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...
The story is simple. Adrian and Sebastian are Colombian immigrants living together in New York. Living an open life with their friends and work colleagues, their world is rocked when Sebastian’s visa is rejected and they face having to return to Colombia. Sebastian is open to the idea since he can have a much better career but Adrian is not out to his family and that has always been a bone of contention between the two guys. Fearful of having to return to their home, where their sexuality isn’t accepted, the couple enter into discussions to try and find a way to stay in New York. With nothing off limits, the couple tries getting odd jobs for Sebastian and discussions with multiple friends over a marriage of convenience for green card. But all these discussions put their relationship to test as they disagree over how to achieve their ultimate goal.
The beginning of the film is a window to the couple's life. They have sex, make breakfast, wash dishes, jog, shower together, and hold hands walking down the street. Adrian and Sebastian share an electric chemistry, feeling like an authentic couple with a long history. They have built a life together in New York City. They have a strong circle of friends. Only disagreement between them is about Adrian not going out to his parents. But this gap keeps widening and we even see a physical distance, which was done beautifully. All these odd solutions are not working for Sebastian and he is open to the idea of moving back, which is not even a consideration that Adrian wants to discuss. Adrian is shown to take charge and expects Sebastian to just follow his lead, which is hat he has been doing but Sebastian finally sees the things they are. Adrian tries to come out to his parents, but he can't bring himself to do it. Their disconnection and anger with each other overwhelm so they can't even share the same frame. We see two very strong-willed characters who, although they are in love with one another, have a complete inability to be able to communicate and listen to one another. The two actors act really well, but the biggest frustration arises to me as an audience because I don't se a resolution. Sebastian moves back to Columbia and we see Adrian making a trip there too, but what is the eventuality for them is a big question. Also after a while in the film things start getting repetitive. You have to see really close as to what is being tried to show is the widening gap between the very loving couple because of the immigration and visa issue.
The film compassionately tries to convey the struggles of immigrants and queer people, and how a couple tries to navigate through the challenges, but it falls a little short of making that very important statement. (6/10)
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