The story revolves around two men who happen upon a chance meeting. Jesus and Christ. As the relationship develops we see the attraction from two opposite extremes. Jesus, the well groomed student with the absentee father and domineering mother and Christ, the pensive artistic survivor with no consistent support system, who seems to be living on the street.
The film begins with scenes of Christ suffering a harsh childhood. He never got over the loss of his mother; the one comforting memory he had left from a history of violence and sexual abuse. Jesus lives the opposite extreme with a judgmental and overbearing mother, who is very condescending of Christ's appearance and lifestyle. Never having to suffer such neglect or rejection, he admires Christ's resolve, a key dynamic in his attraction to him.
In some ways both men become "saviors". As Christ walks the streets and shows kindness among the "unclean" of Cuban society, Jesus become Christ's friend and pillar of strength. Christ is an angry young man. He wears it like a badge, never complacent to anyone's expectations. His love affair with Jesus becomes a positive encounter in his life to pacify his anger and sadness. And as if a crucifixion was eminent, the plot builds to its foreshadowed ending after a casual altercation with a troublemaker occurs.
The production quality was rich. The interior sets were lit like Caravaggio paintings, with at least one referencing his painting of St. Jerome. The Biblical metaphors were nicely handled, even revisiting Jesus Christ Superstar for a fleeting moment or two. The preparation of the 'last supper' and the mysterious person in black that appears in two of the scenes were perfectly subtle.
An almost operatic comparison is made to the sacrificial lamb as the plot comes to an end, when the tormented soul of Cristo is finally put to rest. Jesus arrives barely in time to see his lover's murder take place as Cristo tragically dies in the arms of his own savior.
Questions of identity in metamodern society are constantly emerging. With more tolerance comes more differentiation. A question: Is how we respect, define and celebrate our differences not what sets us apart to begin with? Are those efforts to be politically correct and tolerant, or accepting of different lifestyles, not the same efforts that will ultimately keep us divided? When will our "Gay" friends, or "Muslim" friends or "Black" friends finally become, just our friends?
E.J. Wickes/Cult Critic/CICFF
The film begins with scenes of Christ suffering a harsh childhood. He never got over the loss of his mother; the one comforting memory he had left from a history of violence and sexual abuse. Jesus lives the opposite extreme with a judgmental and overbearing mother, who is very condescending of Christ's appearance and lifestyle. Never having to suffer such neglect or rejection, he admires Christ's resolve, a key dynamic in his attraction to him.
In some ways both men become "saviors". As Christ walks the streets and shows kindness among the "unclean" of Cuban society, Jesus become Christ's friend and pillar of strength. Christ is an angry young man. He wears it like a badge, never complacent to anyone's expectations. His love affair with Jesus becomes a positive encounter in his life to pacify his anger and sadness. And as if a crucifixion was eminent, the plot builds to its foreshadowed ending after a casual altercation with a troublemaker occurs.
The production quality was rich. The interior sets were lit like Caravaggio paintings, with at least one referencing his painting of St. Jerome. The Biblical metaphors were nicely handled, even revisiting Jesus Christ Superstar for a fleeting moment or two. The preparation of the 'last supper' and the mysterious person in black that appears in two of the scenes were perfectly subtle.
An almost operatic comparison is made to the sacrificial lamb as the plot comes to an end, when the tormented soul of Cristo is finally put to rest. Jesus arrives barely in time to see his lover's murder take place as Cristo tragically dies in the arms of his own savior.
Questions of identity in metamodern society are constantly emerging. With more tolerance comes more differentiation. A question: Is how we respect, define and celebrate our differences not what sets us apart to begin with? Are those efforts to be politically correct and tolerant, or accepting of different lifestyles, not the same efforts that will ultimately keep us divided? When will our "Gay" friends, or "Muslim" friends or "Black" friends finally become, just our friends?
E.J. Wickes/Cult Critic/CICFF