“half-way” review of “We Are Who We Are”

As I long for summer, I’ve been listening to music and consuming visual media that relates to warmer climates. One of those pieces of media that I’ve been watching is We Are Who We Are, directed by Luca Guadagnino. I have yet to finish the show, but here are my thoughts of it so far:

We Are Who We Are depicts the early stages and transition of being teenagers to young adulthood. This show explores themes of gender and sexuality without feeling taboo. I’ve never watched such a show with a disobedient, but loving, main character. I like how Fraser puts out a tough teenage boy front, but really just wants to be seen by his mom. Sometimes the show leaves you questioning if Fraser will change as a person and start to develop better habits and relationships as he’s “new” to the military base it takes place in. You discover more and more about the habits and emotions of each character as you continue the show. 

Timewise, We Are Who We Are feels very modern, but does have a touch of nostalgia in it. Some of the scenes feel very much like déjà vu, as Fraser watches his colleagues in front of a hot dog stand — he does this twice. The soundtrack really caught my attention as well, especially with the different audio effects and the featuring of Chance the Rapper’s song “Same Drugs,” it truly adds that feeling of modern day, Gen-Z, American teenager. 

I think this show is a little under appreciated for its artistic components and uniqueness in plot. I recommend watching this show if you love Luca Guadagnino’s other works of film (he’s definitely becoming my favorite director and screenwriter).