Noordzee, Texas

You know you are in for a sensitive, perhaps even hyper-sensitive, treatment of homosexuality from the start. A young boy of maybe 10 or so, Pim, dresses up as a beauty queen, naked all but for a sash, his mother's jewelry and perfume. His single mother, who likes men, maybe a bit too much, and to hang out in the local bar, Texas, doesn't scold him nor do the friendly neighbours he spends so much time with. It is clear they, like us, can see the man the boy will become.

When we next see Pim he's just turned 15 and is infatuated with the neighbour's 18 year old son, Gino, and we know his future is already mapped out. The only thing is will director Bavo Defurne give us a picture of suicidal teenage angst or something more along the lines of "Beautiful Thing"? Well, let's just say there are plenty of bumps along the way in his film "North Sea, Texas".

In this country, of course, such stories of gay teenage sexuality would be virtually taboo where almost any depiction of sex in which either of the parties involved is under the age of consent is considered child abuse but those pesky foreigners have always lead the way in matters of the flesh, (remember Louis Malle's "Les Amants"?). Here, we might describe this film as brave, even daring, but it's probably quite commonplace in its native Belgium.

All the performances are good with Jelle Florizoone and Mathias Vergels as the teenage lovers, Pim and Gino respectively, slipping into their roles with remarkable ease while Nina Marie Kortekaas as Gino's younger sister, who has more than a crush on Pim, is also excellent. Only the most prurient of minds could take offence at this most bitter-sweet of teenage romances.

First things first, its photography is stunning and there are many memorable sequences for which I'm going to search lots of gifs. Apart from that it is obviously a film based on a book. And how can you tell? Because it is not your average gay movie packed with clichés and lame stories. It is a story about a gay boy (Pim) living with a negligent mother that is still trying to be young and free. The boy develops a crush on this neighbor (Gino) who looks a lot like Harold from "Harold and Maude". We witness how the relationship between Pim and Gino unfolds. But there is more to it, we can see the relationship between Pim and Gino's sister, who has a crush on him and with his mother, who is the mother figure he does not have at home. In a place where there are not a lot of opportunities Pim is trying to find his place and his silence fills a big void.

This film is about a quiet and introverted young boy in Northern Belgium, who falls in love with the boy next door.

"North Sea, Texas" is a slow moving film, but it captures your attention by its great story telling. The story has little dialog, but a lot is told between the lines. Every action and every facial expression tells more than a thousand words. For example, the film tells viewers that the town is underprivileged by minor details such as Gino's mother pouring sugar sachets into a jar, and Pim's mother wearing the same dress almost every time she goes out. Towards the ending, there are scenes open to interpretation, leaving viewers to discuss what really happens.

"North Sea, Texas" is more of a film to feel and empathise. It is well made, and will touch your heart.

First read jm10701 review of this movie! This reviewer draws a nice clear picture of the characters and plot in this odd Belgium indie film. At the beginning I was not compelled to watch this movie due to the weird little boy but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did.

Pim (the main character) is so sullen you'll wonder what's to become of him as his mother expresses no parenting skills and the only positive influences in his life seem to be the mother of his friend Gino and Pim's own imagination. So you just might want to follow Pim's story into his adolescence. (He has a catharsis moment alone on the beach in which he transitions into adulthood) There are other reviews here that are more detailed and repeating their praise is pointless.

The photography is wonderful, the mood of desperation is consistent, Pim's mother is a dead ringer for a 'Divine' look-a-like contest, and her boyfriend Etienne is as sleazy as he looks.

North Sea Texas is a beautiful, well-crafted and well-shot film. Wow, its been a while since I've seen such an amazing, unadulterated romantic journey. I'm not gay but regardless I fell in love with this film so much that I sat down to write a review here.

So the premise goes like this... Its about a boy named Pim (I'm not familiar with Dutch/Flemish culture but having seen a few of their films I think a lot of guys are named Pim) who is kind of an introvert, a dreamer, doesn't talk much and spends a lot of his time drawing the things he loves. Young Pim meets a guy nearby, Gino who is three years older than him and eventually falls in love with him. There is also Gino's sister Sabrina, who is the same age as Pim and their mother.

Pim's mother, Yvette, on the other hand is a feckless woman who spends most of her time drinking, singing and playing accordion at a local bar. Her entertaining skills have taken over her motherhood skills and clearly Pim doesn't like it. Then there is Etienne, a friend of her who pretty much escorts her and hangs out by the house all the time and Pim isn't a fan of him either. These troubles cause him to hang out at his best friend Gino's place all the time; and also at a local drinking hole called Texas, after which the movie's named. Gino's mother treats Pim like family and understands the fact that he is not lucky to have Yvette as his mother.

If a write more I might just end up telling the entire story and BTW I didn't spoil anything for you. I just loved this film.

The acting of everyone in the film was so immaculate that you can just feel the emotions of each of the characters. Sexual Frustration and coming-out is what this film is all about and its all so evident in all the actors' faces that you don't need to look at the subtitles below. The cinematography is breath-taking as it captures the lovely locales of the coast of North Sea in between scenes without taking our mind off the plot.

A special mention to actor, Jelle Florizoone, who did a fabulous job playing Pim. He was actually one of about 200 teenage boys who auditioned for the part of Pim, and was the immediate choice for the filmmakers. This is his first film as an actor. The entire film rests on the character, Pim and his life and he just makes the character come alive. The maudlin displays of emotion, the cheekiness of teenage love, the heartrending feelings of his first heart-break... Oh he was great! Just because its a gay-themed film doesn't mean straight people shouldn't watch it. It is an excellent film or rather journey of Pim which mesmerises us to 'live' the characters in the film.

Its a refreshing break over films where the characters indulge in a sleaze-fest all along and then, at the end, realise that love was here all along. Its a must watch for everyone who is tired of watching cheesy films, having the same story-line, over and over again...