For the ‘NY Times’ to review a ‘gay’ movie is far too rare an occurrence but when A.O Scott, its senior Critic, goes one step further and gives one a rave review, then you know that that this is no ordinary film.
This wee British movie that went on to be a multi-award winner was shot over two weeks and as the title suggests, it all takes place over a weekend. After hanging out with his straight couple of friends on a Friday night a somewhat shy Russell (Tom Cullen) goes cruising in a gay club. He wakes up the next morning in bed with Glen (Chris New) who is much more outgoing and seemingly more comfortable with being gay than Russell is. Glen, an artist, pulls out a tape recorder and interviews Russell about last night (which we never got to see) and thus starts a dialogue between the two men about who they are, and what they want.
Their conversation continues over the weekend, and although assertive Glen differs on so many levels from Russell who has a more cautious approach to life, the passion of their separate convictions never give way to argument and in fact, serve to draw them closer together.As their ‘date’ lasts into the next day, Glen drops the bombshell that he is about to emigrate to the US in the morning and so this is it. Or is it?
Totally refreshing on so many levels, the movie succeeds because of the intense chemistry between the two superb actors who give such sympathetic and convincing performances as the lovers. The fact that writer/director Andrew Haigh cast attractive (and somewhat hairy) ordinary men and not conventionally handsome muscle boys, and that he set the whole piece in a commonplace suburb in the Midlands, added so much more credibility to the whole movie.
Good gay romances of this high caliber are few and far between, and as this one steered clear from writing a more ‘convenient’ ending, made it that more special.
Mr Scott finished his review in the NY Times by saying ‘it is one of the most satisfying love stories you are likely to see on screen this year’. High praise indeed that we are more than happy to concur with.
Labels: 2011, British, drama, gay, gritty, ground-breaking, romance
