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Being at Home with Claude (Canadian French)

This one falls into that darker corner of gay cinema. There was real potential buried in here, but the execution feels so flat that at points it plays out more like a filmed stage play than an actual movie. It's a dark psychological drama built around a street hustler confessing to a brutal, confusing murder of his own lover. Black and white flashback sequences do a solid job laying out the details of what happened, but the real focus stays on the dialogue and the writing itself. Right at the start, a young hustler has already killed his male lover Claude. Three days go by before he calls the police to turn himself in for the murder. But instead of just reporting it somewhere ordinary, he actually summons the police and the local press directly into a judge's private chambers. Yves has keys to the place, which tracks given what he does for a living, but having the press waiting right outside makes the whole scene look like some elaborate blackmail scheme against the judge. The ...

Juste une Question d'Amour (French) [Just a Question of Love]

I saw this movie again primarily for 2 reasons. First of course I had to put it on my blog, second because I remembered that it was one of the best movies I had seen. After having seen so many of gay movies over past few years, I still like it; maybe not as much as I did the first time but still one of the very good films made.

Laurent lives with his parents. His cousin recently died of HIV and he was gay. His uncle's family totally despised him and that is the reason Laurent is afraid to come out to his parents. He lives with his girlfriend Carole who is happy to pose as her girlfriend for the parents sake. Because of all this , his grade in school is getting low. They are so poor that e is instructed to do an internship in field agriculture to raise his academic standing under his tutor Cédric. He lives an openly gay life with his warmly understanding and loving mother Emma in a garden setting that also serves as Cédric's agricultural research lab. Though instantly attracted to each other, Laurent maintains his closeted life until Cédric reveals his affection: the two become happy, passionate lovers. All goes well until Cédric insists that Laurent be in an open relationship, a state that would demand that Laurent inform his parents of his preferences. Laurent fears that he will be treated like his cousin so he is afraid to tell his parents because they mean so much to him. This is when Emma thinks to interfere and she goes and tells Laurent's parents. How the parents deal with this trauma, how Laurent in the end becomes comfortable in who he is and still manages to keep his parents love is worth watching and heart rendering.

The relationship between the 2 guys is so loving and refreshing, it reminds you of your love. As a viewer you feel as if you're right there, actually sharing their fun, excitement and joy in discovering sex and love with each other. Needless to say that they are easy on eyes too. The film still strike a chord after 2nd viewing. Even the parents are very real I love the scene when Emma walks in unannounced on the boys and Cedric is all too cool about it.

Definitely worth a watch. One of the good ones. (8/10)

Comments

ceridwen said…
I loved this movie too. Anyway just a correction. His cousin didn't die of HIV, but from leukemia or something like that. It was kind of important because his own parents believe he died of HIV and therefore that "he died because he was gay". They were so blinded by their hatred of him being gay they didn't even know how their own son died.
Golu said…
Thanks for correcting. I am surprised I missed this important details.
Unknown said…
Actually you are both wrong ;-) he died of acute hepatitis.
Hedgehog said…
I love this movie. The chemistry between laurent and cedric is believable. I just don’t think emma has the right to out laurent to his parents.
Golu said…
100% echo to your sentiments
I had already watched this movie years ago and it was a delight to watch it again. The actors are brilliant, there's an absolute chemistry between them, and non natives will probably never be able to know how good the dialogues are indeed.
Your review is just perfect and gives this movie the credit it deserves.
Golu said…
Appreciate your kind words.

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