This is the second vertical AI BL drama I've sat through, and honestly I went in knowing better. I had it on while I was doing cardio at the gym, and what struck me was just how much the plot echoed the last one I watched. Same step brother romance angle, same mystery girlfriend showing up near the end, same extra guy pining after one of the leads. Genuinely the only thing going for it was the runtime, the whole thing wrapped up in forty five minutes flat. The setup kicks off with Finn moving schools because his mom just married into money. He finds out his new step brother Aiden goes to the same place, and he's warned to keep his distance from him. Their first run in at school is rocky, just like you'd expect, but there's this odd pull between them neither can shake off. Finn keeps telling himself not to read into it because Aiden's straight and openly homophobic. Things shift when some kids start bullying Finn and the student council president, Ryan, steps in to ...
Marvin as a young boy is an outsider. He is bullied for acting like a fag and even his home atmosphere is not condusive for him to be himself. Alcoholic father and an indifferent mother makes his life not easy. Told us in non-chronological order, we put pieces together of various events in Marvin's life. A chance meeting at school with drsama teacher brings new zest in his life as he proceeds to acting and enjoys it. A regional drama academy comes next, where he enrolls to study after growing up. Marvin meets a visiting author Abel, whose book sounds very similar to his own life and becomes friends with him and his partner Pierre and moves to Paris, where they are his support system. Another crucial encounter for Marvin is meeting a wealthy older gay man who takes Marvin under his wings who introduces him to Isabelle Huppert. The wealthy man dies but Marvin develops a bond with Isabelle, who becomes his support and the duo act in a stage play that makes Marvin popular.
LIke I said, not showing the film in a chronological order makes this film a hodgepodge. It blends emotions with uncomfortable stabs at kitchen-sink drama and blissful scenes of sexual healing. The film is too long and it makes you a bit impatient and you wonder where is this actually heading. Marvin's childhood stories feel repetitive after a while and it fails to create the necessary impact. On a huge positive side, both actors playing young and adult Marvin are brilliant. They are a big saving grace, that keeps you slightly hooked into the narrative. Its supposed to be an emotional different coming-of-age story but its way too experimental and too long for me. The “reinventing” theme is weak. Of course, college is where you reinvent yourself. But Marvin hasn’t reinvented himself as such: he was always gay, that’s why he was bullied and now he has come out.
I am sure most critics will see this a masterpiece work of art and something that needs to be cherished but as an ordinary viewer this time, this film did not work for me. (4/10)
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