gets to the point. No bullying, no threat to anyone’s safety, no conversion therapy. Just the unforgettable awkwardness of being a teenager in love.

Life is hard enough, more so when you belong to a marginalized community. We are all drawn to art in order to find a kind of reprieve from the world and movies can be the perfect place to find an escape. Luckily, times are changing and pop culture is changing with it. Hopefully, “Crush” will only be the first of many films in this same vein, films that highlight queer joy and exuberance, not just pain and suffering. There’s something to be said of whole-heartedly embracing the good and forgetting about the bad for a while, if only for the guilty pleasure of it all.