Tag: gay romance

PILLION – Review

A pillion is the seat behind the driver on a motorcycle, or it can mean the passenger who sits there. The movie PILLION is a gay romance between a rather innocent young gay man (Harry Melling) who is introduced to the world of bondage-dominance/sadomasochism by a handsome motorcyclist (Alexander Skarsgard). Although the film is a well-acted, well-made romantic drama about a star-crossed relationship, the subject matter and it’s frank, even graphic, depiction means this is not a film that will appeal to everyone, or even most.

That said, Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgard turn in strong, even tender performances as this pair, whose ideas of what their relationship should be doesn’t match up. First-time director Harry Lighton leans into the romantic for this tale of star-crossed love set in a rarely-seen world, and Lighton also wrote the screenplay, based on Adam Mars-Jones’ novel “Box Hill.”

Young Colin (Harry Melling) spots handsome biker Ray (Alexander Skarsgard) at a pub, where Colin is singing as part of a barbershop quartet, when Ray arrives as part of a biker gang. You can sense the thrill from Melling’s Colin from the moment he spots the handsome biker.

Colin is not only a singer in the barbershop quartet (Melling does his own singing and has a lovely voice), but the quartet is a kind of family thing, with his father singing as well. Colin lives in the suburbs with his parents, and seems to be recently out as gay. While his doting parents are very supportive, and his mother has even arranged a date for her son, back at the same pub. They are more wary when Colin goes out to meet up with Ray, fearing that the meeting is a prelude to a beating rather than a date.

However, the encounter introduces the innocent but willing Colin to what nearly-silent enigmatic Ray wants. Repeatedly, as the relations develops, people comment on the difference in physical beauty between homely Colin and handsome Ray, which helps pushed Colin further into the relationship.

The film follows their relationship, where it evolves or doesn’t, with Melling’s character wanting it to be love and Skarsgard’s stoic one basically trying to keep a lid on that idea. It turns out the whole motorcycle gang is part of this SM world, that Colin now joins as well.

How authentic the depiction of that world may be, I couldn’t say, but the scenes are explicit enough to mean this film will mostly appeal to a select audience. Director Harry Lighton frames this in as romantic a way possible but this is a world of bondage and SM, and there are plenty of graphic scenes in this film. The scenes are more graphic rather than pornographic, and there is less full nudity than one might expect, but the scenes make clear what is happening in each.

Skarsgard and Melling give what could be termed brave performances here, with the subject and the graphic scenes, although there is less full nudity than you might expect. There are plenty of sex scenes, often involving SM costumes and bondage, so you have no doubt what kind of biker gang this is.

Colin and Ray couldn’t seem more mismatched but it is more complicated than that. There is yearning and openness on the side of Melling’s character that runs up against Ray’s secrecy and emotional closedness. Skarsgard’s Ray seems to be protecting the other part of his life from this secret one. Still, occasionally there are moments when stoic Ray reveals feeling for his partner. It is this tension between what Ray wants and what Colin wants that the film spends most of its time exploring, along with these SM bikers’ lifestyle, was they go on outings and camping trips, and we get to know the other couples as well.

We get a glimpse of other relationships in this gay SM biker gang, which contrast to our central pair’s arrangement. Some are also chilly and functional, others are emotionally warm, but none seem as mismatched as Colin and Ray, with one member longing for something more.

Again, not a film for everyone, despite being a very well-made movie, with strong performances from a pair of gifted actors.

PILLION opens in theaters on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE – Review

Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry, in RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE. Courtesy of Amazon Prime

It’s still summer, so it’s still time for light, puffy comedies while the temps are warm. RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE is a beach-read of a comedy, a frothy confection in which a young American meets a young British prince. Except this American is not someone ordinary but the son of the President – a woman President no less. But the president’s son and the royal develop an immediate mutual dislike, but despite their dislike, they are forced to pretend to be friends for diplomatic reasons. You know where this goes but what looks at first like a bromance quickly shifts into gay rom-com. RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE is a modern fantasy packed with rom-com tropes, plenty of silliness, plus a touch of Jane Austen and Harry and Meghan flavor. And it all starts with a disaster involving a giant cake.

