Théo et Hugo dans le même bateau

The title characters in "Théo et Hugo dans le même bateau" meet in a dark room and connect instantly. Then they stroll the streets of early morning Paris together. From its raunchy, explicit beginning, this charming film evolves into a sweet and somber romance, echoing of Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise"-trilogy. Consequently, Théo's and Hugo's story comes across an unforgettable and ultimately very charming affair.

French queer filmmakers Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau's seventh feature, Paris 05:59: THÉO & HUGO alludes as much to Agnès Varda's CLEO FROM 5 To 7 in its relation to the real-time plot device, as to Richard Linklater's BEFORE… trilogy, where two individuals are trying to build something intimate and meaningful through small talks in a spontaneously perambulating pace.

But, as a testimonial to the filmmakers true grits, the film takes a bold and sensational initiative to instantaneously put off the prudish and conservative alike, by kicking off the movie with a lurid hardcore sex orgy inside an iridescent bar through the eye of a predator seeking his preys, and then setting its focal point to our two titular protagonists struck by coup de foudre and beginning to consummate their libidinous thrusting in the accompaniment of trippy beats and day-glo lights, but with a consequence, which Ducastel-Martineau duo tactfully explores as the brunt of what happens later that night when they exit together from the bar at 04:47 A.M.

The film does a cracking job in establishing the "sex first, love later" scenario in a post-AIDS 21st century, when carnal impulse receding, the two strangers, both are satisfying with their physical encounter, make tentative steps to know each other from the scratch, and their bonhomie hits a halt when a felix culpa pans out, and the duo must re-connect their rhythm and re-consider their possible future within an approximate one-hour time-line as the film finishes precisely at 06:00.

More often than not, a film hyped by unsimulated sex sequences would suffer from being made light of its less grandstanding elements, for example, Ducastel-Martineau duo's apt punctuation of commentaries concerning those socially marginalized: a hospital devolves the night shift to its distaff employees, homophobia vituperation pelted to the sexuality minority, a Syrian immigrant's perspective on freedom and a senior chambermaid's impromptu babbling (and a resultant blooper for the sharp-eyed), all add a touch of political angel but never overstay their welcome.

The two leads are giving a wholesomely winning and empathetic performance (if it sounds like an understatement after their corporeal sacrifice of leaving nothing to imagination), Geoffrey Couët inhabits a somewhat rustic complexion into Théo's wide-eyed-ness, and François Nambot as Hugo, often takes the lead in their conversation with his youthful urbanity and amiability, a smitten, can-do spirit has no affectation and pretension, which makes the ineffable ending such a boon to be appreciated, not just for their hard-earned chance, but also for Ducastel-Martineau's ingenuity and seeming effortlessness (a keen eye of a nocturnal locus under the unadorned lighting arrangement) of conjuring up something extraordinarily honest, heartfelt and aesthetically arresting out of an ordinary story arc, it is never too soon to signpost this film as the new landmark in today's ever-progressive queer cinema-scape, because the battle hasn't been (completely) won yet.

I found this movie by chance from a movie magazine. I must say that I was expecting an average movie on gay issues. It was also in Paris and it might be interesting. The movie started with very real scenes from a sex bar in Paris (probably L'Impact). After sex bar scene, movie too all my heart, all my thoughts. As a gay guy who lived in Paris and experienced the similar scenes, I can say that none of movies can depict a love, a romance and a gay life like "Theo and Hugo" depicted. Hesitations between men for a possibility to start an affair, the desire between men, the atmosphere of sex bar, the feelings, walking lonely Paris streets as two guys, stopping in a kebab restaurant (Tarkan's song was in the background), dialogues... unbelievable... It was not like a movie.. it was like a real scenes... If you skip all gay stuff, it is a very beautiful story of a romance... very naive, very innocent...Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau must be congratulated also the players Geoffrey Couët, François Nambot. They all have done a great work. What I lived (incl. HIV+ stuff) when I was in Paris some time ago was exactly was in the movie. No exaggeration, no decoration... the movie streams like La Seine... peacefully, perfectly and glamorously. Thank you guys!

One can only hope that the opening-sequence of this movie (an extensive, totally uninhibited and extremely graphic account of a gay sex orgie, that takes like 15 to 20 minutes!) doesn't scare too many viewers away. This would be such a pity, because then they would also miss out on what actually is a very original, insightful and endearing feel-good movie.

Don't get me wrong: as in-you-face as the opening-sequence may be, it's absolutely crucial to the story, introducing the two main characters Hugo and Theo, and making their instant mutual attraction understandable. Maybe directors Ducastel and Martineau could have toned it down a bit and still make their point, but as it is, with no prudish restraint whatsoever, it gives the movie a very honest, almost refreshing openness, that totally fits the premise of a passionate sex contact that starts a chain of events that brings Hugo and Theo not only physical but also emotionally together.

The narrative has a clever outline, everything takes place in the last hours of the night, both guys alternately cycle, walk or run through the nightly streets of Paris (an evident metaphor for a miniature coming-of-age journey: through the dark into the light of the morning!), while in the meantime, by talking, fighting, kissing, bickering and making up again, they gradually get to know each other and more and more let their guards down.

Both actors Geoffrey Couët and François Nabot do a great job, they not only are both attractive to watch, but they are also totally convincing as the instantly smitten but cautious and tentative lovers, and one can only admire their courage to go all the way to comply with the director's need for ultimate realism.

In his Variety review, Jay Weissberg gave this movie a passing comparison to Andrew Haigh's "Weekend," which is easily my favorite homo flick, so I had to give this one a go.

I see the similarity: a first-time encounter leads to sometime more, along, of course, with some inevitable bumps in the relationship road.

The premise of having events unfold in 'real' time is an interesting angle, almost a gimmick, that somehow works, despite a few scenes that seem to last forever: eating a twinkie ("cake") at the ER visit; a much-too-forced conversation with a fellow Metro passenger who can't afford to retire, so she commutes to a hotel housekeeping job every day; the first 18 minutes of orgy at a sex club.

The casting is another interesting angle: the leads aren't typical drop-dead-gorgeous hunks: their bodies, their faces, their *ahem* packages aren't classic attention-getters, but they're real enough, handsome enough, and equipped enough to deliver a "real man in Paris" feel. And Paris, too, certainly feels real enough, despite the early-morning setting which makes the city feel almost deserted. And almost safe to be in, public displays of affection and all.

I was surprised at how well this movie worked.

It will never win awards but it wormed its way into my heart and psyche in a way that not many others have.

Good job, co-directors Ducastel and Martineau.

It works.