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Up, Down and Sideways
Movie

Up, Down and Sideways

1992 • Unknown

Woke Score
5
out of 10

Plot

A prosperous widow with a gay son falls for a young gym instructor in Athens.

Overall Series Review

Up, Down and Sideways is a 1992 Greek sex farce centered on the romantic lives of a prosperous, independent widow and her gay son in modern Athens. The film is a light-hearted comedy that uses non-traditional relationships and mistaken identities as the engine for its humor. The central dynamic is the mother's pursuit of a younger man, a gym instructor, while her son openly courts a sailor. The narrative culminates in a complex, door-slamming farce involving a transvestite. The plot’s focus is on celebrating the ‘ever-changing lifestyles’ of a modern cosmopolitan city, presenting an open and amiable family unit that embraces alternative sexualities without conflict. The movie is a product of social change and prioritizes personal vitality and sexual freedom over adherence to traditional structures.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

The narrative does not engage in intersectional lectures, focus on systemic oppression, or vilify a specific racial group. The characters are all ethnically Greek. The central conflict is purely personal and comedic, judged by the content of their desires, not a hierarchy of immutable characteristics. The film operates mostly within a universal farce framework, with a slight elevation in score for centering identity-based sexual choices.

Oikophobia3/10

The film is a Greek production commenting on modern Greek society, not a Western-centric denigration of its own civilization. It is described as a 'refreshing contribution' and a 'good-natured humor' farce about the 'ever-changing lifestyles' of Athens. The director even pays homage to his own classic work. The narrative is a light satire of a society in transition, not a framing of the culture as fundamentally corrupt or racist.

Feminism6/10

The female lead is a prosperous widow who actively rejects traditional expectations by pursuing a much younger gym instructor. She is fully independent and defines her own sexual and romantic fulfillment, rather than being bound by a family-first or maternal role. The amiable relationship with her non-traditional son further emphasizes this anti-nuclear family structure. This vital independence and rejection of complementarity raise the score, but there is no explicit 'Girl Boss' or anti-natalist lecture.

LGBTQ+9/10

The narrative explicitly centers on alternative sexualities as a key plot driver. The mother and her gay son enjoy an 'open, most amiable relationship,' which frames the gay son's pursuit of a sailor and the later inclusion of a transvestite as normal and accepted. The traditional male-female pairing is mocked and confused in the farce, while non-normative pairings are given central importance and positive representation. This high degree of focus on alternative sexual and gender identities places the film very close to the peak of the scale.

Anti-Theism5/10

The film is a light sex farce that completely ignores traditional Greek Orthodox morality, which is a historical pillar of the nation's culture. The moral framework is entirely subjective, driven by personal desire and sexual misadventure, indicating a 'spiritual vacuum' where objective moral law is absent. However, there is no direct hostility, vilification, or villainization of religious figures or institutions, preventing a maximum score.