Queer: Daniel Craig’s ‘smug’ but ‘beautiful’ new film divides critics

Queer is based on William S Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, which was published in 1985.

The film follows Lee (Craig), who falls for a young, recently-discharged US Navy serviceman named Eugene Allerton (Starkey).

The first of the movie’s “chapters” is more or less what you’d expect from the synopsis – but the rest of the film most definitely is not.

The second half veers off in a bizarre direction as Lee ventures in search of a plant found in the jungles of Ecuador, which is said to have telepathic qualities.

Lee is apparently motivated by his belief that the plant, Yage (pronounced yah-hey), will allow him to control others – including Allerton, who does not have the same feelings for Lee despite their sexual encounters.

Discussing the book and film last month, Craig said: “It is about love, but it’s about loss, it’s about loneliness, it’s about yearning, it’s about all of these things.

“And I mean, my God, if I was writing myself a part, and trying to tick off things that I wanted to do, this would fulfill all of them.”