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Out in the Dark (2012)

Director Ang Lee made Brokeback Mountain,despite its tragedy, into a beautiful picture: scenic, romantic,and even lyrical. In directing Out in the Dark, his first feature film, Michael Mayer did none of this. But what he did was to make a picture far more powerful in both plot and presentation. Lacking Brokeback's "niceness," Out in the Dark more than compensates by its realism.

The story, written by Mayer and Yael Shafir tells of the romantic relationship between a young well-connected Israeli lawyer and a Palestinian graduate student with an Israeli study permit. But Like Brokeback Mountain, the film avoids simply being a "gay-themed" one by situating their involvement within a wider setting. In the first place each must deal with his family: families unalike in nationality, class, language, culture and religion, but alike in not accepting their son's relationship. But broader social and political situations from which the two young men come pose even more serious obstacles, for the film locates their involvement with one another against the present-day tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Territories. In a way the individuals become symbols of these two solitudes, each wanting peace and security, but both slow to recognize that their futures are inseparably bound together.

The film does not lay blame. Nor does it examine the righteousness of either cause. But neither does it pull any punches. It is commendable in its honesty in dealing with both Palestinian fanaticism and the heavy-handed apparatus of the Israeli security services. In fact, it even suggests that in the end these play into the hands of one another. Above all, it evokes the atmosphere of fear under which ordinary citizens on both sides of the concrete walls and chain link fences must live and work daily, and fear's terrible toll on their personal lives.

Although the story is gripping, it is also gritty. There is little brightness here, an obviously deliberate choice of director Mayer and cinematographer Ran Aviad. They have created a visual palette that contributes to the film's effect and to the tension that is a constant thread throughout. As the title suggests, so much of the story must take place in the darkness, both literal and figurative. There are glimpses of tenderness, certainly in scenes of the relationship between the two guys, and to some extent when their families are shown. Still, the bright dawn that all involved must surely dream of never really breaks, and Mayer's ambiguous ending is the only honest one possible.

The film is splendidly cast. Michael Aloni as the young Israeli lawyer, Roy Schaefer, is able to display a wide range of emotions: caring, compassion, filial piety, and throughout everything, a hopefulness. He is credible in his naiveté also, trusting in family even when they fail to understand, and trusting far too much that the apparatus of the state will do what is right. But the performance that dominates the picture is the brilliant one given by Nicholas Jacob as the young Palestinian, Nimr Mashrawi. In his first film role, Jacob, whose parents are Arab-Italian and who grew up in Haifa and Nashville (and who is straight), is utterly convincing – and utterly captivating. He puts on the screen a character, who even in his youth, must confront demons that few will ever know. At the same time Jacob conveys the sense that, whatever the outcomes, Nimr will never let these demons overcome him. Jacob's handling of the part is so true to life as to be memorable.

But the good acting is not confined to the two leads. Alon Pdut does a fine job as an Israeli security official whose concern for the state has made him cold and hard, and who will use any means that serve his ends. Jamil Khouri as Nimr's brother is equally effective as a man caught up in a web of terror from which he cannot free himself. And as Roy's father, Alon Oleartchik comes across as a family head torn asunder by conflicting emotions. In a smaller but vital part, Loai Nofi as Mustafa, an outrageously gay Arab, does well in a role that must be both comic and tragic.

Dark the picture may be, but it is intense. It is a film that could easily be overlooked, but one that will leave an indelible impression when it is seen. Out in the Dark is Brokeback Mountain's worthy successor.

Out in the Dark premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2012. It has dialogue in Hebrew and Arabic with English sub-titles. It is being distributed by Breaking Glass Pictures, but a general release date has not yet been announced.

The story speaks to the very "realness" of the complexities of the human condition.

Here, we have a most believable plot of two men meeting casually - and having the biggest possible outcome on their lives. The part of "Roy" is played expertly to "Nimer" and I just love how the twists and turns of the delicate situation they find themselves in, empowers, ultimately (without giving it away) a difficult situation.

However, I enjoy that the end result is left largely unresolved allowing for your own imagination's participation. This means that the "effect" of the film stays with you for a while. It has also, in my opinion, humanised an otherwise impossible scenario in the Middle East and asks that age old question (if not entirely answers it), at what cost, love?

I'm a fan! I highly recommend this movie whether you're gay or not you'll find something in the very human story that will resonate with you.

First of All the line story is clear and easy to find out how, the romance, yep dont ever ask why this is good because its a romance movie. the music is good with a little thriller sound here and made me loud noisely to when the nimr in the runaway.

the character is really smooth just like they really have their story for real, this is I call the romantic movie I ever seen beside the truth is this movie were gay movie. i really dont care but I feel love here, I cried when there were fight for their love and I really thinks and grateful that I was born here in my country with freedom.

After watching dozens of gay themed films, I can easily spot a daisy among the grasses. And I genuinely believe it belongs to the latter, with "us against the world" love story. I WAS WRONG. This movie has wring my senses so much about LIVES of homosexuals in country with ruthless views of gay people. I am thankful that this movie was told to the world, captured beautifully, and created heavily in romantic drama. I would never look at gay movies again similarly after watching this. As for the title? I have zero idea what it meant until the last shot of the film. "OUT IN THE DARK". Brilliant title, amazing actors, riveting choice of hand-held camera angle.

Having an undergraduate thesis on gay people, I know gay rights are non-existence in Middle East, and other Arab/Muslim countries, but I have never walked, and looked, and be part of ones' life that this film has made me. It is painful and heart-wrenching, and sickening that these things are REALLY happening as we speak.

This movie is a must watch.

When I began watching this movie I didn't know anything about the story, I just knew it was a gay themed film. I will say that I have seen a great number of gay themed films so my only reference in this genre isn't the classic Brokeback Mountain everyone always praises about (which in my opinion is barely an average gay themed film, there are much better films out there that are less known). Out in the Dark belongs now to my Top 5 gay themed films and here are the reasons.

This film represents the reality and how gay people are seen and treated in Palestine/Israel. If you thought that in western culture being accepted as a gay person was a difficult process, it is million times harder if you happen to born in Palestine. This film isn't trying to be "the best film of the year" nor it doesn't have the most "intelligent" storyline, but it is about showing how things can differ from our (western) way of experiencing and seeing things. Out in the Dark takes the viewer to a trip to the streets of Palestine/Israel and shows those moments most Hollywood screenwriters would not add to the screenplay since they are not what the "screenwriting manual" tells you to write. This is also what makes this film so appealing; you are following a journey of a person as it happens, aka "live", without any editing tricks or plot twists taking place all over the film. During the film I was constantly thinking how this could end and if the film can retain that level of intensity during the whole film, it means the film is well-made. At the end Out in the Dark is a film about love and how strong love can be between two people regardless of their sex. The ending will certainly divide people whether they like it or not, but I would have personally loved to see more, but I will not tell more since I would otherwise spoil it for you.

Out in the Dark shouldn't really be compared to films like Brokeback Mountain since this has a completely different narrative mindset as a film. Brokeback Mountain is a classic Hollywood polished love story just made with well-known actors and a director, but I personally feel that Brokeback Mountain gets praised more than it should. Films like Shelter (2007) and Just a Question of Love (2000) are million times better than Brokeback Mountain and I would recommend them anytime for anyone who wishes to see a well-done gay themed film. Even though by itself Out in the Dark isn't in my opinion as good as these two I just mentioned, it is still best gay themed film when it comes to this type of films; films which represent reality as it appears in a current day. Brokeback mountain is simply a reality sugared with all possible drama elements when in Out in the Dark the main thing is not to go through the "beginning, middle and end", it's the part of the journey one person must take to survive.