Pluskylang Great Film overall

Stevecorp Don't listen to the negative reviews

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

moviegeek1 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.

donwc1996 This is a brilliant cinematic achievement. The director has created a visually stunning atmosphere that grips you just as any great work of art does. He tells his story with virtually no words so that the atmosphere of the film really becomes very penetrating. The cast is gorgeous - everyone of them - male and female - and there are scenes so erotic you have to take a break and cool off. And Poland is so Catholic. After all, they did produce a pope and the modern standards we take for granted simply do not exist in Catholic Poland. The tragic conclusion of the film supports this idea in a way that is really shocking for everyday America where gay rights are almost taken for granted. And abortion rights too. We have so much to be grateful for in America. It would be nice if we really appreciated everything we have. This film is almost prehistoric it is so unrelenting in its bashing of gays, something which doesn't seem to be happening any longer in much of the United States.

euroGary Kuba (Mateusz Banasiuk) is a promising competitive swimmer who spends his time training, refereeing between his argumentative mother and girlfriend, and getting blowjobs in the changing room toilets (supposedly from other young men, although the sound effects make it seem like he's got a hungry labrador in there with him). Then he meets Michał, and perhaps both young men will come out of the closet. But in Poland, that's not necessarily an easy thing to do...There are too many padding scenes in this - shots of cars driving through multi-storey car-parks or of Polish underpasses add little and could easily have been cut (or perhaps replaced with further shots of the fortunately-endowed Mr Banasiuk in the shower). But it's a pleasing enough film: not a new story by any stretch of the imagination, but seeing a well-worn plot set in a different location always adds an air of originality. And the nudity - both male and female - is nice! Banasiuk does well in the lead role, seeming remote and unemotional until the affair with Michał starts, whereupon he warms noticeably (although one suspects he's never going to be the life and soul of the party). But acting honours go to Marta Nieradkiewicz as the wronged girlfriend held prisoner by the love she realises is hopeless, and to Katarzyna Herman as the clingy yet realistic mother.Heralded as Poland's first-ever 'gay film', this is worth watching not just for its novelty, not just for the nudity (or did I mention that already?), but also because it is an engrossing human interest drama that's a good way to spend 93 minutes.

robert-tomas I don't know, where to start, that's how misguided this film is. First, we are in Warsaw, a sophisticated European city in the year 2012. And yet, the confused young man has never been on the Internet or to one of many gay bars in Warsaw. Neither one of the protagonists comes from country bumpkin families and yet they are somehow unable to have an adult conversations with,their families. Then , of course the young, able- bodied man cannot go to work to either pay for an abortion or child support for an unwanted child with the by-then ex-girlfriend - instead he throws away a chance for self-realization. Bullshit I say, since I have managed to come out of the closet in then- Communist Poland with social mores dictated by the catholic clergy 28 years ago in that very same Warsaw. Btw. My ex-girlfriend got pregnant too. Sôooooo, in short, what a cowardly throwback.....terribly misguided film that will only scare and confuse some young, questioning men. By the way, killing the only well-adjusted gay man in the film really adds an insult to injury.