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 ...
Robert is a young idealistic young detective who is out in charge of a high profile rich man's murder case. When they realize that this person was probably gay or at least slept with men, things take a turn. His partner, who rules with an iron fist, makes a guy confess for the murder who eventually is conveniently dead in the prison cell later, just so the case can be closed. Robert is supposed to get married to his beautiful girlfriend, a fellow militia. Meanwhile, his father, who holds a string position, is paving way for him to be a high ranking officer. Unsatisfied with how the investigation of this high profile murder happened, Robert goes on his own investigation and meets a young gay man Arek. Arek knows more than he leads on to, and soon Robert starts finding himself getting attracted to the man. This doesn't go down well with his father for even his girlfriend. As it turns out, its the high ranking officers in the military who are trying to sabotage the case before there are pictures and video of a big gay orgy at a villa where a lot of this young men and high profile men were present and the cops are trying to cover up and help each other. The way Robert struggles with his own demons and family while showing his care for Arek forms the crux of the story.
The film draws you in from the every first scene with its amazing cinematography and a very layered plot. Peel by peel, layers come out and you are trying to figure out what's happening. The murders, the secrets, the investigation and even just understanding how until in the 80's how the communist countries were having a crackdown at LGBT community. Some may feel that he film moves slow, but Think it was perfect. The setting, the mood and the plot and acting. Everything was spot on. You could feel the pain and struggle of Robert, a young idealist who wants to do the right thing but also understands the limitation of his country. He loves Arek but also can't be openly gay. What would it mean for his family, his parents and he himself! The way he goes investigating the whole thing is amazing and creates some good moments of tension. People like Robert may feel that they are freed of oppression but there is a whole set of people out there who feel otherwise. People may think its a bit cliche to have a straight man question his sexuality after meeting a charming gay man, but look at the film for its gritty mystery and deeper theme of a man struggling to create a life on his own terms.
This film is an absolute must watch for the plot, the story, an amazing lead performance by Robert, his chemistry with Arek and his integrity for his family and see how life may or may not have changed still for LGBT folks in countries like Poland. It is probably still not the smartest decision to make a story like this from Poland, but thanks to Netflix, more and more people worldwide will have an opportunity to watch good cinema. (8.5/10)
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