Him (2025)

I have to push back at the negative reception Him has received upon its release. While not perfect, Tipping doesn't quite stick the landing, Him is a bold vision that takes risks and, in my opinion, mostly scores. It was fascinating to watch this visionary deconstruction of western ideas of masculinity and it's the sign of a powerful new cinematic voice in new director Tipping. 

Him is a fever dream, a purging of all the masculine images celebrated in our culture, that challenges our notions of the possibilities of goodness and manliness. It doesn't shy away from tying its condemnations religious imagery, specifically Christianity (just look at the poster), taking down God and Country and our western patriarchy. Him attacks our idolatry of athletes and sport while working in as much Americana and religion into the toxic mix. No wonder people are falling all over themselves to condemn this film. It holds a funhouse mirror up to our straight male culture to show what it really does. People don't want that. 

Like Challengers before it, Him isn't afraid to highlight the homoerotic nature of straight masculinity; its obsession with male bodies, male romance. There are lines in the script that specifically reference straight men desiring each other. Make no mistake, this isn't an attempt to claim the characters are gay. It's to show just how much straght men worship and desire each other. Audiences are going to be extremely uncomfortable with that and I think that's good. Him should make straight American male audiences extremely uncomfortable, especially those that love to warp themselves in the flag and the church.

As I mentioned in the beginning, Tipping doesn't make the end work. Likely one could have ended Him five minutes early and it would have been great. The ambiguity of wondering if Cam was going to "sign" at the end would have been a master stroke. Just but to black as he stands there contemplating. Instead the film's bloody climax, one that still fits with the violent nature of the story til then, doesn't end up delivering on the promise Him delivers. This is a Faustian tale that equates western masculinity with a deal with the devil and the almost heroic ending takes away some from that. But while it didn't quite get into the endzone, Him is still heralding the arrival of an exciting new film maker. 

Him
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox 

Director: Justin Tipping

Writers: Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers, Justin Tipping