Based on the novel by Casey McQuiston, first-time director Matthew Lopez sets out to create a escapist fantasy geared to please fans of the book. This rom-com may be the feature film directing debut for Matthew Lopez, who also co-wrote the script with Ted Malawer, but Lopez is a Tony Award-winning playwright, winning for “The Inheritance.”

Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) is sent by his mother, President Claremont (Uma Thurman, sporting an odd Southern accent), along with Nora (Rachel Hilson), the granddaughter of the vice president, to represent the U.S. at a royal wedding of Britain’s Prince Phillip (Thomas Flynn), the heir to his grandfather’s throne. The media likes to compare the President’s handsome son Alex to Phillip’s younger brother Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), which irritates Alex no end. Entering the wedding reception already miffed by a a perceived snub, Alex has a bit too much to drink and there is an altercation next to the enormous wedding cake, with disastrous results. Back home, the President, Alex’s mom, orders her son back to Britain to pretend to be buddies with Henry, a plan cooked up with British contacts to smooth the diplomatic and PR water prior to an important economic summit.

You know where this goes, but that predictability is part of what rom-com fans like and this one delivers on that with karaoke, parties and other familiar tropes. This is a decidedly modern rom-com too, including a clever representation of texting and some nice banter. The movie uses a lot of familiar names from the actual British royal family but the family structure is significantly rearranged.

The two leads are handsome and appealing, with Nicholas Galitzine adding a “shy Di” touch to his blonde prince. While Prince Henry is gay, Alex is less sure of his sexual orientation, and explores some of that as part of the plot, although there is nothing really heavy here. A few bedroom scenes earned the film an R rating.

Clifton Collins Jr. gives a nice, and too brief, turn as Alex’s Hispanic dad. Stephen Fry gives us a fine turn as the King. Rachel Hilson brings a lot of charm and humor as Alex’s lively best friend Nora, while Sarah Shahi brings a breathless hysteria as the President’s assistant, often tasked with keeping wild Alex in line.

There is not much reality in this fantasy romance, including that re-imagined royal family. Alex moves freely without Secret Service and Henry is able to go unrecognized in a Texas bar, just by wearing a baseball cap. Except for Alex’s one pal who is a member of the press, reporters and paparazzi are remarkably absent.

At about 2 hours, RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE feels like it runs a bit too long, and sags a bit in its later third. For rom-com fans and particularly fans of the book, this movie should satisfy but for the rest of us, this light late-summer romantic fantasy is pretty light on interest too.

RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE opens Friday, Aug. 11, on Prime Video.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars

BROS – Review

So what if Valentine’s Day is nearly five months away, any time of the year can work for the right romantic comedy (or “rom-com’, its modern genre term). Actually many moviegoers would enjoy seeing an engaging couple meet cute as they try to keep warm on a blustery Fall afternoon. And that’s just what happens with this weekend’s big film release. Oh, things are a bit, no a lot, different this time. It’s not “boy meets girl”, but rather boy, no “man meets man”. Yup, it’s a gay rom-com, though they’ve been supporting players in past flicks, often the next-door neighbor (nuzzling a kitty) or the co-worker who’s cheering on the leading lady (“You go, girl!!”). Not this time. and as one of the film’s co-stars (and co-writers) has been telling talk show hosts and showbiz reporters, there’s a lot riding on this. The major studios are curious to see how the audience will react to a funny love story centered on two very mismatched BROS.

