Label Me

Good movie just too short needed to be longer and give us a real conclusion.

1 hour movie way better than many movies. For gay theme, it's really exceptional. It's very natural for all the acting. The Syria man and Germany man meet for paid serve relationship and what happens between them is love, sympathy or hatefulness ? All just a thin line to define.

The production is good, and the guy has a nice apartment too. The two characters are likable, but there is but enough story to fill one hour. Perhaps there can be more back story to develop the characters, or more exploration on Waseem's internalised homophobia.

Wish this had of been longer. The story line, the camera shots, the chemistry all fantastic. Bravo! Like I mentioned, just wish this wasn't a short film.

Around 2015-2016, refugee issue was explosive in Europe. Film makers wouldn't miss the opportunity of this human tragedy and drama, and the motive trickled in a few gay themed films too... but I find them rarely satisfying. I think main loophole is taking a refugee issue as mere dramatic device; failing to deliver much more than very generic "he's a refugee, must've gone through a hard time, left with an wounded soul...".

Unfortunately 'Label Me' is not free from the loophole. Waseem is pictured as a pretty generic closeted gay Middle eastern. Beyond that we hardly see anything much more that makes a character truly alive. Why is he here, how did he get here, what does he really want? And it's not just Waseem. We are equally left blank about Lars. I really don't see why he gets almost obsessed with Waseem beyond a passing curiosity when there's hardly any chemistry between the two.

Without the life, blood and chemistry, what's left is cool 'feel' akin to a chic commercial fashion plate. It's a bit like Lars' apartment; clean, stylish, modern, grey and lifeless.