Friday, August 07, 2015
Dolan again
The second of three films by French Canadian actor/director Xavier Dolan.
J'ai tué ma mèr / I Killed My Mother (2009)
In this one, the teenage version of Dolan (it is frankly autobiographical) he comes out to himself and eventually, after much storm and drang, his mother. There is a lot of great stuff here about coming out as a teenager and the joy of finding other homos to be with. Not so much for sex, although that is in the picture, but for the fellowship.
Dolan is very young. Twenty when he did this and so only out for four years. Yet his depiction of gay thoughts and desires is very sophisticated. And fun. His sense of humor and the small gritted teeth smile, his particular trademark, are all charming and enjoyable.
We also are introduced to Neils Schneider the boy featured in Heartbeats. These are very good films by any measure but the youth of Dolan brings a special élan or zing to the enterprise that is unmistakable.
To be able to explore one's sexuality and life at such an early age is quite a feat. So much for repression in French Catholic Quebec.
A 5 out of Netflix5.
