Heimliche Küsse

Really loved this movie. Great coming of age love story that is sad and lovely at the same time. What the two characters go through separately; what they endure because of a kiss is maddening and disturbing. Still, so good; a must watch.

The story is amazing and really speaks to t he struggles of gay youth and the pressures they face from their peers and families. I was starting to think the ending would be another sad tale that has been done hundreds of times before but it really ended on a high note. The whole production from the script to the cinematography to the acting was expertly done. A rare gem.

At the root of homophobia lies the notion of masculinity as the rigid standard for men and boys (and in a minor subplot, femininity for girls and women). We've seen this all before but Hidden Kisses confronts it head on. In some ways that are deftly handled and in others that are a bit clumsy. There is a homophobic father and is often the weak link in these coming of age movies. It's hard to to get ones head around a character that is so thinly defined except there are real people like this. There are plenty of homophobic students who bully Nathan including one who is black.

The movie really shines when we see the full impact of social media on cultural expectations and norms, and how young adults don't see the consequences of their actions using it. They can do so much harm with so little effort. If the film had focused on this thematically, it might have been a more daring and smarter film. As such, it mostly just does the old stuff very well and returns the focus on the two leads, only to stray with brief chatter between teachers and parents.

The actors do a good job, especially Bérenger Anceaux as Nathan but the adult cast is uniformly excellent.

This an amazing / wonderful movie.

Of course, it sounds very french: Patrick Timsit and all actors are playing as (credible) french parents, school and references are located. But, in all the ways I expected it to be, it sounds right, as well in the feeling of having to comply to adults' expectations than in the internal mood, so different from the exposed one. In a first stage, I totally disliked Louis and then felt "in love" with him. He acts totally right, attracted both to what he thinks right and to what he feels right. This movie enlightens the dual pressure much gays are enduring. Thanks to all actors for their acts their.

This would have been a much stronger, more believable story if it were set in some time and place other than 21st century France. As it is, it is captivating until the end, but because of the setting, there's some sort of uncanny valley effect happening.