'Outrage'

"There's a right to privacy," counters Barney Frank, the first congressman to come out on his own, "but there's no right to hypocrisy." Though some of "Outrage's" voices are uncomfortable with outing, the majority feel, in the words of one advocate, that where politicians are concerned, "that closet can kill other people," as public advocacy of anti-gay positions by politicians can lead to beatings and other hate crimes. Writer Larry Kramer recalls throwing a drink in the face of a gay Republican fundraiser who was behind some strident anti-gay campaigns and saying, "You're raising money to kill us."

One of the more interesting questions "Outrage" raises is why the mainstream media, so eager to cover every aspect of scandals like presidential candidate John Edwards' extramarital affair, don't follow up when the gay media do this kind of sexual outing. The consensus is that a kind of squeamishness about gay sexuality is a factor, perhaps the last vestiges of an "is it anyone's business?" feeling that has disappeared from the media's dealings with the heterosexual world.

While the anger of "Outrage" is to be expected, the surprise of the film is how much sadness you take away as well, the sadness of people who feel compelled to pretend to be what they are not. Both McGreevey and his ex-wife, Dina Matos McGreevey, interviewed separately, talk eloquently about the kind of chaos this kind of deception causes. And then there is activist Elizabeth Birch, who says, "I've had members of Congress crying in my arms because they didn't know how to come out." It's a significant moment in a significant film.

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kenneth.turan@latimes.com

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'Outrage'

MPAA rating: Unrated

Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Playing: In selected theaters