Os Garotos Selvagens

This is a beautiful film, which explores sexuality, gender and beauty in strange things. The whole film is presented in such a visually pleasing way, and offers a new experience of cinema, with the vibrant colours, and the adventurously experimental characters and interactions.

Bertrand Mandico's feature film debut 'The Wild Boys' / 'les Garçons Sauvages' (2017 France) is a true example experimental film-making done well. The story (in a very weird manner) revisits the concept of a forced sex-change on a rapist. Something which Pedro Almodóvar very successfully did in 'The Skin I Live In'. The direction and production is tight and detailed. Acting, esp by the five female actresses who for the larger portion of the film portrayed male characters was top notch.

It's sort of avant-garde fantasy with moral layers. Weird film, but intriguing till the end. Then I grasped how convincing it really is into its being truly thought-provoking.

An open mind is a necessity (plus it's french, lol). Several artistic references are there for who can recognize them.

I feel the black&white scenes really add to the story. The island seems amazing. The cast and directing are excellent! Certain scenes stay with you quite some time. Oh, and there is a fake ending and a little extra for who sits till after the end titles.

I suppose they were going for a clockwork orange/ lord of the flies fantasy drag king thing..... but: 1. You don't become a woman just b/c your d'ck falls off. Gender is not dependent any body parts other than your brain.

2. these hooligans would have never become men anyway. One becomes a "Man" by the choices they make; just like one becomes a "Woman" by making other choices. And one of those choices is first becoming an adult and taking responsibility for ones actions. (This is what you learn when you actually explore the idea of gender.) 3. The multiple r'pe and grooming scenes might be there show just how "savage" these kids are; but making them so voyeristic and homo erotic could be seen as an endorsement.

4. flipping back and forth between color & black & white didn't make any stylistic sense to me and was more distracting than anything.

"The Wild Boys" (Les Garcons Sauvages) is an entirely original film and plays out like an expansive moody metaphor with superb acting, tight and well-crafted script, an original mix of production techniques, excellent photography and sound, and sensitive insightful direction. It will especially appeal to those with an interest in homoerotica and/or class-gender sociology. To say any more would be to spoil it.

This is a movie that has stayed with me long after the viewing. Fortunately for me, I knew nothing of the 'twist' towards the end and was able to put together the pieces myself.