User Reviews

"screwed" has touched me deeply it is a sweet and complicated teenage drama. It gives you the perspective on the life of teenage boys and the obstacles they have to face and also represents the toxic parenting aspects that form those teenage boy personalities. I really loved the way actors put their souls into the picture and how they were holding onto each other making everything smooth and organic. Great chemistry between them, I really appreciated that. Although there is an open ending which was quite dissapointing.... but expected. So, great movie, not for everyone but that's what indie movies are for. So 7/10)))

I wouldn't normally care to comment on such a non-entity, wan film - even more so as apparently put up onto the screen as based on real inspiration (see trivia: 'based on the lives of the writers and their loved ones'*!), for good luck and more power to you in sharing that 'summer of love' .. but as part of that expounding of a film, it's supposed to have some sort of coherence, hook, to take you on that journey to justify as supposedly worthwhile of, if not price of cinema ticket entry, at minimum your time to invest to watch that set before you as important to those that got it to screen. Since I did, I can share this:

Here, other than the well played by main character, Mikko Kauppila as presumably the 'Pihalla', since literally into English is 'In the Yard', but idiomatically means - as he is - to be totally lost, out of his depth, uncertain who he is, as late teenager Miklu, the rest just does not gel to the extent that borders on cheating its audience out of their time invested in seeing how this develops and closes. (Although, yeah, we're certainly left 'in the yard' lost as to have spent your time watching this!)

Beginning with a party apparently for a late friend who had - so we're led to believe - died in a car accident (is that how youngsters mourn, wake-like, nowadays?), we're never let in on whether this is true or merely a ruse; but from which occasion we're presumably supposed to find it amusing that his parents' home is trashed; to which, despite an initial flurry of outage from his Mum, we're supposed to sympathise, believe that these parents then 'oh, well' like indulgently whisk him off to their summer cottage - which in (literally!) passing, then needs to essentially include (at least director / co-scriptwrter directed to that) we are shown that his mother in exasperation must pull over their car to go for a side of road, (inferred) knicks pulled down, squat pee, as she makes a cell-call (although, possibly is a male homoerotic trope - al fresco urinating mater ' perhaps?).

And of the coming out budding relationship, we learn nothing of the clearly more experienced, if still same aged (they are below legal limit to purchase alcohol!*) backstory of his drawing him out of his ('yard'!) closet lover (Valtteri Lehtinen as 'Elias')'s heartbroken to almost catatonically rendered Mother, whose summer cottage has been sold out from under them by bunked off father, and to a (never followed through, shown - although is to turn up 'the day after tomorrow') foreigner, to boot ... Presumably, merely all grist to the coming out tale, though.

Which, to the associated coming out to the parents scene, that aforementioned 'unsatisfied' Mother would at first burst into tears but then develop into manic laughter, because actually she is more relieved that her prior suspicion of her husband was / had turned (?!) gay, not only because she can't turn him on with 'a tight ass and wax job' (according to English subtitles) but would have wanted to look at gay porn, is, well, just lazy, ignorant or insulting to the straight world! (Incidentally, he suffers from narcolepsy: can imagine that might affect ya libido? Although only seems so affected when given cottage / garden duties ..) Although, perhaps that was thrown in as not only presumably 'based on - real? - lives' to put on screen, but so as to get just an iota of amusement into an otherwise tedious and dull romance.

Not only that, but the (straight) siblings to both lovers are underwritten to the point of why even introduced into the unfolding of the said romance: Miklu's brother soon disappears to the U.S. (apparently: we just see him taking his brother's coming out call sitting on a suspiciously Nordic looking sofa): and as for the lover Elias' presumably away with the birds druggie sister, who mystifyingly apparently soon hooks up with an initially abusive bar customer .. well, presumably, it's there as all based on 'fact': but if so, it well illustrates that, really, a blossoming gay realisation does not necessarily of itself fascinating film fodder make, just because seen through a homosexual lens...

Note: if you want a Finnish male homosexual summer (cottage) romance take, this country's same year (2017) Mikko Makela's 'A Moment in the Reeds', even if (be warned) similarly storytelling turgid, is still is far better as in the passionate portrayal - and indeed, if that's what rocks ya (summer cottage) boat of a brief same sex affair. Double bill it to complete the tedium.

* N.B. The director, co-writer, Nils-Erik Ekblom, plays the bartender: so if so 'based ..', I was also left with mystification of what's his character's portrayal was precisely trying to reflect?

It is difficult, I think, to produce a good gay coming out film these days. First, the material is so personal. Second, there are so many other stories to compare this one with. Hard to dodge the cliche's. In this case, most obstacles were cleared. Miku, the main character, is on his own path which he soon realizes, helping himself avoid most of the pitfalls. The object of his first love is almost perfect. He is good looking, experienced and knows the ins and out of first love. The situational circumstances limit the couple's time together and that clock is always ticking. Both young men make the most of it I think. Sweet, gentle sex scenes abound. No shortage of skin. This has always been so with Scandinavian films, so healthy about this stuff. There are also some straight stereotypes here. Nice to see the heteros get a working over. Miku's parents are not among them. Their support and understanding lead to a great ending. A surprise is in store for all including the viewer.

I saw this movie first time in Helsinki 27th Sep in Caisa. The movie was a really positive surprise. The script was a credible and realistic description of the life of young adults in Finland today. The Finnish language used in the film was up to date. Actress performances were really successful. Great thanks to the enjoyable movie night. I hope the movie will be seen in cinemas soon.