Again, the gay movies at the Palm Springs Film Festival that I saw – cause there were others.
Basic Idea: Comedy about European lovers who are separated and must go through lots of zany plot twists to eventually get back together again. Director: Mikael Buch
The Good:
- It’s a farce, and as such, constructed pretty well with engaging and attractive characters
- Nicolas Maury, who plays Ruben, is great at physical comedy in the tradition that goes back to Buster Keaton – a joy to watch
- Carmen Maura – isn’t any movie with Ms. Maura worth watching just for that?
- The overall message of the film is pro-tolerance – and affirmation of a family’s love for their gay son.
- at 80 minutes, a good length for a comedy like this
The Bad:
- Not enough of Teemu (Jarrku Niemi), Ruben’s Finnish boyfriend, who is adorable but absent for much of the film
- I couldn’t think of anything else I didn’t like!
Family Values: This Dutch film by Job Gosschalk about the lives and loves of two siblings shows what really holds a family together, and it has nothing to do with sexual orientation.
The Good:
- I enjoyed the melodrama plot construction – it started out one way, and you thought it was going to be about one thing and then it made a major switch (also see The Bad)
- Intergenerational gay relationship! That works! Hello!
- The inclusion of friends to form families of choice
- Character flaws are to be expected, and that adds to what makes us interesting rather than disqualifying us from this or that relationship
The Bad:
- The movie starts out to be one thing – a relationship movie, and turns into something else – a cancer movie! (get out those tissues now, folks)
- Perhaps an unrealistic depiction of a cancer patient’s suffering and treatment