Heimliche Küsse

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.

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.

Simply put...this is one in a number of really, really good gay coming-of-age movies that have come out in 2016.

In a realistic way, they've tossed aside a number of the clichés, while focusing on the bare-bones issues that 2 young gay boys share in their completely separate life backgrounds and circumstances -- the fear, the bullying, the isolation, the loneliness, and of course, the love.

And this was a well-done love story, top to bottom, with a solid group of actors who all fit their roles perfectly.

Great chemistry all around, a plot that matters, and a script that makes you feel like you're there. Were there some things plot-wise that are unresolved or questionable? Sure, no doubt about it. This isn't a flawless film. But, what matters in the film comes full circle.

For those reasons, this is a terrific, must watch for those interested in the genre. Hats off.

It is a powerful film. This is the only fair definition. It is an inspired, so precise portrait of a situation who has not solutions. It is a film about teenagers, a picture on a party, cruelty, hate, prejudices, teachers, a single father and his son. It has all the pieces to be a manifesto. Butit is more and more becomes scene by scene. Two scenes are real significant for me - the opened black board by Tristan and the lines about Oscar Wilde and his talk with the Math teacher.And, not doubts, admirable performances. It is a provocative film and a great question about yourself. So, just a powerful film. About honesty, truth and the way to perceive the other.

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.