Monday, May 25, 2015
Giving up Ted
Today's coming of age in Brazil film has many familiar characters.
There is the young man who is experiencing an identity crisis about his sexual orientation. There is his teddy bear. Yes. I had one of those that I talked to. (He is still with me. I do not talk to him any more.)
There is a good buddy with whom he shares most of what is going on with him, until he doesn't. There is a brother. There are other peripheral but important characters who circle around the young man. His supposed girl friend who is more friend than mate. A hot young man who seduces him or they each other. A wise teacher. And a couple of other ephemeral characters that are in most scenes and, we find at the end, are waiting for the finale.
I have the impression that some familiar actors pitched in to help the young director Marcal Fortran in his first endeavor. It is a nice surprise to see Martin Freeman and Javier Beltran.
Lush scenery. Great crowd scenes especially when panic grips a high school.
This film has problems. It has gaps. It asks us to accept some steep premise hills to climb. But I stayed with it and felt good at the end. Sort of. In the sense of admiring it and glad that I saw it.
A 3 out of Netflix5.
