Lonesome

Well, I'm always excited to see queer stories to be told on the big screen. But sadly, this one just missed the mark.

Videography was on point, both landscapes and people were shot to match the vibe of the scene. Sex scenes were also well choreographed and pleasant to watch. However, rather than helping it grow, the stunning visuals overshadowed the story.

Firstly, the acting was off. I don't know if it's from the director's instructions, but the long pauses between each line made the whole film off-paced. The most convincing acting was probably the actors' orgasm faces.

Secondly, the story just wasn't working. It wasn't developed organically, but instead, I got the feeling the plot points were inserted way before the story was even written, which made the story feel forced.

Thirdly, what's with the Stranger Things music constantly playing whenever there's a cutaway?

In all, with the problems in acting and the story, although it came with stunning visuals, Lonesome is only good, if you think of it as an art house porn.

Powerful movie about the struggles of a young gay guy: survival, migration toward a big, gay city, and learning how to love (oneself and others) without much help along the way.

The two main actors are amazing and convincing, the photography is stunning, and the plot has a picaresque pace.

The movie reminded me of another Australian queer film, Head On (1998), which deals also about identity crisis, migration, and the difficulty to be at peace with oneself.

Lonesome also reminded me of My Own Private Idaho because of many factors: the appeal of the drifting cowboy, the family drama, and the ordeal of alcohol, drugs and chemsex.

I couldn't help but thinking about John Schlesinger's 1969 iconic film, 'Midnight Cowboy' while watching this Australian production. A cowboy comes from the rural part of Australia to the big City, in this case, Sydney. He meets and ends up falling in love with one of the first men he meets. There are many differences between both movies for sure, but similar threads do exist as well. The Cowboy does get to see the seedy part of life in Sydney, as did Joe Buck experience in New York in 'Cowboy'. Both characters are damaged from their pasts but trying to make do despite seemingly impossible circumstances in what is often a heartless urban landscape. The acting of the two leads is excellent, even better than the script from which they're both working. The peaks and valleys both cowboys go through in part define their characters, relationships with others, and the film itself. There is a lot of male nudity throughout 'Lonesome' that the viewer should be made aware of beforehand. I don't think it hampered the overall arc of the movie, in some instances it might have even enhanced it. I recommend 'Lonesome' to open minded adults who might want to learn a little bit about how life affects many of those unlike themselves. The LGBTQ + community should be proud of this cinematic achievement.

It's a very good film which deals with a romantic gay relationship. Both of the lead actors are excellent. The story concerns aspects of love and rejection felt by both of the main characters. The background of both young men is explored very well. The lead actor is very attractive, and the secondary actor is very handsome. The scenery of Sydney and the beaches nearby is quite good. The sex scenes are very good and are done tastefully. I only gave it seven stars instead of ten because of a totally unnecessary violent BDSM scene toward the end. The plot could have been resolved without that being shown.

There's an interplay between the stark sudden and the slow burn throughout this movie. We begin with an immediate Immersion into the drift of Casey's life and his sexuality which has driven his path this far. He's taken off away from his birthplace after a rejection of him by his married lover, an unexpected tragedy, and his family and community virulence afterwards. And, he works his way along the edges of people in activities out in the public towards the ocean where he tries to finish his part in it and life. He is unsuccessful. Rejected by the sea, Casey then drifts back into Sydney where he quickly finds and joins a small orgy in an unofficial residence. The afterglow of he and its prime mover, Tib, leads to the next in the movie's series of latent simmerings - a number of gig economy small jobs and handyman tasks while also falling for this roommate. The two of them eke out an existence together until Tib faces a deeply personal rejection and responds as he seems he is wont to do. Tib's reaction, in turn, thus feels to Casey as yet another rejection and his self-defense destructive impulses sets him off adrift once again until he finally wakes up that this is not the life he wants for himself or Tib.

You may not appreciate this sort of sloshing meter. You may likewise either be repulsed by Lonesome's edginess which, it seems to me, is part of the current Australian motion picture (and especially its LGBTQ+) storyline landscape. The lonesomeness of this movie, however, is manifested through both, not only of Tib and Casey, but also of those they come in contact with and interact with throughout its storyline.