Théo et Hugo dans le même bateau

The first 20 minutes is pure pornography. It is not done distastefully but it is still pure pornography. While that scene is essential to the entire story, it could have been shortened to a lesser 5 or 10 minutes of lesser explicit sex without jeopardizing the story line. But if you are turned on by gay orgies then you have nothing to complain.

But it is after that marathon sex scene that the film took on a completely substantial value. The performance by the two young actors is good but what makes this a masterpiece is the overall story line and flow. It is a real-time film, meaning the time frame of the story being depicted is the real time frame of the length of the film. It really draws you in - if you allow it to. In typical French fashion, it's the undercurrent tension that grips you rather than anything in-your-face. On a deeper level it reminds me a little of Crime and Punishment (Dostoyevsky), not in the nature of the plot but in the subtle yet strong alternating waves of emotions: between morbid fear and banal carefreeness; between romance and anger; between naive innocence and bitter reality; between hope and despair, all happening with the dark, ordinary yet enigmatically charming Paris, as the stage (you won't see any glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, nor the Sacre Coeur nor the dirty ghettos - you see the real Paris ordinaire). It is a plot that lends itself perfectly to French cinematography and style; a story that screams to be given the very French treatment of film making.

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.

This is the most mature work to date from Ducastel and Martineau, whose "Ma Vie" and "Cockles and Muscles" had reasonably wide distribution. It won't be to everyone's taste because it begins with a long, explicit sequence shot in a Paris sex club. It soon becomes apparent that the (unsimulated) sex between the two leads (Geoffrey Couet and Francois Nambot) is crucial to the plot. The lovers hope that they may be able to have a relationship; but a dreadful realisation leads to a crisis. Couet and Nambot, who are that rarity, actors who can have sex and portray characters with equal conviction, spend much of the film walking and bicycling through Paris, deserted in the early hours of the morning. These scenes are memorably shot by Manuel Marmier. A lot of viewers are going to want to re-trace their route. Along the way they meet Parisians who may have something to teach them. The final scene is beautifully written and will stay with you. All the performances are exemplary. Although the film has links with classic French cinema, notably "Cleo From 5 to 7", it is also a film of our time. It could easily become a seminal gay drama that will take its place with "Victim", "Cruising" and "Taxi zum Klo". Many other films have tried and failed to achieve the results the directors have achieved seemingly without effort.

I've watched this movie two days ago and it's still the only thing I can think about. Since I'm not familiar with director nor writer, I can't compare this masterpiece to their other work, but I refuse to believe you can do any better than this. I enjoyed every second of the controversial 20-minut scene. I think it's far away from pornography, although it's quite explicit, it's a modern age avangarda, artistically and tastefully put together. I love that there is no intruduction to that scene like walking toward the club, we just suddenly find ourselves underground, in the middle of a gay orgy. I've watched so many gay movies and movies in general, and I have never in my life seen something so extraordinary. The only director who can come close to this is Gaspar Noe in his Irreversible when it comes to showing things the way they are, and we have to appreciate their courage. Scene is enchanting, all the redness makes it more erotic and the atmosphere is calming, you can feel their pleasure. Naked male bodies are aesthetically pleasing, genlty wrapping around one another or just standing and enjoying themselves watching the scene in front of them. Pleasure they give to each other gives us pleasure while watching. Those man are regular people with regular jobs, like two of our main caracters, you see them every day, jet at night they are ''making love and contributing to humankind'' to paraphrase Hugo. That's a unique way to describe an orgy, and when you think about it you have to agree. When Hugo and Theo finally got together you are able to feel they are made for eachother. Two complete strangers experiencing catharsis thouching one another, appreciating every part of themselves and the other one. Now everything around stops, camera is directly focused on them and in front of us is a long scene of vulnerability and self-conciousnes, exposure with a mistical scent. I won't write about the rest of the movie, don't want to give any spoilers about what's about to happen, just wanted to share my appreciation for the director and his courage to make such a scene. Truly unforgetable.

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.