The first part of the duo we meet is the story’s narrator, a pessimistic outspoken podcaster (he’s the host of “The 11th Brick”, a reference to Stonewall), Bobby Lieber (Billy Eichner). He’s got many friends, but aside from late-night phone app “hook-ups”, he’s not found that special “one” (though he denies that he’s looking). And then he saw Aaron Shepard (Luke Macfarlane) dancing shirtless at a club, looking as though he just arrived from Mt. Olympus. Their first encounter is a bit awkward, But Bobby detects a “spark”, though Aaron seems to vanish like Claude Rains (look him up, kids). Eventually they exchange digits and begin a long series of texts to “feel each other out” while acting casual and indifferent. They both continue on with their lives as Bobby is one of the planners and organizers of a soon-to-open LGBTQ+ museum if the board of directors will agree on anything. And if they can score some big cash donations. Meanwhile, Aaron suits up for his 9 to 5 job as an estate planner. Eventually, the two spend the day together as Aaron enjoys Bobby’s snarky wit, while Bobby is dazzled by Aaron’s cocky confidence and that “eight pack”. Their relationship soars during a trip to Provincetown, then almost crashes when Aaron’s school days crush “comes out”. But can the couple survive the biggest “test”, the dreaded Christmas visit with Aaron’s somewhat stuffy parents?

In his feature lead acting debut, Eichner shows that there’s much more to his considerable talents than verbally “ambushing” unsuspecting New Yorkers (though that does take a lot of talent and chutzpah). Sure we’re expecting him to bring the laughs, which he does by the truckload, with scathing asides and gattling-gun barrages of “burns”. But his Bobby’s not merely a joke dispensing machine, he’s a man looking for love, and more importantly perhaps, respect. Eichner delivers a heart-wrenching monologue, offset by a lovely beach, all about growing up with folks who wanted him to “tone it down” and conform to the “norm” leading him to frustration as those with fewer gifts got much farther. There’s the professional longing offset with the personal ones, as he hesitantly decides to offer his heart to Aaron, played by Macfarlane, who also proves that he’s more than a handsome face atop an “etched in granite” body. This guy must project an aura of aloof “coolness”, but he too wants more than the “pleasures of the flesh” to just “hang” with someone interesting. But Macfarlane shows us that the “perfect ten” has his own inner battles, too. Aaron thinks he can’t keep up with Bobby intellectually, plus he has to deal with a touch of “self-loathing’ as he suppresses his true “career calling’ for fear it would re-enforce gender stereotypes. Happily, the duo is surrounded by a wonderful group of great comic actors. Bobby must deal with a terrific but bickering ensemble that makes up the museum’s board, with Oscar-winning screenwriter Jim Rash grabbing lots of chuckles as Robert, who thinks that bisexuals are short-changed (“Not enough ‘B’ in the LGBTQ!”). Then there’s the scene-stealing SNL star Bowen Yang as a petulant, flighty filthy-rich TV producer. Oh, and we’re treated to several stars playing themselves and having a great time skewering their public personas (I won’t spoil the surprise delights).

Oh, did I forget to mention that Eichner co-wrote the screenplay with director Nicholas Stoller (the NEIGHBORS flicks)? Well, consider that slight undone. Stoller keeps the energy flowing smoothly, avoiding the deadly mid-section “lull” of so many comedies. And he confidently hits the comedic “beats”, knowing when to cut in for a superb reaction glare from Bobby, and when to cut in with a quick satiric aside (Bobby’s disastrous audition to be part of a beloved TV quintet). But somehow the comedy doesn’t drown out the tenderness of the romance, perhaps due to that clever screenplay that teases but really embraces all the “romcom” standards: the swooning “meet”, the trepidation, the “city stroll”, the near “bust-up”, and the “declaration”. The terrific jabs at basic cable TV romcom were made better when I learned that Macfarlane had roles in so many of them. Some moviegoers may be more than a tad skittish with this new “twist” on the beloved genre, but considering the tepid recent entries, this new spin is just the thing to recharge the staple. Those who take a chance will be richly rewarded with the engaging and really funny love story all about these BROS.

3.5 Out of 4

BROS is now playing in theatres everywhere

FIRE ISLAND (2022) – Review

(From L-R): Margaret Cho, Tomas Matos, Bowen Yang, Joel Kim Booster, and Matt Rogers in the film FIRE ISLAND. Photo by Jeong Park. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

Hey, what’s that in the rear-view mirror? Silly, it’s Memorial day, which means that it’s high time you planned your summer “vacay” getaway. And though many folks travel solo, why not be part of an annual tradition with longtime friends? How does a tropical island sound for a locale? Well, this new flick can certainly provide the latter, but the former…well….This destination is pretty darn close to Long Island which isn’t that far from Manhatten Island and…a big sprawling urban center with no palm trees in sight. Oh, and since June is Pride Month, this spot is the big warm weather mecca for the LGBTQ set. Oh, did I say warm? Well, this group of pals really turn on the heat when they search for romance on FIRE ISLAND.

