I’ve just watched Ryan Murphy‘s The Prom (Netflix, 12.11), a film about love and big-ego types and acceptance and vanquishing bigotry, etc. I don’t have time to review it until later, but…I can’t believe I’m writing this…it fucking melted me down towards the end.

“Even though I frequently found it overbearing, even though I was spit-hating during the first hour or so. Please understand that, going solely by the trailer, there was no bigger Prom hater than myself, based on what this film appeared to be about.

But…this is hard to say, hard to admit to given the Ryan Murphy imprimatur…but my heart melted over the last 15 or 20 minutes. Because it sparks a certain re-ignited love for your children.

Final text to friendo: “It tortured me but I ended up accepting it. I finally like what it is, what it’s generating, what it stands for. Not my cup but I’m genuinely glad it’s out there. And yes, it’s mostly aimed at Middle American schmucks. But altogether it’s soooo exhausting and drawn-out. It kills you with the fucking alpha-preach. It happily and joyously suffocates you to death.

“But I couldn’t help but like it. I had to let it in. Because it has a good heart.”

HE to friendo coda: “I texted my son Jett with tears welling in my eyes during the last 15, 20 minutes. I told him it breaks my heart to think of him walking to the NYC-bound train station in West Orange, which is about 1.8 miles from his new home….it kills me to think of him freezing his ass off in February as he walks back to the house, pushing his bike uphill. I told him to think about buying a beater car, a station car. (He could get a piece of shit for $1K.) ‘Dad, really…I’m fine,’ he insisted. ‘I’m not a pussy about the cold.’ I, on the other hand, am a total shuddering CANDY-ASS when it comes to Arctic temperatures.

“Anyway, the tear-welling was inspired by The Prom. I’m almost ashamed to admit this because RYAN MURPHY! But that’s what happened.”

I’ll run a longer Prom piece later today. I have two errands to attend to. Back around 3 pm or so.