This one's a beautiful, tender, quiet romantic drama with a moody atmosphere, set in a tight knit Welsh fishing community. It's a touching story about a man waking up sexually in the middle of his life, and how he, his family, and everyone around him deal with it, which makes it emotional and sentimental without ever getting over the top. The slow burn plays out against a landscape that's as bleak as it is gorgeous, where quiet, closed off men are stuck inside rigid ideas of what masculinity should be. Some people might be reminded of "God's Own Country," but I think both films are lovely in their own way. Jack is a middle aged guy who co-owns a mussel farm with his rough around the edges brother Dyfan, and the tension between the two of them is simmering under the surface right from the start. Dyfan's three sons all help out with the work, while Jack's sulky teenage son Tom keeps skipping out. Jack's been with his wife since they were both 16, and...
For most of us gays, a gay sauna is not an unfamiliar term. But outside the community, not many may be aware of its existence, let alone what happens inside a gay sauna, commonly also known as “gentlemen’s relaxation zone”. People can tell you whatever stories, but men usually visit these sauna for one and only one motive; sex. Yes there are showers, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room but there are also dark rooms, sleeping rooms, porn room, glory holes, sling room and what not !! The documentary follows the gay couple John & Joe who run CS2 and who have been in an open relationship ever since they can remember. They also do not remember when was the last time they both had sex with each other. To make it more sappy, we are also witnessed to one of them proposing to the other for a wedding (which for me was clearly for the sake of this documentary). We also meet Narvel, man in his late 60s who is pretty much addicted to sauna and the idea of casual random sex. We also hear his partner’s views who has never been into saunas. Over the course of this 50 minute documentary, we will find out that for John and Joe, ‘owning a sauna is a lifestyle choice. They both are more than happy to mix business with pleasure’. We also meet the cleaner who has been working there for 6 years and happens to be a straight man. He doesn’t have anything against gay men but at the same time he is quite uncomfortable admitting to anyone that he works in a gay sauna.
The title sounds more titilating and raunchy but the documentary is not. It takes you inside sauna, walks you through the premise and shows us perspectives of owners, workers/cleaners and of one of the frequent visitors of the place. As a gay viewer, nothing may seem new information to you but the documentary may (just may) succeed in shocking some people in what actually happens inside a gay sauna. (4.5/10)
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