The story actually begins on the mainland as nurse Noah (Joel Kim Booster) is jolted awake by his cell phone alarm. And he’s naturally running late, so after a quick “See ya”!” to the previous night’s “entertainment” Noah tosses some clothes in a bag and rushes down to the dock to join his buddies on the ferry to Fire Island. After they “burn” him for his tardiness, Noah (in voice-over) introduces us to his posse. First up is longtime BFF Howie (Bowen Yang), who’s snarky, but a bit reserved and shy. Then there’s the very opposite duo, the out and loud Luke (Matt Rogers) and Keegan (Tomas Matos) who met in theatre class and have been fabulous friends ever since. Much quieter is the intellectual Max (Torian Miller), who is usually “buried in a book”. Once ashore the party moves to their usual retreat house, the place owned by their “den mother” Erin (Margaret Cho). But after the hugs she drops a bombshell on the boys: her “legal settlement cash well” has gone nearly dry, so she’ll soon be selling the place. OMG, this could be their very last vacation here! In order to make this final fling truly memorable, Noah sets up a project. He’ll be the ultimate “wingman” to Howie and ensure that his buddy gets la…er…lucky. That night at the dance club, Noah notices a handsome fella’ checking out Howie, so he approaches that hunk’s trio. The “eye-baller” is Charlie (James Scully), a well-to-do doctor. While they chat, Noah begins a flirtation with one of Charlie’s buddies, the stoic lawyer Will (Conrad Ricamora). Unfortunately, his pal Conner (Nick Adams) is a relentless “blocker” trying to break up the two “possible” pairings. So, will he stand in the way of cupid’s arrow? Or will the rich guys lose interest when they find out that Noah and Howie aren’t part of the “one percent”?

An energetic young cast helps put a new spin on the old “rom-com” tropes. Booster (what an apropos name for his character’s best quality) brings much warmth and intelligence to Noah, a real twist on the “experienced” protagonist (oh, it may help that he also wrote the script). He never backs down, especially when his “family” is derided. You could say this his best pal is somewhat of a “little bro” as Noah devotes himself to the pessimistic Howie, played with great knowing and often caustic wit by the gifted Yang. He’s been doing really solid work as an SNL regular over the last few years (and even gets in a couple of affectionate “digs” at his “day job” here). And although he frequently affects a look of “irregularity” when thwarted, he still becomes the viewers’ main rooting interest. Plus he effortlessly grabs the laughs, while two of his cohorts, Rogers and Tomas, are truly working up a sweat as the exhaustingly flamboyant comic relief tag-team of Luke and Keegan. Unfortunately, this doesn’t give Miller as Max much to do other than be a fussy straight (well, not that much…) man to their over-the-top antics. Cho is an excellent matriarch to all of them, offering some sage advice and healing hugs. As for the new suitors, Scully does his best as the often bland and oblivious “prize catch” Charly (manipulated by too many pursuers), while Ricamora as Will as the smoldering enigma that haunts Noah, though it’s tough to imagine them actually becoming “exclusive” away from their “fantasy island”.

Director Andrew Ahn cranky the freaky fun vibe well past “eleven” for the majority of the tale, giving it a bouncy celebratory feel (these aren’t THE BOYS IN THE BAND). Guilt and shame don’t dock here, unlike many similar tales in cinema’s history. And though they’re certainly older than the college crowds of similar “vacation romance tales” they barely take a breather in their quest for fun and “frolics” (an alternative title could be WHERE THE BOYS ARE…getting very busy). And though the frequent displays of rippling biceps can be distracting (they must’ve had barbells just off-camera range). it’s the affection and, well, brotherhood that really makes this an engaging, often frothy, tale of love’s many near misses. But while Cupid’s aim may not be swift and straight, it hits the target with heart-piercing accuracy. And what tries to squelch the fires of passion? Surprisingly it’s social ‘class clashes” that can scuttle the “love boat”, as some of the fellows believe money can make a “maybe mate” “out of their league. It’s an interesting spin when of many pleasant twists and turns to be discovered amongst the martinis and thongs littering the beaches of FIRE ISLAND.

