Like You Mean It

This is a good film. On the surface it is about a gay couple struggling to stay together, but it is actually about one-half of this couple.

Mark, played by LIKE YOU MEAN IT'S writer/director, Philipp Karner, doesn't merely have difficulty committing, he has increasing difficulty communicating with anyone. His character is interesting, especially in that, as a professional actor, auditioning generally for voice-over assignments, he must use a wide variety of voices. That English is not his native language, and though he has mastered an infinite variety of American accents, he is finding himself unable to continue.

Jonah, his boyfriend, played by Denver Milord, is a struggling musician. What is very subtle about this movie is that it shows us typical tensions a gay couple experiences but demonstrates a unique element: Post-traumatic stress disorder. Jonah, an intelligent man, is helpless to reach Mark, whose relationship to his estranged father is the backdrop to this couple's crisis.

It is well-acted and photographed, and unlike a lot of movies which have entertainers as main characters, it shows what they do. We see that Mark isn't just an actor down on his luck. We see him auditioning and we realize he's good. When Jonah sings to Mark one night, at Mark's request, we are shown that he is good and that he is doing the sort of music heard today. This adds to the realism.

LIKE IT IS is as thoughtful as any story by John Updike or Joyce Carol Oates. The short story may be the form which has most influenced this film. In my view, that is a plus.

Sometimes hard to watch, with the subject matter of someone who may or may not be helped by taking (or not taking) wellbutrin, or other antidepressants. Or maybe the dosage wasn't right. It was a good depiction of the on again off again success of any meds, or dose. About halfway through, the guy on the meds owns the poor communication and the effect his actions are having on their relationship. His partner seems to be willing to wait things out, and to attend the therapy sessions. I really liked when the therapist asked them if they were looking to get into the relationship, or out of the relationship. Nice bottom line! A couple of reviewers have written that they aren't happy with the ending, but I think it summed up a real life situation. Another reviewer mentioned that they didn't see the point of showing their straight friends "timeout" relationship. But i think it was important to show the two main characters' reactions to what their friends were doing.... it kind of told us where they might stand on things. Good acting, if difficult to watch a couple going through really rough times.

Mark is an actor who like many is struggling; he is having other problems and has a past of mental issues. He decides that he wants to reconnect with his caring partner – Joshua. The thing is he does not know how and in trying to do so he starts to learn more about who he actually is.

We follow him and his partner Joshua on their journey and it can be slow going at times – but life is hardly a white knuckle roller coaster ride all of the time – so I am fine with this. The issues they have seemed to be universal and not just limited to the gay community and that is exemplified by some of their straight friends who have alternate relationship issues.

Now as I said this can be slow in places but it is the resonant honesty about the characters and situations that will pull you in and make you care. It is all handled in a very adult way. It is also acted extremely well and the cinematographer has done a rather excellent job with the complimentary and often inventive camera shots. There are some bedroom scenes here too but nothing to frighten the horses or anything. It is one for people who like their films to be more on the contemplative side and if that is your thing then I am sure you will find a lot here to appreciate.

Saw this film in LA and was surprised by it's simplicity and power. This is not a "gay movie". Yes, the focus of the story is on a gay man but we start to realize it's about his difficulty loving himself and hence others. We understand why and how life is increasingly challenging for him as he attempts (as a European in America) to manage his past and get healthier. Mainstream audiences may be reluctant to pay to see a film about a gay man but star/writer/director Philipp Karner handles the sex scenes and sexuality in a restrained manner which affords all of us an understanding of the gay culture without offending. As a straight man, I really enjoyed the movie. I highly recommend LIKE YOU MEAN IT...for its wonderful, economical writing, direction and performances as well as its ability to enlighten and entertain!

I've been giving this film a bit of thought since I saw it last week. Like You Mean It is a subtle, interesting film and I definitely recommend that you see it. Philipp Karner, writes, directs and plays the lead role in a slice-of-life about a gay couple whose relationship is put under the microscope as frustrated actor Mark starts to withdraw from intimacy, leaving his long-suffering boyfriend confused and hurt. The script is naturalistic with some sparkling, well-observed dialogue and strong performances from the actors, particularly in the cameo parts. The film is lovingly crafted and the use of audio to create ambiance and a sense of space is outstanding. The narrative pace is nicely judged and is punctuated by scenes of Mark driving around his home town, alternately attempting to save and sabotage his relationship, all the while ignoring calls from his sister back in Austria. The niggling flaw with the film is what gets left unsaid. There are hints of past medical issues, there are hints that Mark's relationship with his family is problematic but none of this is called out explicitly. When the resolution comes we're left unsatisfied and wondering why. Like Mark, the director is holding out on his audience, and while on the whole the unfolding tale is subtly and elegantly told it just falls short of creating sufficient motive to explain his character's actions. That said the film is an absorbing 90 minute window onto the world of a struggling couple, raises some interesting questions about how we undermine ourselves and is elegantly sketched. I'll definitely be looking out for more from Philipp Karner.