Dans la mêlée

British gay romance drama. Two members of a gay rugby team--Mark (Alexander Lincoln) and Warren (Alexander King)--become attracted to each other and begin to fall in love. The problem is they both already have partners. However they have trouble fighting their attraction to each other.

At 134 minutes it's way too long and there's nothing new or ground-breaking here but it still worked for me. The acting is excellent by the two leads and there's LOTS of gay kissing scenes. The one sex scene we see is erotic but not explicit. Also (for once) this is a gay love story that does not have a tragic ending. It's bittersweet and a little sad (I admit I was crying) but hopeful. I applaud any gay film that doesn't end tragically. So no great shakes but I liked it.

At last a "man to man" film that didn't feature a cast of screaming Queens running all over the place in tight colourful clothing flapping their arms about. As the stereotype films would have you believe the "Gay" population behaves.

In fact this case revealed that man on man love can be quite like man/woman love. Nothing different or nothing setting them apart from anyone else. No underlying "look at me I a gay" (as if anyone cares)

This film is basically a love triangle (but more complicated) and the storyline really can be applied to same sex or straight couples - which is one of the reasons I liked it.

Yes adult life can be "complicated" from time to time - but this was a real story that can be applied to couples of any kind - as opposed to being overtly about "gay" behaviour. It was about a complicated love quadrangle/no matter what the sex of the couples.

At last!

What to say about this movie..hmm Just the thought of having gay only rugby team sounds amazing to me and it's nice that we have a movie like that.

Mark and Warren have a secret relationship even thou both have boyfriends. This movie is a nice story about adventure, and secret desire. About this one step that people make to feel exited and then they are playing on the edge not wanting to go all the way. I think Warren was stupid and I don't understand why he didn't stood up for Mat at New Year party. What I don't understand is why Warren's boyfriend never left him because he cheated. This was just left for our imagination to think that they had a little fight or not? Overall it's a nice movie.

I was absolutely horrified to see people here comparing this film with the horrendously boring and irrelevant "Weekend" and claiming that this film based on a rugby club and two of its members suffered in comparison. Where "Weekend" was an actionless dirge about nothing, "In from the side" explored much more and did it in the context of a group of gay guys taking on the hettie world on their own terms and winning.

During the film the clandestine affair between two of the players explored themes of infidelity and stagnation. Both men were in stagnant relationships, Mark with a rich guy whose fabulous flat he was staying in for free and Warren with another rugger bugger who'd helped him out in his life so he felt obliged to him.

Which horny young guys wouldn't have had an explosive affair with each other after realising their attraction to each other in these circumstances? I've been guilty of lustful straying off the straight and narrow so I can fully understand the physical pull these two guys had.

The film explored sensibly that, in the end, this is what the two lovers had - a huge physical attraction to each other and no more. Mark realised this first and Warren was forced to accept it.

The cinematography of the film was excellent, especially in the match scenes which looked real. Characterisation of the minor players was less finely drawn but good enough for support.

I saw a version that was 120 minutes long. Others stated that what they saw was nearly three hours. I have to agree that three hours would have been far too extended but the 120 minutes was just right. I was dying for a cuppa but refused to get up out of my seat while the film was playing.

For me, this is a definite recommend.

Cinematography and acting: good

Music: too much it's distracting, often not even fitting the scene and overly dramatic

Script: that's where the film really lacks. Characters are not only unidimensional but not really likeable either. They are self centered and douchy. Their respective partners are non existant, except for being people they don't care about. Their decisions don't make sense with a number of clichés. We don't understand or feel why they are into each other, the only thing they do is have sex (we get it) and fight, there's no substance and the melo drama is forced... With this cast and cinematography it could have been much better. The one likeable and funny character is Pinky!