3 out of 4

FIRE ISLAND is now streaming exclusively on Hulu

SUBLET (2020) – Review

June, when it’s not “bustin’ out all over” is vacation time, so break out of your rut and fly away to exotic places. Or maybe just watch someone else do that at the ole’ multiplex (yeah, not quite ready for the “far away vacay'”, myself). Yes, that “someone”, the story’s main character, truly needs to “shake things up”. He’s a middle-aged American writer who’s dealing with a “rough patch’ in his relationship. And since he writes travel articles, what better excuse for a “change of scenery”. Could he be bound for a pacific island, sipping one of those umbrella drinks as the sand squishes between his toes?. Or even south of the border, at a swanky resort. You’re not even close. His preferred sand is over in Israel. And rather than indulging in a fancy five-star hotel, he’s brokered a sweet deal on a SUBLET.

We first meet fifty-something writer Michael (John Benjamin Hickey) as his New York to Tel Aviv jet reaches its destination. A friendly cab driver zips him through the crowded city streets and deposits him at the front of a walk-up apartment in one of the “trendiest” neighborhoods. His arrival surprises the owner of the apartment that Michael has sublet for the next five days. Twenty-something aspiring filmmaker Tomer (Niv Nissim) has mixed up his dates and hurriedly tries to “straighten up” and gather a few things in order to “crash” at a friend’s place. Later Michael has a strained video chat with his partner back in the states, David (Peter Spears) before a restless night (seems he’s got to take several of the medications in his daily “pill organizer”). When Tomer returns for a few items, Michael suggests that he just stay and sleep on the couch. Over the next few days, Tomer becomes Michael’s guide to the city, exploring the bars and the beach. The elder tourist is taken aback by the young man’s strong opinions and free-wheeling lifestyle. He rejects “labels” though “sexually fluid” could apply to his nighttime proclivities. He can work up a sweat at the disco with his “movie muse”, interpretive dancer Daria (Lihi Kornowski) before sharing his bed with her. And the next night, Michael is stunned when Tomer “orders in” a hunky stud for the evening’s entertainment. Although their “generation gap” sparks many heated discussions, the two slowly begin to bond, especially after a special Israeli dinner fixed by Tomer’s mother Maika (Miki Kam) at her home in the Kibbutz. Somehow these men are forming a friendship, but could it develop into something much deeper?

Stage and screen vet Hickey brings the right amount of weary gravitas and sense of longing to his lead role as Michael. Though he could easily drift into listless melancholy he brings a real dignity to this scribe who has seen (and had) better days. Hickey seems more revitalized as the story progresses, showing us how these new locations and influences are pulling Michael out of his emotional quagmire. By the final act, he’s more participant than a remorseful observer. He’s a good contrast to the energetic “shot out of a cannon” Nissim as the swaggering hedonistic Tomer. At first caustic and abrasive, Nissim reveals his character’s growing empathy, as Michael’s kindness erodes his bravado. He’s learning to care about others, especially those who have been around a lot longer than himself. Kornowski projects an ethereal vibe as the whirling dervish dancing queen. Spears, though confined to his computer screen, draws us in as the lover who just can’t pull his partner out of the fog. And Kam offers a spirited take on her “Earth mother’ role as the welcoming matriarch.

