Is this technically a gay show? Even after getting through the whole thing, that's still kind of tricky to answer. There's never any physical intimacy shown between the two leads, not even a single kiss. What it gives you instead is something that goes way deeper than that. It traces an emotional bond that spans a full decade between two guys who are both dealing with their own baggage, and what they share basically amounts to being soulmates. The story moves across Japan, South Korea, and Berlin. Honestly, whether people want to call what they have a romantic relationship or not doesn't really matter to me. A relationship doesn't need a label like boyfriends attached to it to actually mean something. And closeness doesn't need to be physical to feel genuine. What this show captures is something quieter but way more powerful, a bond rooted in understanding, respect, and just showing up for each other. Across eight episodes, each running 35 to 45 minutes, this is one...
High schooler Joe and his sister Theresa live with their mostly drunk and irresponsible mother and work in a local store. Joe's best friend Andrew forms the trio who is an expert is stealing stuff from store. Joe has loved Andrew for a while now but is in closet. The duo once make a day travel together with their respective girlfriends, but neither of them is interested in sexual advances. When Andrew's girlfriend pushes, she figures that he maybe gay and accuses him to have a relationship with Joe. To not reveal his secret, she asks him to have sex with Joe so she can watch. In the meantime, there is a sequence where Joe seduces his French teacher in local toilets to get good grades in school. The two best friends, who now sort of are out one another becomes good gay friends and lovers. They visit gay clubs and have some incidents there with drugs and other patrons but the friends are there for each other. Joe, meanwhile is working for an older artist as a model, who randomly dies and leaves enough money for Joe to join art school. The film ends with Joe and Andrew wrapped in each other's arms sitting beside the water, with their future looking about as bright as it ever has since we joined them in "Vacationland".
Firstly, how can you have some easily 25 plus year old fully grown males, play 17-18 years old. It's just not convincing from any angle. Their gradual self discovery of sexuality and their love for each other is nicely established bu the film is marred by way too many sub plots. Sister Theresa wanting to leave the town, Joe's childhood trauma, irresponsible mother, Andrew encountering a gay man multiple times, Joe being hassled by a drag queen eventually bleeding on a beach etc. None of these made any sense and were just not developed enough in this seemingly very long movie of almost 105 minutes. The film has nothing going for it. The actors look good but thats it. There is no plot of sorts, production quality is bare minimum where most of the times one has to imagine that the charters are either at home, or store or even a gay club (which has less than 5 people in it). Joe's character is also not clear. One minute you see him manipulating his teacher, and seducing a drunk sleepy Andrew, but hen he is also caring for the older artist and also seriously in love with Andrew. The movie doesn't necessarily need a plot beyond watching the main characters experience growth except I didn't really see that in this film. (2.5/10)
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