Movies about faith usually go one of two ways. They’re either glowing, tear-jerking tributes meant for a church basement, or they’re cynical takedowns designed to make religious people look like caricatures. I Am Michael doesn't do either. Honestly, that’s probably why it made so many people uncomfortable when it hit the festival circuit. It refuses to give you the "bad guy" you’re looking for.
If you haven’t seen it or only remember the headlines from 2015, the film follows the real-life story of Michael Glatze. He was a high-profile gay rights advocate, a co-founder of Young Gay America, and an intellectual leader in the LGBTQ+ community. Then, he wasn't. After a health scare that sparked a massive existential crisis, Glatze turned toward fundamentalist Christianity, denounced his past, and eventually became a pastor in Wyoming. James Franco plays Glatze, and Zachary Quinto plays his long-term partner, Bennett. It’s a heavy setup.
The I Am Michael film isn't just a "gay-to-straight" story. It’s a movie about the terrifying fluidity of identity.
The Reality Behind the Script
The film is actually based on a New York Times Magazine article titled "My Ex-Gay Friend" by Benoit Denizet-Lewis. This is a crucial detail because the movie inherits that journalistic, slightly detached perspective. Director Justin Kelly isn't trying to preach. He’s trying to observe.
You see Michael at his peak in San Francisco and Halifax. He’s brilliant. He’s vibrant. But he’s also clearly haunted by the death of his parents. When he starts experiencing heart palpitations—which he’s convinced is the same condition that killed his father—the movie shifts. It’s not a sudden "lightning bolt from heaven" moment. It’s a slow, agonizing grind of research, doubt, and Google searches.
We’ve all been there, right? That 3:00 AM rabbit hole where you’re looking for answers to questions that don't really have any. For Michael, that rabbit hole led him to the Bible.
Why the Performance Matters
James Franco is... well, he’s James Franco. He brings a specific kind of intensity to the role that works because Michael Glatze was an intense guy. Glatze wasn't a passive participant in his own life. When he was gay, he was very gay—politically active, loud, and influential. When he became a Christian, he didn't do it halfway. He went to Bible college. He cut off his friends. He got married to a woman.
Franco captures that "true believer" energy perfectly. You can see the gears turning in his head. The performance highlights a uncomfortable truth: Michael's personality didn't change, just his ideology. He remained a dogmatic, slightly self-righteous leader; he just swapped out the subject matter.
Zachary Quinto provides the emotional anchor. As Bennett, he’s the one we sympathize with. He watches the person he loves slowly evaporate and be replaced by a stranger. Their chemistry feels lived-in, which makes the eventual fracture brutal to watch. There's a scene where they're just sitting in a car, and the silence says more than a ten-minute monologue ever could.
The Backlash and the Misconceptions
When the I Am Michael film premiered at Sundance, people were angry.
Some LGBTQ+ critics felt the movie gave too much credence to "conversion" narratives. They worried it would be used as a tool by groups claiming that being gay is a choice. On the flip side, some religious viewers felt the movie didn't go far enough in validating Michael's "transformation" as a miraculous healing.
But the movie is smarter than its critics.
It explores the idea of "belief" as a psychological survival mechanism. Is Michael truly "straight" by the end? The movie suggests that's the wrong question. The real question is: Can a human being force themselves to believe something so deeply that it overwrites their nature?
Justin Kelly doesn't give us a tidy answer. He shows Michael in his new life in Wyoming, looking... okay. Not deliriously happy, not tortured, just... settled. It’s a quiet ending that leaves a bit of a sour taste in your mouth, which is exactly what a good biopic should do. Life isn't a three-act structure with a soaring score. Sometimes, people just change in ways we find incomprehensible.
Breaking Down the Visual Language
The cinematography uses a lot of natural light, which makes the whole thing feel grounded. It doesn't look like a "Hollywood" movie. It looks like a documentary that accidentally happened to have movie stars in it.
The color palette shifts subtly. The early scenes in the city are full of neon, warmth, and cluttered spaces. As Michael moves toward his new life, the frame empties out. The landscapes of rural America are vast and cold. It mirrors his internal stripping away of his former self.
- San Francisco: High saturation, close-ups, frantic editing.
- The Transition: Harsh, overhead lighting; Michael often looks small in the frame.
- Wyoming: Desaturated tones, wide shots, stillness.
The Legacy of Michael Glatze Today
It’s been years since the film came out, and even longer since the real Michael Glatze made his transition. He’s still out there. He’s still a pastor. He’s occasionally written about his life, often expressing a mix of regret for how he handled things and a firm commitment to his current path.
The I Am Michael film remains relevant because we are currently living in an era of extreme polarization. We struggle to understand how someone can jump from one "team" to the other. Whether it's politics or religion, the "defector" is always the most fascinating and hated figure.
Michael Glatze is the ultimate defector.
If you're looking for a movie that confirms your biases, skip this one. If you want something that makes you think about the boundaries of the self, it's a must-watch. It’s a movie about the stories we tell ourselves to get through the night.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy, regardless of which side you’re on. It’s the tragedy of a man who couldn't find a way to reconcile his spirit with his body, so he chose one and tried to kill the other.
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How to Approach the Film Now
If you’re planning to watch it for the first time, keep a few things in mind to get the most out of it.
First, read the original article by Denizet-Lewis. It provides a layer of context that the film, by its nature, has to compress. Knowing that the author was a friend of Michael’s adds a layer of sadness to the whole thing.
Second, pay attention to Emma Roberts’ performance as Rebekah, Michael’s wife. It’s a difficult role. She has to play someone who genuinely loves a man while knowing—at least on some level—the complexity of his past. She isn't a villain or a brainwashed follower; she’s a person looking for a partner.
Finally, don't look for a "win." There are no winners in this story. There is only the messy reality of human belief.
Next Steps for the Viewer:
- Watch the film on a platform like Prime Video or Apple TV to see the nuances of the performances.
- Read "My Ex-Gay Friend" in the New York Times Magazine archives to compare the cinematic version with the journalistic account.
- Research the work of Young Gay America, the organization Glatze helped lead, to understand the weight of what he walked away from.
- Look into the "Ex-Gay" movement's history to understand the broader social context that Michael was entering in the mid-2000s.