User Reviews

As I will reflect my personal experiences and I know some other personal stories too, I think when where're once young during our adolescent years we really endure curiosity and experiments in different kind of socialization that life offers. And so I won't consider this film as entirely "coming of age" nor "gay themed" but just a wholesome film since sexuality and coming out wasn't the main topic of the movie but instead it focus to solace and relationship that Tom and Felix (main characters) build and shared to each other.

Seventeen year old Felix used to have an ex-girlfriend and much a liberal kind of person while Tom a fifteen year old, inexperienced and a shy one. What Tom and Felix doing behind anyone knowledge may later define them as gay and bi-sexual but that's not the important thing, we can even state that they simply messing with each other (that's the young boys do as common saying) but actions may or may not really define their true sexuality. The good motives of the movie are that they didn't force or push too hard to talk about the sexuality and coming out of Tom and Felix even there's a lot of scenes that they shares in a gay oriented acts. But rather it depicts on Tom and Felix finding comfort with each other as if they are common brothers, maybe because their mothers used to have miscarriage before. Tom longing for an older brother while Felix for a younger sibling perhaps, yet their relationship turn more sexual at some point but they remain discreet about it. The movie depicts a common story of teenagers where they mess up, socialized and take all possible experiences that life offers (party, drinking etc.). Even though it's a common story yet it was filmed beautifully and casted with awesome actors. The ending is a puzzle of confusions but my interpretation goes this way; As Felix last summer vacation stay with Tom they partied with other teenagers at the lake the night before but leave early as those crazy teens wanted to swim across the lake just to get to nearby store to buy some cigars. Tom wanted to join them swam (maybe to prove and fit in) but Felix scolded him and demanded they must go home, it depicts a powerful affection of Felix care and luckily Tom listens (like listening to an older brother). The day Felix departure we can feel the sadness of goodbyes and refusal to depart if there's only other way but Felix needs to leave. As Felix boarded the train, Tom mothers reading aloud a news the night before that happens at the lake where group teens are drowned and then Tom chase after the train, maybe at that point he realizes he needs Felix by his side more or less like a brother or a friend or a lover to watch and care for him. If not with Felix mandate that night, Tom might be one of casualty of the lake too. The Film though not showing about Tom and Felix coming out to their family yet it was depicted that once summer stay two men, adolescent and young found their personal and sexual identity thru a brotherly relationship.

How many decades will it take for LGBTQ cinema to progress beyond this ancient tried-and-true (and by 2018 utterly boring) formula?

Two boys, one a bit older, from different socioeconomic backgrounds are brought together by some incident. They flirt. They fool around. They think they fall in love. They possibly have sex (suggested but not shown beyond a bare behind). Plans are made, but never come to fruition. And then the inevitable end of the relationship by something trivial or tragic. But they never stay together. And ends are never tied up (except when one dies).

If you want to see the full potential of LGBTQ cinema, "God's Own Country" has set the bar so high it will be a long while before it is caught up to or surpassed.

Meanwhile this stale bonbon from France has two boys who can best be described as barely attractive, and the bisexuality of the older one ruins the plot, but not nearly as much as the most annoying little girl in the history of cinema since Rhoda in "The Bad Seed" (and although there is a thunder-and-lightening storm, it fails to execute this brat the way it did Rhoda).

Don't waste your time.

I really like this one. It reminded me of my older brother. I missed the secure, caring and affection he gave me when he was alive. The interpretation of another review named ZanderZion was perfectly on point.

"As Felix boarded the train, Tom mothers reading aloud a news the night before that happens at the lake where group teens are drowned and then Tom chase after the train, maybe at that point he realizes he needs Felix by his side more or less like a brother or a friend or a lover to watch and care for him. If not with Felix mandate that night, Tom might be one of casualty of the lake too. The Film though not showing about Tom and Felix coming out to their family yet it was depicted that once summer stay two men, adolescent and young found their personal and sexual identity thru a brotherly relationship.".

Unpopular opinion, Tom, the younger boy, he is not that expressive in my opinion, especially his eyes. Don't get me wrong. His eyes are beautiful and I know his character is shy, but sometimes his eyes (the way he looks) were misplaced, always seem surprised/shocked like in a horror film.

Other than that, it's a nice summer solace story. Don't expect a story-standard film like God's Own Country, because this is definitely not a story about coming of age nor gay romance story. They're just brothers who messing around and exploring each other's sexual experiences for the first time.