|
Okay, let's get one thing out of the way
to begin. "Summer Storm" is a German "Coming
of age/Coming out" film about a teenage boy
on a rowing team and, yes, it is full of hot
teenage guys and, yes, they spend a lot of time
outdoors, half naked and wet. Yes, nearly every
frame of this film has a beautiful half-naked
boy in it and that alone is worth every penny
of the price of admission. But fortunately,
"Summer Storm" is also smart, witty, sweet and,
for all its drama related to coming out, fresh
and unique. This is, in fact, as far as I have
seen, the first "Coming out" film to deal with
a teenage boy confronting his homosexuality
in the post-millennium, modern, openly-gay world
where most everyone else in the film doesn't
really have a problem with it.
Robert Stadlober, the hottest of the hot
boys here, is simply perfect as Tobi, the young
man coming to terms with his homosexuality.
Stadlober is not only adept at playing confusion
and sorrow, he is equally adept at playing comedy
and sexual ecstasy. When Tobi has his first
sexual experience here, with an orgasm, you
can see not only his bliss but his rapture and
his joy and his relief and his understand all
within the expression on his face. It is a monumental
moment in the film.
The story here is unique and fresh because
of its setting. Tobi is on a rowing team competing
for a championship at a tournament. One of the
other teams is called Queerstroke and is made
up of young gay teenager. The reaction to these
competitors by Tobi's teammates is pretty typical:
At first, a bit of fear and homophobia followed
by acceptance and friendship. There are subplots
between the members of each team and within
each team. One of these involves one of the
gay teens trying to seduce one of the Tobi's
straight teammates in a deceitful manner.
Then there are the girls. Tobi's true problem
here isn't so much his fear of coming out as
gay as it is his fear of telling his best friend
that he has a crush on him. Tobi's best friend
Achim looks a bit like the German Diego Luna
and he and Tobi share a friendship much like
the one Luna shared with Gael Garcia Bernal
in "Y tu mama tambien." In many ways, this film
reminded me of that earlier masterpiece. They
boys even masturbate side by side echoing the
a scene in the earlier film.
In "Y tu mama," one older woman ignites
passion, confusion and homoerotic elements between
the two friends. Here, each boy has a girlfriend
and Tobi's inability to relate to his as well
as his jealousy of the relationship Achim has
with his female companion are big components
of the film, much of what propels the story.
The relationship that eventually evolves between
Tobi and his girlfriend is one of the nicest
arcs in the movie. Again, her reaction to Tobi's
sexual preference provides no drama. It is his
reaction to his own "coming out" that provides
much of the dramatic thrust. She just gets caught
up in this.
"Summer Storm" is a beautifully filmed,
beautifully acted and perfectly wonderful film.
I haven't seen a coming out story I liked so
much in quite a long time. And the music here,
much of it which sounds like one of my favorite
bands - Belle and Sebastian, but in fact is
not, is simply perfect. (If you can find the
soundtrack - buy it!) This is one of the most
delicate, sweet natured, thoughtful and wonderful
gay films to be released to the public ever.
That fact that its full of hot, half-naked,
wet teenage boys is just icing on the cake.
Notes:
In German with subtitles.
Tobi's first lover, Leo, is played by Marlon
Kittel, who had a special place in my heart
because he looked so much like Anders Angenso
who played Bo in my favorite gay movie of all
time, "You Are Not Alone."
Songs by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Nada
Surf, Radio 4, Vast, Rosenstoltz, and Nova International
among others.
Released in Germany in September of 2004.
The film has been making the gay and lesbian
film festival circuit in America and is scheduled
for a US release by here! films in March of
2005.
Viewed at Agliff in October of 2005 at
the Arbor theater in Austin.
Report Card
Script: A+
Acting: A+
Cinematography\Lighting: A+
Special Effects\Make Up: A+
Music: A+
Final Grade: A+
|
