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ETERNAL SUMMER (Sheng xia guang nian) is a delicate, quiet, understated and eloquent study of youthful interpersonal relationships form Taiwanese director Leste Chen from a screenplay by Cheng-Ping Hsu based on the novel by the same name by Chi-yao Wang. The style of the film allows a wide audience to appreciate the sexual challenges of teenagers and understand the need for finding love and acceptance in a world at times too busy to care.

The story begins in grade school where Jonathan Kang (Bryant Chang) is a gifted student asked to 'supervise' another young boy in his class, Shane Yu (the dazzlingly gifted young actor Joseph Chang) who has an apparent learning disorder/attention deficit. Shane is rambunctious and athletically gifted while Jonathan is the quiet, reserved, brilliant student. The boys bond as children and grow up together into young men facing the exams for university entrance. A young girl Carrie (Kate Yeung) meets the two boys: first she challenges the studious Jonathan to take a trip to Taipei (ditching school) where she hopes to have a physical encounter. The hotel room is a disaster and Jonathan feels isolated from both Carrie's desires and from deserting his duties at school - and with Shane, who Jonathan loves far more than merely a best friend. Shane gradually moves into Jonathan's position as Carrie's physical companion and the resulting triangle results in confessions and incidents that allow each of the three involved young people to grow and understand the spectrum of love.

The story is captured with exceptionally beautiful cinematic effects by cinematographer Charlie Lam and the atmosphere of play and passion is enhanced by the musical score by Jeffrey Cheng. Yet it is the sensitive direction by Leste Chen that encourages the three superb young actors to become immersed in their roles. Chen knows when to say enough (the sex scenes are sensual and suggestive without even approaching an R rating) and when to allow scenes of quiet and eye contact to carry the drama. This is a very fine film that deserves a wide audience, both young and old. Highly recommended. In Mandarin with English subtitles. Grady Harp

In a perfect world actor Hsiao-chuan Chang would be a star. He is the most subtle and sexiest actor I have seen in decades. His face is a knockout---especially his perfect lips. But the innocence he brings to his character is heart stopping.

Eternal Summer is a subtle and sexy Taiwanese movie that is beautifully directed and written by Leste Chen. Every scene and camera shot is perfection.

I found myself going back and watching scenes over and over again---especially, of course, the highly erotic love scene between male actors Bryant Chang and Hsiao-chuan Chang.

Gorgeous. Sexy. Subtle. True.

Bravo.

Firstly I thought: oh boy, just another movie I know I'm going to think later, why I wasted my time watching it. Not being from Taiwan and not speaking mandarin, the movie actually was a big surprise. With actors I'm not familiar with but the type of people we could say, "the neighbor next door", which also gave the movie a more sense of reality, a sense of something that could really have happened with the neighbor next door. Or maybe, even with any of us. It's just a movie about teenagers growing up and learning about love and getting trapped in conflicting feelings. The beauty of this movie is they didn't need huge cinematographic production. No need of cursing, no need of explicit sex scenes, no need of over-doings to tell the story of a strong friendship being trembled. With also, a really nice soundtrack. I definitely enjoyed have watched it! Drop the idea of big productions, drop the language barrier and enjoy it...

Great treatment of the complexities of relationships and the difficulty of making the transition from the youthful summer of life to the autumn of adulthood.

At the superficial level, Jonathan is one of the best students in his class while Shane is a trouble-maker who has no friends. At the request of Shane's mother, their teacher orchestrates a bonding between Jonathan and Shane in the hopes of helping Shane. While both boys are reluctant, their friendship develops into something very important to them both, but not without costs.

Carrie enters the picture when they are all older and coming to terms with their sexuality, but this leads to Jonathan & Carrie "discovering" an insurmountable obstacle to their relationship. Carrie is sympathetic and still cares about Jonathan. Nonetheless she then turns her romantic attention to Shane who does reciprocate her feelings, but both fear alienating Jonathan who Shane continues to love as a best friend.

The chemistry between these three becomes an increasingly difficult mixture of love, resentment, respect, caring, jealousy and misunderstanding.

They each want to maintain the innocent and platonic relationships formed during the summer of their youth, but their sexual maturity and natural desire to pair off in more intimate relationships makes the rite of passage a painful and, as far as the movie is concerned, an unresolved one.

Very well done. The actors made their characters very believable and their plight was emotionally touching & moving.

This film is about the friendship and relationship of 2 schoolboys and a schoolgirl in rural Taiwan.

This film is slow, but it is beautifully made. The characters are developed very well. The plot is touching and intense. The psychological turmoil of Jonathan is portrayed well through his expressions and his behaviour. The film successfully portrays teenage identity confusion, jealousy, passion and love. It is a beautiful portrayal of same sex feelings.

Only one comment though, I think the director uses too much mirrors. I can think of at least five scenes that uses a mirror (and nothing else can be seen apart from the mirror) to reflect what is going on in the other side of the room. The technique can add depth and can offer great composition of the shot, but I think it really is overused in the movie.