Director Eytan Fox, working from the screenplay he co-wrote with Itay Segal, has crafted an interesting take on a subset of the romantic travel movie genre. We’ve seen countless versions of the repressed heroine acquiring a voracious appetite for life as she finds a new love (often a younger suitor) while exploring unfamiliar locales. In the golden age, it was NOW VOYAGER, SUMMERTIME, and THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE to the more recent HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK and EAT PRAY LOVE. But when it’s a male lead, the tale is mainly told for laughs as in BLAME IT ON RIO, LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON, and 10. The dramatic intent works for much of the film, but the final act revelations and emotional climax feel a bit forced and rushed. A sequence involving some painful whimsical improved “puppetry” is jarringly clunky. Plus Tomer’s taunting attitude never quite elevates his role beyond the fantasy, passionate exotic “object of forbidden desire”.The Tel Aviv locations are lovingly photographed by Daniel Miller, making it an often interesting travelogue. Unfortunately, none of the city’s vibrant color seeps into the perplexing bond between the two main characters. SUBLET isn’t subpar, but it’s not as engaging as it should be.

2 Out of 4

SUBLET opens in select theatres everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas beginning Friday, June 11, 2021.

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY – Review

 

 

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is award-winning British independent film, a romantic drama set in a windswept rural landscape of northern England, where a young gay man struggles with working the family farm and angrily drifts through life, until an immigrant arrives as a temporary hired hand and changes the young farmer’s view on life. In this contemporary film set in the sheep farming area of rural northern England, GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is a tale of self-discovery and unexpected love.

The film, the first from writer/director Francis Lee, debuted at Sundance in 2017 and was well received at other film festivals, winning awards for the film, its script and lead actor Josh O’Connor. It is being released in theaters in Britain on Jan. 29 but it is available in the U.S. on Blu-ray, DVD and digitally starting the same day from Lionsgate and Picturehouse Entertainment.

Johnny Saxby (Josh O’Connor from THE DURRELLS) resents his life of constant routine, tending to the family farm on his own since his father Martin became disabled while his grandmother Deidre cares for him. At night, Johnny gets drunk at the local pub and engages in casual sex. It is hard to tell if Johnny is a teen or young adult in his hoodie, driving a 4-wheeler to care for the cows, and getting drunk in town every night. Johnny gets the work done, but his grandmother scolds him in the morning about the drinking and his partly disabled dad criticizes him about how he does the chores. There is a sense of anger and resentment among all the family members who nonetheless know they need each other to run the farm.

When dad tells Johnny he has hired an immigrant as a temporary worker during lambing season. it is one more thing for Johnny to resent. When he picks up the hired hand, Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu), at the bus station, Johnny is surly and he quizzes him about where he’s from. When the polite newcomer says Romania, Johnny promptly calls him a Gypsy, not a promising start. Later, when the two men are sent off a remote part of the farm to work with the lambs being born, things change.

The immigrant changes the life of young Johnny but not because he discovers he is gay – he already knows that, as well as some friends in the village, and no one seems to pay much attention to that. The casual sex he has is with other young men, but he makes no emotional connection with them. He really connects emotionally with no one. When he runs into an old school friend outside the pub where he gets drunk nightly, a woman who has left for college but is back on break, he resists her friendly invitation to join her and friends, a conversation indicates she knows he’s gay. When he refused, she says he used to be fun but Johnny snarls that was before he had to deal with the real world.

No, it is not his sexuality that Johnny discovers but love and a grown-up perspective. What the newcomer changes for Johnny is his view of his life, breaking him out of prolonged adolescence and letting him grow up and take charge of his life as adult, one who can meet responsibilities as well as have control of his life’s direction. It is the kind of life-changing experience that finding love can be for anyone, gay or straight.

 

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is two films, in a way. On one hand, this film is a beautiful romance, full of sweeping vistas and two attractive people falling in love, like any love story, just that this couple happen to be gay. On the other hand, it is a voyage of self-discovery, a kind of coming-of-age story, in which a young man helping his aging family begins to see what he is doing from an adult’s rather than child’s viewpoint, seeing his situation with new eyes. The way that story is resolved is refreshing, because it has Johnny taking on a new role rather than just leaving and running away to a new life, as many films do. Instead, the immigrant helps him see what he already has and changes the whole picture for everyone.

Beautiful photography of a brooding, windswept landscape, which is showcased in several scenes. The gorgeous scenery is one reason to see this film. An attractive cast is another reason, and there are a few gay sex scenes and frontal male nudity.

