Re-watching Yen Tan’s ‘Pit Stop’ ….. undoubtably one of the best gay movies this year …. prompted me to take another of the movies that he helmed in 2008 as that too has a remarkably touching romance that also, for very different reasons, is not destined to last for long‘Ciao’ starts with Jeff coping with the sudden death of his best friend Mark, and having to putting all his affairs in order. As he is routing through he uncovers the fact that Mark had been conducting an online intimate relationship with a web designer from Genova called Andrea. Not only had it been going on for some considerable time but had reached a point where Andrea was about to come to Dallas to visit for the first time.
Jeff’s initial response is to email Andrea and break the sad news and head him off, but on reflection, he writes to the Italian a second time and encourages him to keep to his plans after all.
When they meet they gradually realize that they both have enjoyed different aspects of Mark, and very gradually it is the strength of their mutual attraction to Mark that triggers some chemistry between them both. On the surface they seem an unlike pair. Jeff is a quiet reserved Banker who is not the type to express his inner feelings …… he in fact had a crush on Mark that he never revealed although Mark had worked out and had told Andrea about. The Italian however is more open and expressive and ready to share his most intimate thoughts with this shy reticent Texan.
This very gentle story that may or may not mark the start of something for these two strangers unwinds at a nice slow pace, and with its wee kick at the end neatly avoids a convienent and predictable end. What adds to my admiration of the piece is that is co-written by Alessandrio Calza who also plays Andrea, and both he and co-star Adam Neal Smith (Jeff) are not professional actors yet give beautiful and compelling performances (not often the case in low budget indies like this).
Director Tan described it as ‘the birth of a relationship upon the death of another’, and that’s the same theme that he uses in a totally different manner, years later in ‘Pit Stop’. Refreshing to see the story of mature relationship that doesn’t need to have either the usual cinematic gay stereotypes or even full on nudity to succeed as well as it does.
So worth while revisiting.
Available on DVD
