After a lifetime of hiding, Chely Wright becomes the first commercial country music singer to come out as gay, shattering cultural stereotypes within Nashville, per conservative heartland family and, most importantly, within herself. With unprecedented access over a two-year period, including her private video diaries, the film layers Chely's rise to fame while hiding in the late 90's with the execution of her coming out plan, culminating in the exciting moment when she steps into the media glare to reveal she is gay. The film shows both the devastation of internalized homophobia and the transformational power of living an authentic life. The film also documents the conflicting responses from Nashville, the heartland and the LGBT community as Chely Wright prepares for an unknown future.
Similar titles
Reviews
My musical tastes include Country music. I purchased a couple of Chely Wright's CDs years ago, long before this documentary was produced. She is a talented, beautiful woman with a strong instrument.This documentary, Wish Me Away, besides showing us Chely's roots, counts down the days until her big reveal on NBC's Today Show. She is the first major Country star to say he/she is gay. The film explains her obvious concerns about coming out to friends, relatives, and Country Music fans.We hear, with heart-wrenching honesty, about the unhappiness and even self-destructive thoughts she had to deal with for years and years. The irony, of course, is that all of her self-flagellation and sadness stemmed from religion, yet she still longs for acceptance from a god figure that cannot tell her she's accepted. Just as she still desires acceptance by her mother, the one who personifies the hatred and abuse of her religious upbringing.The story is punctuated with discussions about sin, but those discussing it cannot even agree on what sin is. It was a nebulous tormenter that made her question her own self-worth.Eventually Chely felt that she had to come out, because the promise of self-actualization was stronger than the fear of rejection by others. In the film, we see how distraught she is as the coming out day approaches. She even has to contend with a gay book editor who condemns her for a sexy photograph she posed for, as if all lipstick lesbians are liars. The journey was not simple, though Chely had a circle of close friends who never wavered in their support of her.Today Chely is a campaigner for equality and understanding in the arena of sexual orientation rights. She is an activist who seems to cherish that role, in part perhaps as compensation for the Country Music fans who abandoned her.Her story is touching and even tearjerking. More than that, it is important. It is a story of courage that should be viewed by many of the people who would be afraid to view it.
This film is so worth seeing. Chely Wright's story is told honestly and openly in a format that remains interesting throughout. The countdown to her coming out allows this documentary to have a sense of drama and urgency. The production values are top notch. I rented it on iTunes, but I'm looking forward to seeing it at the theatre so I can experience not only her singing in a larger venue, but the shared emotions of a large audience. One of the most interesting aspects of this journey is to see how a celebrity goes about coming out. There is a right way to do it so that the celebrity aspect can be used for good and Chely Wright shows how this is done.
When my partner and I had the opportunity to watch this film last year at Memphis Outflix movie festival, I vaguely knew who Chely Wright is. I have never been a country music fan, but her story certainly intrigued me. Her story of her internal struggle is common among the gay community. But not only did she have to deal with coming out to family and friends, she was in the spotlight of the intensely homophobic world of country music. I found her journey to be often very sad, but in the end extremely inspiring. I even bought her last CD, which compared to her earlier work seems so much more heartfelt and personal. So, even if you're not a country music aficionado or not sure who she is....this story is well worth watching.
Chely lets the audience into her personal journey of publicly acknowledging that she is a lesbian. It's a story of doubt, anguish, rejection, courage, acceptance, and joy ... a beautiful story that draws you into this emotional coming out story of a celebrity who knows that this decision will exact a price on her singing/professional career. Unknown to Chely during this process is the magnificent affect her courage will have on those hundreds and thousands of youth who will find strength in her story. This is a must see especially if you have a friend or loved one who is part of the LGBT community. For those who have already experienced their own coming out journey, this story will make your heart soar with pride as you watch her story unfold.