Eastern Boys

This film is not for the faint hearted - it's fairly full on - powerful and moving. The language bar is very low. Shot in French, English and Russian - you don't really need to know much of the other languages to understand it. It's tense and moody - especially the first half.

Strong performances from the leads and from main supporting actors.

Recommended

"Daniel" (Olivier Rabourdin) is a successful gent who cruises the mall and picks up the handsome young "Marek" (Kirill Emelyanov). Rather unrealistically, I thought, he gives him his address and next day - equally unsuprisingly, he has a few unexpected visitors who completely implausibly clear out his house around him after have drank his booze and eaten his food. At this point I was ready to turn this off! I didn't though, and I am glad. Next day, "Daniel" answers the door to the young rent boy - alone, this time - and over the remaining course of the film we follow the two as they begin to bond. The former man realises that his new toy-boy is, at heart, a decent lad who has moved from desperate circumstances in the Ukraine and fallen into bad company in an hostel dominated by the "boss" (Daniil Vorobyov). There is a degree of chemistry between the two here, and we do - after that rather ropey start - begin to feel just a little invested in the youngster as his character develops and his personality and integrity are encouraged by an older man who initially just wanted sex, but who quickly realises that more could be on offer - for both of them, here. It takes quite a swipe at immigration policies, of bullying and of crime whilst offering us performances that emit just the slightest glimmer of hope and aspiration. It's far, far too long - and Robin Campillo really ought to have been far more savage with the digital razor blade at the start, but once it's up and running it develops an impetus to it that makes it engaging to watch.

Pretty weird flick... Olivier Rabourdin is "Daniel", who thinks he has picked up a hustler at the train station; instead, things go from weird to weirder. The person who shows up at his door is NOT the person he thinks he hired, and when a whole group of eastern block people show up, things go south quickly. Daniil Vorobyov is "Boss", the chiseled, muscle-y leader of the pack, who runs the show. Then Daniel sees Marek, the guy who lured him into this whole mess (Kirill Emelyanov), and they strike up an odd relationship. The last two thirds of the film is mostly about their relationship, which has its ups and downs.

Written and directed by Robin Campillo, whose other works are related to gangs or different social classes and the issues that come with that. Not much info on any of these actors in IMDb. While this film is a bit off-beat, it's certainly entertaining, and one of the few films where I was not able to guess what comes next. English subtitle translation du français.

Around the Gare du Norde railway station groups of East European lads gather and seek opportunistic chances for an easy buck. Daniel Muller (Olivier Rabourdin 'Of Gods and Men') is a gay man who is attracted to one of them - he is not sure if they are for rent but approaches Marek and a date is arranged at Muller's apartment. Only when he answers the door he is not prepared for the visitor he gets.

That is the start and what develops goes way beyond what I was expecting. We have quite a few issues being explored here from migrant integration, crime, pay for sex and affairs of the heart. I was at times feeling uncomfortable, angry, concerned and even happy. The main thing is that it is always engaging.

Great performances from all the cast but Olivier Rabourdin was totally convincing and Krill Emelyanov as Marek as the confused yet caring Ukrainian was brilliant. This is for those who enjoy an intelligent gay themed film, but a lot of the issues here are very universal and as such I can highly recommend.

I was only prepared to give this film just half a chance (which I'm glad I did), and bail out as soon as it got too "Euro" for me.

Aside from one semi-painful and overly long techno-music / dancing scene early on, the film was perfectly palatable to this particular Mid-Western American's tastes.

As others have noted, it starts off a bit slowly, and you're left wondering if there will ever be any dialogue.

Turns out there is, and in multiple languages too. I loved the realism of the two initially only being able to communicate through their own broken English, instead of their native tongues (each being unfamiliar to the other).

Really well acted by all, and beautifully filmed. It had a documentary feel to it, without the obnoxious jittery camera work that some directors think that look requires.

There are some mildly graphic gay sex scenes, so if that's too much for you, consider yourself warned. It's hardly gratuitous though, and nothing you haven't seen between heterosexual characters in other movies over the last thirty years.

The story could have used a bit more background on the primary characters, which is what prevented me from giving it an 8 or a 9. I can see how time constraints might have gotten in the way of the film maker's doing that however.

Anyway, it's a breath of fresh air from the usual formula and is much recommended.