Reviews

Inspite of the cascade of ads that broke it up (thanks Plex!) I watched the film to the end, me who can't stand inept films. It plays down all personal and family drama as the title warns it will, refusing to make an unnecessary "big deal" out of them as is usually the case. That's very refreshing. The acting is accomplished enough, with the two lads doing best of all, and the plot only has a few implausible or clumsy twists to help the stories along. As to the treatment of the gay characters, it's nicely subdued and there's an unusual twist when one of them needs to be agressive with another. Enjoyable.

The question the swimming coach should have asked the leader of the bullies who want Umut banned from showering and undressing with them is "Isn't the problem really that you yourself can't cope with the feelings the sight of his naked body arouse in you? Isn't that why you want him out of your sight?" As to the other team members who side with the leader, they are just scared of being accused of being gay themselves if they don't go along with wanting the ban. Being gay is still that difficult to accept.... This said, I'm not sure Umut's total silence is justified by the plot - at least, even, where his mother is concerned. But apart from that it's a well-made film, it's Turkish setting is a refreshing change, and Umut is beautiful.

I hesitated to add another review to the huge list already existing, but when I found so few that weren't so strangely enthusiastic, I decided to say what I thought.

The whole film is a shocking mix of implausible behaviour on the part of the characters and the natural grief of the mother. She, too, even, like other characters, is worthy of the title I've given this review : she has no moral right to express her grief or anger at the incomptence of the police in such violent ways.

There was a very serious and still entertaining film to be made on the subject, but instead it turns out a piece of twisted make-believe.

How on earth did it get awarded Oscars?

I sat down to watch this flm with high expectations as it had been so well reviewed, but I quickly began to feel that I had been misled and was even tempted to stop watching once or twice later on. It's a piece of nauseous self-indulgence in my opinion and, as a gay, I finished the film feeling cheated and betrayed. Guillaume Gallienne has no other object in mind than to show us what a marvel he is - and just in case we're tempted to trust our own judgement and disagree he reminds us in the credits of his association with the French National Theatre. What an ego! But I did laugh gently two or three times and the sound track wasn't bad......

I fully agree with the reviewer above who underlines the stupid attitude of the teacher towards his vulnerable pupil. No wise gay teacher would take such risks. Moreover, where the whole situation is concerned, I believe a gay couple such as we have here would have to be very unintelligent to have only seen the pros and been blind to the cons of moving out of the city into a small provincial town.

Didn't they realise their living together openly as a gay couple would soon be noticed and become a subject for gossip unless they were very discreet! There is, after all, a considerable section of society that is homophobic and it's folly to behave in a way that draws their attention and hostility. In short, they take unnecessary risks and, alas, pay the consequences. As to the homophobics, well, it'll take time and patience to change them...

More than anything, this medium-length film can be viewed as a very successful piece of publicity for the beautiful town in which it was filmed (Mont-de-Marsan in south-west France) with a story tacked on to give it a wider audience. As to that story, it is terribly slow in developing and the wait is boring. The two male leads, however, are very attractive, but I wish they could have spoken their parts with real conviction. Instead they utter them like schoolboys reciting the lesson they had to learn by heart for homework. As to the music, well I found it difficult to tolerate and often turned the sound down.

I'm bewildered by the reviews of the users and critics. What do they find so wonderful in this poor peice of filming? For once, even, I have to disagree with the guru of CGii who praises it as well...For me the whole business is only rendered watchable by its setting : the Pervusian coast and the cliffs and the fishing boats are a delight. But the characters are so ordinary and unattractive and the ghostly presence is stupid. As to the message, well I suppose you could say that we're being told "Some men can only come out if they have to bury the man they love." I myself would add "Be very wary of bisexuals".

I watched the last episode of this marvellous mini-series yesterday and will begin at the beginning again next week, and then look forward to my weekly treat again! It's astonishingly well-made and I sit rivetted to the screen in a way that very, very few movies or series can do. But...yes, there's always a but!... I was and still am distressed that Joe was left in limbo at the end. We see how well everyone else has come through, even Harper, (flying away thanks to Joe's credit card!), but the sweet, so lovable Joe is nowhere. I suppose I have to assuage my feelings by convincing myself that he's in fact so lovable he'll soo find a partner.

It seems to me that the message of the film is this : if you're not sure about your sexual identity as a young guy, then don't live surrounded only by very talkative girls who know it all. What the "boy" (21 years old!) needed was as a number of young males around him, then he would've soon discovered if his libido was aroused by the same sex.

All the listening the poor guy had to do was painful to me! Also he and his "teachers" mostly just sat in one place for long periods while the lesson was being conducted. So the variety of location was very limited.

Finally, it had to be accidents that threw him into the company of someone of the same sex! And that someone didn't need to be very attractive (I'm being kind) as a result!

I don't understand the title for a start! Has it got to do with that male body writhes around to grim music at the start? And then the story is a nothing that thinks it's a dramatic something - carried along by only just comptetent actors. I should've zapped it as I was tempted to do during that opening sequence... But, yes, Louis Garrel was worth looking at, although if it was his body the title was refering to, then we didn't see enough of it. Pity he only had to look sulky throughout the film, though.

I would have strangled his two much-younger sisters if I'd been in his shoes and probably have done the same to Jane Birkin.