This one took me by surprise. In general, I try to stay away from films that mix gay subject matters with violence as the outcome is always the same: It's the gay psychos that need to be locked up. From a cinematic point of view, this particular film is a lesson in how to tell a story. The audience is constantly lead along and played with by the secret one of the sons has. And every time you think you've figured it out, it takes another turn. It takes time to put the puzzle together, but in the meantime it keeps you interested in the story.
The story is complicated by all too human behavior among the protagonists. How does a father feel about his sons? How do the sons relate to their father? Do the sons respect each other? Can past mistakes be corrected? Can prejudices be overcome? While the film does not give you a patent answer for the above questions, it makes you think and, maybe, appreciate what is happening on the screen. What is being told here has happened in millions of families (under different circumstances, of course) and, I fear, will continue to happen for times to come.
The acting is precise and to the point. No excuse is made for any of the characters' behavior. No effort is made to make any of the characters look better than the other. It's five men interacting, each with a different agenda, but sometimes the agendas seem to overlap, and that's what makes this story so interesting. This cannot be put off as just another film with a gay subject matter. There is much more to it, and, maybe, some people will recognize themselves. In times when gay and lesbian lifestyles are so prominently discussed, this film is mandatory viewing for everybody.
There is some hideous violence in this film, but it is secondary (if one can say that about violence). It develops and becomes inevitable out of the circumstances. If left alone nobody would have resorted to physical violence. It's the situation which makes it possible and, perhaps, necessary. Psychological violence - that is another story!
The story is complicated by all too human behavior among the protagonists. How does a father feel about his sons? How do the sons relate to their father? Do the sons respect each other? Can past mistakes be corrected? Can prejudices be overcome? While the film does not give you a patent answer for the above questions, it makes you think and, maybe, appreciate what is happening on the screen. What is being told here has happened in millions of families (under different circumstances, of course) and, I fear, will continue to happen for times to come.
The acting is precise and to the point. No excuse is made for any of the characters' behavior. No effort is made to make any of the characters look better than the other. It's five men interacting, each with a different agenda, but sometimes the agendas seem to overlap, and that's what makes this story so interesting. This cannot be put off as just another film with a gay subject matter. There is much more to it, and, maybe, some people will recognize themselves. In times when gay and lesbian lifestyles are so prominently discussed, this film is mandatory viewing for everybody.
There is some hideous violence in this film, but it is secondary (if one can say that about violence). It develops and becomes inevitable out of the circumstances. If left alone nobody would have resorted to physical violence. It's the situation which makes it possible and, perhaps, necessary. Psychological violence - that is another story!