The acting is strong. Josh O’Connor is the main focus but all four primary cast members creating rounded and ultimately sympathetic characters. We learn less about Gheorghe than Johnny but we do sense a gentleness and a sadness in him. He also grew up on a farm, and enjoys the work but something changed that forced him to leave. Gheorghe treats the animals with an affection and concern Johnny does not always show towards them, at least at first. Asked if he will go back home, Gheorghe says no, and adds “My country’s dead. You can’t throw a rock in most towns without hitting an old lady crying for her children who have gone.” It is a poignant moment.

One difficulty some American audiences might have is understanding the thick northern English accents, but generally the meaning of scenes comes through, even if you do not catch every word. The DVD and Blu-ray include some extras, deleted scenes or extended scenes from the film as well as the trailer.

GOD’S OWN COUNTRY is a film that exceeds the expectations of just a gay romance in a windswept, ruggedly romantic location, by offering fine performances and a touching tale of self-discovery.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME – Review

(l-r) Armie Hammer as Oliver and Timothee Chalamet as Elio, in director Luca Guadagnino’s CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics ©

Director Luca Guadagnino explores coming-of-age and gay attraction in earlier, less-open times in Italy, in CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. The film is the third in the Italian director’s “Desire” trilogy, following 2009’s I AM LOVE and 2015’s A BIGGER SPLASH. Once again, Guadagnino explores passion in a beautiful Mediterranean setting.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME takes place in the summer of 1983 in scenic Lombardy, Italy, where 17-year-old American Elio Perlman (French actor Timothee Chalamet). Like all teens, he thinks of the tiny town where his family lives as impossibly dull, even though he and his parents (Michael Stuhlbarg and Amira Casar) live in a 17th-century villa in an idyllic setting. His archaeology professor father always has a graduate student as a summer intern who lives with them. This year, it is tall, blonde and handsome Oliver (Armie Hammer). Thus begins a summer of discovery and exploration of sexual awakening that changes both their lives.

Gorgeously photographed in sunny Italy, young Elio and handsome Oliver bicycle around the beautiful countryside, visit the seashore to see newly-discovered Greek statues, and explore the quaint town. Mostly, they go swimming, with Elio’s friends or on their own, which gives us a plenty of chances to see beautiful bodies.

Basically, this film a coming-of-age film and a gay romance (it should be no spoiler to say that) set in an earlier, more restrictive time for same-sex attraction. Awakening passion and figuring out one’s identity are themes. Both the Perlmans and Oliver are Jewish but Elio describes his family as kind of secret Jews, not drawing attention to their identity in heavily Catholic Italy. On the other hand, Oliver proudly wears a Star of David on a chain around his neck. His openness about his Jewish identity intrigues Elio but no sooner does the film raise the issue of Jewish identity than it drops it, returning to the topic only in a final scene. Instead, it is sexual identity that is the focus of this story.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME has garnered a lot of praise from critics but it seems to this reviewer to offer less than the director’s previous two films in this trilogy. It certainly is a lovely romantic fantasy but it delivers less on the deeper subjects at which it hints. The film’s best moment comes late in the film, when Michael Stuhlbarg, as Elio’s professor father, gives a remarkable soliloquy that sums up some of those themes.

Still, Timothee Chalamet turns in a marvelous performance as Elio. Chalamet, who was also wonderful in LADY BIRD this year, shows Elio struggling with conflicted feelings about who he is, exploring sexuality with a girl (Esther Garrel) while also being attracted to handsome Oliver. Meanwhile, Armie Hammer gives a far-less satisfying performance. Hammer looks too old for a graduate student in his early to mid-twenties, and seems too self-assured as well. Hammer certainly looks good but he does little to really present Oliver as anything other than an idealized Adonis. Armie Hammer’s leaden performance tends to weigh down the whole film, as pretty as he is.

CALL BY YOUR NAME is a visually stunning film and a romantic tale of forbidden love, framed by the beauty of youthful bodies and picturesque Italian countryside, but not quite as complex or intriguing as the previous two films in Guadagnino’s desire series.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars