No escaparás de Lituania

I was fascinated from the very first minute of this intriguing film. The main characters are young people who seem to be successful in their lives. However there's a price for being famous, and fame plays against the characters. As their happiness obtained with money is fading, their relationships are questioned, who pays the bigger price in love. The revelation of their true intentions is shocking as they are progressing to accept the harsh reality. The love triangle between the characters is dynamic and exciting. I really liked how mass media is manipulated in this movie, which brings an after-thought of our present life about the price of real happiness, no matter how successful you are. I cannot really escape Lithuania after watching this incredible independent road movie!

'You can't escape Lithuania'bristles with sexual energy and tension, centred around the gorgeous male couple in the film, and the femme fatale they go on the road with. It reminded me of another cool gay film by Xavier Dolan, 'Tom at the Farm', for the way that the revelations made by the character's about their past create new twists and turns in the plot. Weaved through their road trip is a narrative on why we create stories why I found interesting. The film was insightful to the challenges in Lithuania of being queer or female, however it never feels heavy, always light. How often do you see a film from a queer perspective coming from the Baltic region? Hopefully more often now that this little trailblazer is out there.

I'm a bit at a loss what to make of this movie. It's a rather unsatisfying mixture of a coming-of-age, a road-movie and a psychological thriller. Main character Romas is a young and already renowned gay movie director. His best friend Indre (an equally renowned star in his films) begs his help after she (accidentally or deliberately, this stays unclear) has killed her mother, and the two, together with Romas's Mexican boyfriend, start on a frantic drive through the countryside of Lithuania to escape Indre's arrest. What follows is a whole lot of talking, bickering, making out, fighting, confrontations, revealing of secrets and mutual suspicion. Romas gets more and more frustrated and jealous (I think), and in the end resorts to some radical action (again unclear what, in spite of some vague innuendos at the very end of the movie).

The atmosphere of all this is gloomy and depressing, the dialogues are cynical, none of the characters is in any way sympathetic, and the acting is bland and unconvincing. In the movie at some points a voice-over gave enigmatic psycho-analytical interpretations about how film-making resembled the male orgasm (?), and in the extra on the dvd the crew and the director made some comments on the why's and what-for's, but it didn't really help, something with gender identity I think. And (not unimportant!), it turned out that the writer/director Romas Zabarauskas was in fact with this movie telling his own life.

I'm sure the director meant well, and the making of this autobiografic movie may have helped him to deal with whatever personal issues, but for me, as a simple detached viewer, it all didn't make much sense. Which of course could also be due to my too simple brain, I admit. What remains to me however, is an uninvolving, pretentious and unintelligible movie.

You Can't Escape Lithuania – an ominous title to a film where (finally!) Lithuanian prowess in stage acting comes across as a strength rather than a downfall. This modern road movie offers a fresh take on em(im)igration: it no longer personifies Lithuania as helpless and abandoned but, rather, as a powerful force of nature that will make you stay true to yourself, even if against your will. The carefully placed autobiographic (or seemingly so) details maintain curiosity and make us appreciate the story structure, which is the focus of this film as it delves into the metaphysical nature of storytelling.

Also, who knew that homosexuality in Lithuanian films can be given to us as a natural part of life rather than a novelty, a prop or a way to make the film look avant-garde? Even though this does not change the big picture, I am impressed.

The plot is that all round rich boy and auteur, gay, film maker Romas is riding high after his last film went down well in Mexico – and indeed so has he, which means he has hunky boyfriend Carlos now in tow. Then his friend, and oft used in his films, actress Indre turns up and she has been a tad naughty; in that she has sort of killed mummy.

Well as they are' bestie's so he decides to go on the run with her till it all sort of blows over – Carlos can come too – even if he hasn't got a clue what is going on as they speak Lithuanian all the time. So off they go on a road trip which entails Romas making a 'film' on mobile phone, Indre having violent melt downs and Carlos taking his kit off. I think I have covered all the bases.

Now I have only seen three critics' reviews on this and the only thing they don't agree on is quite how bad this is. The reasons are various in that it seems to be struggling to work out what it is, thriller, road movie, gay sexy, interesting – we just do not know. The music is electro cheap and manages to destroy any possible build up of tension empathy etc that has managed to seep out. The camera work is good with some interesting shots and the actors are OK – except Carlos who seems to really be there only for 'eye candy' and to get it a gay cover shot.

That may be why he is the buff so often to detract from his lacking thespian arts. Also it is slow in places and with a running time of 80 minutes that really is a bit unforgivable – the ending will either shock or you will go 'whatever' – I was in the latter camp. If the title of this film is to be believed then it beggars belief who in the love of all that is holy managed to let this film slip through.