Monday, October 12, 2015
Young and different
Add this to the long list of coming out films by gay directors.
Everyone's story is different, yet very much the same.
Here the best friend turns out to be, gasp, straight.
Sommersturm / Summer Storm (2012)
This is very nicely done with a minimum of inflicted pain. Other than self inflicted. And a focus is the realization that one's special love for a best friend has some gay connotations which the friend is totally oblivious to.
We have all had this. The straight friend is very understanding and patient until we realize that wishing will not turn him in our direction. "That way".
The story is generic but the way of telling it is infinite and we, naturally, never get tired of hearing it. "Tell me about the time you came out".
One thing that makes this film so appealing is the absolute normality of the boys. There is one classically beautiful kid who ends up being the class sex pioneer but everyone else is pretty much like all of us.
A twist is that this is also about a rowing crew and a summer encampment for rowers where all these boys are together in one wooded place with tents and shit.
More fantasies come alive. Tent mates. I had this in the army. Same results. The het kids just don't get it.
Very nice. Touching at times.
Oh, and the hero is a nerdish kid that is not handsome or gifted. They had the courage to make a gay hero who is absolutely normal.
That there is a hunky queer crew in the same encampment with a friendly leader doesn't hurt though.
A 5 out of Netflix5 this film has everything. If you are straight, it is probably a 3.
