What a completely frustrating experience this film was! The frustration comes mostly from the lead character, Kuba, who is an attractive, athletic young man who can't seem to get out of his own way. Kuba has a sexy girlfriend, Sylwia that he enjoys, although he has secrets that he keeps from her. Their relationship takes a bit of a turn when Kuba meets the beautiful Mikal and they become fast friends. As their friendship deepens into a truly emotional connection, Kuba's sometimes violent self-loathing and shame kicks in and won't let him act on his desires. Obligation and guilt keep him tied to his girlfriend and domineering, no-nonsense mother and he refuses to take the leap that will ultimately make him happy. He and Mikal become so physically close at one point that I found myself yelling at the television screen, "Kiss him, already!" Instead, Kuba spends every waking moment afraid, ashamed and full of self-hatred, even in those illicit moments he sometimes spends in public restrooms. When the truth about Kuba and Mikal becomes too obvious for Sylwia to ignore, gauntlets are thrown down and ultimatums are given. Mikal, whose only crime was falling in love with his best friend is having his own struggles and is inadvertently affected by Kuba's actions. And as one can imagine, this is not a feel-good movie.
As the film ended, I as a viewer was unsure of what the filmmaker intended to say with his story. Some of the characters get what they want, some of them don't, but none of them seem satisfied with the way things end up. What was the filmmaker's message? Was it, "life sucks and then you die?" I have never watched a gay-themed film that ended up being so decidedly and anti-gay as this one did. The five stars I give this film are for the compelling performances of the actors. And if you're looking for some skin, there a couple of scenes that won't disappoint. The movie is effectively shot. But where the movie fails is in it's heart-breaking cynicism. Does it want to champion these people, or condemn them? Does it want to hold them up as examples or as cautionary characters? A film that leaves you with more questions than answers isn't always a good thing, but it's exactly what this one does. You are left with questions.............and frustration.
As the film ended, I as a viewer was unsure of what the filmmaker intended to say with his story. Some of the characters get what they want, some of them don't, but none of them seem satisfied with the way things end up. What was the filmmaker's message? Was it, "life sucks and then you die?" I have never watched a gay-themed film that ended up being so decidedly and anti-gay as this one did. The five stars I give this film are for the compelling performances of the actors. And if you're looking for some skin, there a couple of scenes that won't disappoint. The movie is effectively shot. But where the movie fails is in it's heart-breaking cynicism. Does it want to champion these people, or condemn them? Does it want to hold them up as examples or as cautionary characters? A film that leaves you with more questions than answers isn't always a good thing, but it's exactly what this one does. You are left with questions.............and frustration.