ShangLuda Admirable film.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

michaelmangia All the cliches aside, yes this movie was completely predictable, i knew the father was going to die. You never saw the son struggling with his fathers death, you only saw the mother shed a few tears. it wasn't very believable how very calm it seemed to have the father die, nobody suffered greatly. maybe because the father character wasn't developed much and they wanted to spend more time on the love story aspect. the very end was super cheesy, it was sweet but could have ended it in a more thought provoking way instead of a cheesy kiss. aside from all that, the acting was pretty well done.

Reno Rangan I don't know why this film has not been watched by many. This is a good film, a good French gay film. Like many reviewers had already mentioned, this is not your typical gay theme. It would have been better if you had tried it without knowing what kind of story is this. Anyway, I mentioned it, but it is not a spoiler if you thought so. It would have landed at you in one way or the other while learning about the film.It was more a drama than the romance. But everything has to have a nicer initiation. So, that's how the film characters take the shape. Only those important characters like the main two and another 2-3 were the all focus. The narration clearly ignores everything else to put the story straight, despite it was not about the straight guys.The tale was told from the perspective of Damien, a new boy moved into the small foothill town with his doctor mother and while his father serving in the army in an away tour. Sometimes, the perspective takes neural to accomplish the other aspect of the story. An unexpected rivalry begins between Damien and his classmate, Thomas, a loner who lives up in the hills in a farmland.As the film progresses, their fight intensifies. But there comes a time to compromise when the developments around them forces them to do so. It's the turning point for them, yet they're not in the mood to shake hands. You could say what comes henceforth, but that's where you might go wrong. This tale breaks the stereotypes and brings a fresh perspective on homosexuality. Although not fully unpredictable narration.❝I don't know if I'm into guys or just you.❞Besides, the places where the film shot was magnificent. Takes place in different seasons, and each time the story well exploited the region to blend with the emotions, fierce and other moods in the drama. The two boys were good. Because of the type of their role, the film looks slow in some parts. But overall gets better with its upcoming scene.The first two acts were nothing but the boys and their struggle to get over with their conflict. More like the random acts of normal reaction to such incidents. Only if it had tough guys on both the ends. But where it all leads were well planned that you may slightly disappoint with it. Like I was aware of a couple of things from the story, and it indeed that's how it turned out at the latter part. Otherwise, there's no complaint about it.Despite I enjoyed watching it, not the film that I wanted. I blame my anticipation for having such opinion. I was looking for more and more things to happen, whereas the narration was riding in the simplest manner. Especially the last half an hour brought the best out of it. Yeah, you could say it ended strongly and probably a turning point for the audience to change their stance if they were not happy so far.Firstly, it is worth watching for being a different for such concept, and that's because of the writing. Secondly the cinematography, direction, including the actors made it a better flick. But personally I was not happy about failing to come to the point in the early section. It recovered, almost at very late. And then it ended better. But still I agree it was a perfect portrayal of the older teenagers and their confusing sexuality. The contents were realistic while the film stayed true to cinematic. I hope people watch it with low expectation and patience.7/10

anamariadl I'd like to start this review with a plea. If you have not seen the film yet, stop reading whatever reviews you're reading and go watch it. Then come back and read and/or comment.Now, this film is pure magic. It has a sensibility that if it does not manage to move you, few things in life will. As a heterosexual, for me, the biggest possible cliché in a film that portrays being gay, is the idea that being gay is wrong. Same goes for real life. The cliché that heterosexuals are against being gay, that they are condemning the behaviour, that being gay is not acceptable in society. Prejudice. Cowardice. Hate. All of these are MISSING from this film, and I think this is one of the most relevant reasons for why this film is so special. Except maybe one single moment, when training, Damien is being instructed to start sounding like a man fighting, not a girl fighting (why sounding like a girl fighting would be such a bad way is a bit beyond me) everything else is love. It is acceptance, from parents, from community, from people at school. The only ones that are finding it a bit hard to accept are Damien and Thomas who are struggling to find out what their feelings mean, in a world where being 'different' is seen as being 'wrong'. What a sensible way of allowing love to blossom, of telling us that love is real, and that love can and WILL happen no matter what.Yes it's cliché that the seasons are changing as the feelings and thoughts of the boys are changing, yes it's cliché that love starts from fighting with each other, with being jealous, yes it's cliché that the adopted child will tend to be more vulnerable and tough in what concerns his feelings and behaviour. So what? All these clichés only build an absolute ideal romance. How can people really consider Thomas a bully? Which bully could care for his adored mother the way he does, which bully could care for the animals the way he does, which bully immerses himself into nature the way Thomas does, which bully shows disappointment and hurt when telling his lover that he knows what he was looking for in the other man? How can the love he shows be so invisible to all of you, just because a punch or a push. Choose to see emotions, and reactions rather just than only certain actions.I think it is also wonderful that their love was shown as full love, as in both of them become one, instead of choosing another film and real life cliché that a gay male relationship will have one top and one bottom. BS! Love is more than that.I could be writing more and more about the film, however I think the main idea is that the film is made with love, for people who choose to believe in love.Incredible scenery, soundtrack to it, the acting is stellar from all involved, I am changing my review from 9 stars to 10. 10+ if I could.

jromanbaker This is certainly one of the best of one of France's great directors. The cast is perfect, and the two youths beautifully played. Their antagonism at the beginning is not uncommon to those who are still foreigners to their sexuality, and certainly not uncommon to youths far from any centres of so-called gay life. Their attraction is caught by looks that are touching, troubling and moving and the hostility to their own feelings, especially that of Thomas (Corentin Fila ) who lives a more remote life than Damien (Kacey Mottet Klein)who realises his sexual and emotional desires earlier, is perfectly understandable. I will not give away the plot, but mention must be made of the subtle and delicate acting of Damien's mother (Sandrine Kiberlain ) and her exquisite variations of emotions. This is the kind of film that raises homosexuality to a new level in world cinema, and I hope it reaches the wide audience it needs to raise hope, awareness and respect for a choice of love still a problem even in France, and yet no other country could have made this film in quite the same way. Louis Malle's 'Les Amants' which equally showed antipathy between the two lovers was considered a great breakthrough in portraying sexual love for heterosexuals. This film equals it in beauty of image, and its wisdom, and it is a crying shame it was not given the Golden Bear at Berlin. A masterpiece.