iRate: Maines sinks her teeth into ‘Bit’

By JASON GUYER
In the age of superheroes there are few real ones.

Nicole Maines is one — who also ironically plays one on television. Maines is most likely known for playing Nia Nal/Dreamer on Supergirl. But she should be known for so much more, especially in the New England area.

Originally from Orono, Maine, Nicole Maines is also the anonymous plaintiff, Susan Doe, in the landmark anti-discrimination Maine Supreme Judicial Court case Doe v. Regional School Unit 26 in 2013. Maines was referenced by the pseudonym “Susan Doe” in court papers to protect her identity as she was younger at the time of the court case. The case revolved around transgender teenager Nicole Maines, who won the right to use the female bathroom in her high school. This was a landmark case since it was the first time that a state court ruled denying a transgender student access to the bathroom consistent with their gender identity unlawful.

As I said, Nicole Maines is and was a hero long before she ever dawned the mask for Dreamer. If interested, the book “Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family” by Amy Ellis Nutt is a wonderful book on Nicole Maines.

In said book, Nutt writes, “I believe we don’t choose our stories,” the poet and author Honor Moore once said. “Our stories choose us… And if we don’t tell them, then we are somehow diminished.”

Stories are meant to be told. This is truest with stories that have not yet been told. The new horror film “Bit” is one of these stories and one that has not been told yet. This makes “Bit” a distinct filmgoing experience written and directed by Brad Michael Elmore.

After his first two films, Elmore said he wanted to make a new type of hero. So, Elmore gave himself a crash course in gender science and studies and talked to trans people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Beyond learning about the community of which he was writing about, Elmore made two very good decisions that make “Bit” a great movie. One: he was very steadfast in the fact that the role was only to be played by a trans actress. Two: Elmore’s feel for the story has a punk aesthetic which reflects his inspiration “The Lost Boys.” “The Lost Boys” is a great glam rock/punk vampire film and is one of my favorite films involving these mythical beings.

“Bit” follows in this tradition and thanks to Maines and Elmore is right up there with “The Lost Boys” as a great vampire film.

Elmore’s film tells the story of Laurel, a young transgender 18 year old leaving her life in small town Oregon to spend her summer in Los Angeles with her brother. Laurel has the hopes of finding more open-minded people and her place in the world.

On her first night out on the town, Laurel goes to a bar and finds herself in the throws of a one-night stand. Unlucky for Laurel, this one-night stand celebrates post-coital bliss by turning Laurel into a vampire.

“Bit” is a great addition to the modern vampire canon. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will likely love this film. Although, the lore behind the vampires in “Bit” takes away stakes, garlic, and sunlight as means of killing vampires.

The best part of “Bit” is LGBTQ+ fans who have spent the entirety of their lives trying to pick apart subtext trying to see themselves in characters of their favorite films finally can.

Elmore and Maines have created something truly special with “Bit.” The film tackles subjects that need to be tackled while finding ways to handle it all with nuance and managing to make it a fun experience for the audience.

Nicole Maines is the star here. Laurel is one of the best and deepest characters you will see on screen.

Emlore himself said, “What is that line from Sunset Boulevard? ‘The screen was too small?’ All the screens are too small for Nicole. She’s just such a big personality.”

I couldn’t agree more with a director’s assessment of their lead actor. I just wish the director gave her more. Some of Elmore’s directing abilities are not up to par and you can tell he is a director with minimal experience, especially with cut scenes and editing.

The fact is that “Bit” always feels too small for Maines who shines on screen with the big personality that Elmore alludes to.

In the movie, Maines sinks her teeth into the audience for the first time in a film. In short, Maines’ future is bright.

The scene where Maines’ abilities shine through — also my favorite scene in the film — is the “What about me” scene. In this scene, Laurel questions her gender identity when the leader of the pack says one of the rules of being a vampire is “no boys.” The leader, Duke, quips back with, “never crossed my mind,” without missing a beat. This subtle moment shows Duke’s steadfast affirmation that Laurel’s gender identity is valid and worthy.

Maines’ entire life and career has been defined by her being transgender, and while her gender identity is important to the story and this scene in “Bit,” Elmore and Maines handle the scene with honesty. If there is a more beautiful moment in a horror film I do not know of it.

I do know one thing though: Duke has shades of Kiefer Sutherland’s David from “The Lost Boys” and gives him a run for his money.

Besides Maines’ acting, Duke is the most entertaining aspect to “Bit.” Duke is the mouth of the film, the talker and the one where all the social and political angst of LGBTQ+ politics shows through. He is what Twitter trolls may call a “radical feminist,” but her words are never wrong and the character is used to indict everything wrong with society in regards to feminism and the LGBTQ+ community.

The film is just a great horror/comedy with a great story, LGBTQ+ or otherwise. “Bit” holds the punk rock aesthetic right down to the ideology.

To quote Joe Strummer, “The way you get a better world is, you don’t put up with substandard anything.”

“Bit” doesn’t have time for your judgement, it is too busy being a good movie.

IRATE SCORE: 3.5/5

Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the graphics department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected].