Mit siebzehn

So this is what being 17 feels like?! This is a slow-moving, mundane yet beautiful, subtle drama that captures the bleak lives of two teenage boys, both living in different family backgrounds. Accompanied by constant shivering snowfalls, they both end up feeling 'something' between them.

This is a simple come-of-age story that doesn't show us usual intensity of gay relationships or obvious flow of surging passion (that concludes with I-love-you or I-like-you confessions). On the contrary it is more about wavering confusion and love-hate tension that grows between two adolescent boys studying in the same institute.

What makes it different from other gay films of similar themes is its ability to grip your attention and tease you with slightly puerile curiosity about: "will they come together?"

There are several unique elements that work as essentials of this story: sense of solitude, fierce jealousy, suppressed infatuation, silent expectations, teenage ego, and of course, the urgent hatred that often emerges from helpless, pent-up affection.

I especially loved the natural, engaging and poised performances of two young actors who seemed to know what they were supposed to do on screen - they appeared quite involved and effortless. Exhilarating indeed!

In 'Being Seventeen' we meet Damien (Kacey Mottet Klein), who is surprised when his mother Marianne (Sandrine Kiberlain) calmly accepts his declaration of sexual attraction to a classmate. But why would she be surprised? Damien's candy-coloured rhinestone earring hardly shouts 'macho man'. But it is fair to say he is not the stereotypical film closeted homosexual: he enthusiastically takes boxing lessons from a friend of his army pilot father; and he is not even sure whether it is men generally he is attracted to, or just that particular classmate: Thomas (played by male model Corentin Fila).

The trouble with Damien's attraction to Thomas is that the latter bullies the former. But when Marianne, the local doctor in the Pyrenean community, hospitalises Thomas' weak, pregnant mother, she invites him to stay with her and Damien, and so the two boys are thrown together...

There are occasions when this film loses the way: Damien and Thomas are plainly the centre of the story, so sequences focusing exclusively on Marianne seem pointless and add little to the main story. But Kiberlain certainly provides a decent performance as the friendly mother who chats happily to the boys while serving them a glass of after-school wine (did I mention this is a French film?), before a personal tragedy means she must pull her life back together. Fila and Klein are given likable characters to play - Thomas concerned by his mother's condition; Damien the bully's victim - and also turn in good performances.

But the best aspect for me is the scenery: director André Téchiné gets the best of filming in the Pyrénées, with the endless snow-covered mountains (most of the filming seems to have taken place during the depths of winter) gradually giving way to deep, verdant valleys as the film and seasons progress. But it is not just a travelogue - this film is well worth seeing for its take on awakening sexuality.

I don't know why this film has not been watched by many. This is a good film, a good French gay film. Like many reviewers had already mentioned, this is not your typical gay theme. It would have been better if you had tried it without knowing what kind of story is this. Anyway, I mentioned it, but it is not a spoiler if you thought so. It would have landed at you in one way or the other while learning about the film.

It was more a drama than the romance. But everything has to have a nicer initiation. So, that's how the film characters take the shape. Only those important characters like the main two and another 2-3 were the all focus. The narration clearly ignores everything else to put the story straight, despite it was not about the straight guys.

The tale was told from the perspective of Damien, a new boy moved into the small foothill town with his doctor mother and while his father serving in the army in an away tour. Sometimes, the perspective takes neural to accomplish the other aspect of the story. An unexpected rivalry begins between Damien and his classmate, Thomas, a loner who lives up in the hills in a farmland.

As the film progresses, their fight intensifies. But there comes a time to compromise when the developments around them forces them to do so. It's the turning point for them, yet they're not in the mood to shake hands. You could say what comes henceforth, but that's where you might go wrong. This tale breaks the stereotypes and brings a fresh perspective on homosexuality. Although not fully unpredictable narration.

❝I don't know if I'm into guys or just you.❞

Besides, the places where the film shot was magnificent. Takes place in different seasons, and each time the story well exploited the region to blend with the emotions, fierce and other moods in the drama. The two boys were good. Because of the type of their role, the film looks slow in some parts. But overall gets better with its upcoming scene.

The first two acts were nothing but the boys and their struggle to get over with their conflict. More like the random acts of normal reaction to such incidents. Only if it had tough guys on both the ends. But where it all leads were well planned that you may slightly disappoint with it. Like I was aware of a couple of things from the story, and it indeed that's how it turned out at the latter part. Otherwise, there's no complaint about it.

Despite I enjoyed watching it, not the film that I wanted. I blame my anticipation for having such opinion. I was looking for more and more things to happen, whereas the narration was riding in the simplest manner. Especially the last half an hour brought the best out of it. Yeah, you could say it ended strongly and probably a turning point for the audience to change their stance if they were not happy so far.

Firstly, it is worth watching for being a different for such concept, and that's because of the writing. Secondly the cinematography, direction, including the actors made it a better flick. But personally I was not happy about failing to come to the point in the early section. It recovered, almost at very late. And then it ended better. But still I agree it was a perfect portrayal of the older teenagers and their confusing sexuality. The contents were realistic while the film stayed true to cinematic. I hope people watch it with low expectation and patience.

7/10

This movie was quite charming. While it was easy to anticipate a story of repressed adoration channeled in the form of antagonism, as is the case for many nonhetero- and questioning folks, it was very rewarding and exciting to see the two main characters come into their own, especially Thomas. Tension is a marvelous instrument and what I liked was that nothing in this movie was presumed or handed to you, everything took it's sweet time to present itself.

Beautiful character development, Damien and Thomas had great chemistry and rawness. To me, Thomas is crucial to the film, race is big (and I could go into that further). It was also not surprising that Marianne (Damien's mother) got such rave reviews. She was absolutely splendid, captivating the screen with her restrain, affection and depth!

Plenty of beautiful vistas to mirror the emotional range of all the characters... this IS a good film, one that I relate to and applaud, BUT in writing this, I am curious of the perspectives of those who are not accustomed to seeing these kind of romances/coming-of-age stories. So, I encourage any and all to see this, a movie that caters to its audience with characters who all feel, react and grow before your eyes.

I wasn't really sure what to except out of this film, but to classify it as simply an LGBT film would be a great disservice to what it's doing. There aren't just two leads here, there are three, and that is crucial to the importance of it. The screenplay is layered and filled with small gestures and moments that mean a lot to the characters, but ones we have to be attentive to. This is a little film made out of moments like that and if people aren't used to it and don't like that kind of storytelling, they may not take to this film. It's subtle and very nuanced where it counts, and that's why it stands apart from the rest of its like.