I'm convinced that this is a very sincere production, but it left me rather depressed and unsatisfied. It's the story of two lovers who are followed through a period of like 10 years. Erik is a bit of a sullen and insecure film-maker (who works with financial support of his father forever on one project); Paul a more world wise and intelligent lawyer who gets hooked on all kinds of drugs. While Paul slowly but deliberately glides away from his lover into his own drugs-filled universe, Erik desperately tries to hold on to what he sees as the love of his life. We see them love and bicker, parting and coming together again and endlessly talking to save the remains of their relationship, until finally (and understandably) Erik gives-up. The end.
Both actors (Thure Lindhardt as Erik and Zachary Booth as Paul) do a fine job and are convincing enough. And the script may not give us an optimistic point of view but it's authentic and painfully realistic. My biggest problem though was, that I couldn't feel sympathy for either of both men. Paul is aloof, egotistical and doesn't seem to have any empathy; of course you know that his personality is marred by the abuse, but still you want to smack him for treating Erik so bad. On the other hand Erik is extremely passive and lets Paul walk all over him again and again. One important scene illustrates this poignantly: Paul (who had disappeared for yet another long period) suddenly calls Erik up and invites him to a hotel room, where he (heavily influenced by drugs) receives him but at the same time has an escort come over and has sex with this guy, with Erik sitting miserably next to the bed.
It didn't help (at least not me), that both men aren't really good- looking, which all the more made me wonder what they saw in each other to begin with anyway.
To sum it up: definitely good performances but a depressing experience.
Both actors (Thure Lindhardt as Erik and Zachary Booth as Paul) do a fine job and are convincing enough. And the script may not give us an optimistic point of view but it's authentic and painfully realistic. My biggest problem though was, that I couldn't feel sympathy for either of both men. Paul is aloof, egotistical and doesn't seem to have any empathy; of course you know that his personality is marred by the abuse, but still you want to smack him for treating Erik so bad. On the other hand Erik is extremely passive and lets Paul walk all over him again and again. One important scene illustrates this poignantly: Paul (who had disappeared for yet another long period) suddenly calls Erik up and invites him to a hotel room, where he (heavily influenced by drugs) receives him but at the same time has an escort come over and has sex with this guy, with Erik sitting miserably next to the bed.
It didn't help (at least not me), that both men aren't really good- looking, which all the more made me wonder what they saw in each other to begin with anyway.
To sum it up: definitely good performances but a depressing experience.