David Thorpe is recently single and wonders if his lack of dating success can be attributed to his stereotypically “gay” voice. He embarks on a somewhat trite journey of self-acceptance and explores the larger phenomenon of “gay voice.” He documents that exploration in the film Do I Sound Gay?

Do I Sound Gay? deals with heavy issues of self-loathing and internalized homophobia but it’s surprisingly a very fun film. Thorpe keeps the tone light and makes sure to balance darkness with humor. There are many talking heads but it’s never overwhelming. Thorpe does a great job choosing subjects that are as informative as they are entertaining.

But Do I Sound Gay? falters with its narrative split. Thorpe’s personal journey gets a lot of discussion, but that isn’t nearly as interesting as the discussion of “gay voice” in the context of society. The film asks a lot of complicated questions about where “gay voice” comes from and whether it is intrinsic or socialized, but fails to properly examine them.

When the film ended, I felt unsatisfied because, while Thorpe’s dilemma is resolved, many of the questions raised in the film are left unanswered.