Author Hanya Yanagihara recently shared a photo of Cooper Koch holding a copy of her controversial gay classic “A Little Life.” The photo quickly led to speculation that there will be another film adaptation of the book, and readers… aren’t happy.
The novel, which drew controversy on release due to its graphic exploration of one of the characters’ painful exploitation and abuse as a child, has become a modern classic, but a movie would undoubtedly make for a tough watch.
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The novel’s detailed exploration of sexual assault would also involve putting actors through the wringer.
Released in 2015, A Little Life tells the story of four queer friends in New York City as they grapple with the complexities of trauma, sexual assault, and gay relationships, all interconnecting in a nontraditional narrative.
The book was adapted into a theater piece in 2023 which enjoyed similar critical and commercial success.
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We don’t know if Koch plans to adapt the book or is simply a fan, but the photo has sparked discourse around how much we should—or shouldn’t—engage with onscreen narratives that recreate scenes of abuse.
The discourse brings up a bigger question: where do painful gay stories belong? Onscreen representation should cover the good along with the bad in our community, but as we saw with the Blake Lively It Ends With Us drama earlier this year, abuse needs to be handled in a delicate and sensitive way to protect viewers.
Whatever happens with this, we’ll be prepared for the onslaught of discourse that is sure to accompany a feature film adaptation.
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