This was a pretty good flick about a conflicted 20 something young man who is terrified that people will find out he likes men. OMG. So he plays around at being straight then tries a gay encounter that ends bad, then meets the worst piece pf a downer in the history of film. But he sees his chance to be straight while he is being gay, or not. The poor guy is a mess but finally comes out to his shrink who thinks its no big deal. In the meantime he has a landlord who is about the same age who is very interesting and makes for a highlight of the film, but then back to Caro, the manic depressive and he dismisses Saba, the great guy he had an nice affair with. Then he goes on a road trip and the camera is on him for a long time and the movie ends. WTF?
... View MoreThe choice that Leo seemed to make at the end made no sense based on the first hour of the movie. I think the writer did not want to offend the movie critics or general public, but as a gay man, this never would have happened. Disappointed in the simplistic ending. So what was the point of the psychiatrist then? The beginning of the film does not match at all with the end. He is right back where he started and in the future will be having the same feelings and behaviors he was hiding from. You just cant turn off your sexuality that simply. It is too bad since the movie held me closely until near the end then seemed corny. I felt like I had wasted my time.
... View MoreThey say that avocados are an acquire taste, the same we can say about this type of movies. The slow timing, the great length of the scenes with a lot of silences, very scarce dialog, the favorite way to make movies by Ingmar Bergman, by Antonioni... you really have to accept those premises if you decide to watch this film.It has a great deal of excellence thanks to everybody involved in it, since obviously they filmed it with a very restricted budget. It seems the lighting they used was the natural ambiance light and if the scene came out too dark, too bad, no way they would re shoot it, but exactly those no-no's (for a Hollywood production) helped in this case to get the necessary atmosphere to develop the story with great intimacy and naturalness. It was filmed, practically, as a documentary.All the actors were true professionals, save, maybe, the mother of the protagonist, that for some reason gave a wrong feeling to her phrasing, almost as if she was reading the lines.I truly believe that this movie could benefit enormously if they take it back to the editing room and cut about half an hour, because some of the scenes are unnecessarily too long for no reason whatsoever.*****Spoilers ahead *****I have the feeling at the conclusion of the story, that the director --or the producer or whoever decided about the ending-- panicked with the idea that the protagonist would end up being homosexual and happy as such, so they decided all of a sudden, after all that inner torture and knuckle biting throughout the whole movie, that, after all, our guy happened to be heterosexual (bisexual?) but since the ending is left totally open we'll never know what his true sexual orientation was.
... View More....."It's Leo...and I want OUT!"NOTES: My preferred Star-Rating would be Half-Star more (cause He's lovable) / This review based on earlier released European DVD version obtained through Amazon.com/UK (( FULL DISCLOSURE----STOP at this point....IF what you're anticipating, sex scene-wise, is anything more than a few, tame love-making shots. BUT continue on....IF you can withstand a little trip back to a place so many of us, in our pasts, dwelt: A lonely...sad...emotionally draining place....that's called "THE CLOSET" ))As your Trip Guide through this unpretentious little film, you'll follow along after the sweetest of guys, one who's named Leo Brasetti. Yes, he's as wonderful a young man as you could ever hope to meet / hook up with....IF he could only figure out Who and What he is (Some Guide, indeed!). Oh sure, he knows deep down, BUT the thing is there are just all these fears of discovery....and all these people he would be disappointing....and all these other excuses we, ourselves, used for our own inability to be "out and proud" (oh, you were different....well, Congrats to you!). Nevertheless, you're gonna meet him...follow him through some trials and tribulations...until, maybe, you begin to see a little glimmer of hope which will make the time you've spent together all worthwhile. Now, to get back on track with this confused young man. Let's just say, again, that he's someone so choked up over trying to be the person he was born to be, his life has become a turmoil. YET, all around him...right there in plain sight...are people accepting of his being himself. Foremost is a marvelous mother, who point-blank tells him she just wants him "...to have someone of his own---no matter whether a girlfriend or boyfriend." And then there's that wonderful, old therapist of his, who is trying to pull it all out and into the open, as painlessly as possible. BUT our Leo is so tightly wrapped, their words don't seem to get through. It is SO bad that he even worries what his several years deceased father might think of him. So, now, who could blame any of you readers of this if you've begun to wonder: ...How can any but the best of actors convey this kind of emotional turmoil...how is this relatively new actor, with only one unknown film under his belt...gonna put it all across to me? Well, Viewers, I'm here to tell you that this Martín Rodríguez, this young Latino "hottie," will project Leo so vividly, so discomfortingly...yet so endearingly...that you'll want to enfold him in your own arms and ease his confusion. I know nothing of South America's pool of young male actors willing to portray a gay character, but I cannot imagine there could ever have been a better selection for doing it here than Martin. And no way can I see any other actor possessing his unconscious and quirky little way of sucking in / chewing on his lower lip during emotional and stressful times...it's just who Rodriguez is (yes, again, endearing). Then there's Gerardo Begérez, as Leo's wanna-be lover (Seba / Sebastien). He is first-rate...and a fine selection for putting across the playful protectiveness his character needs to project to us. A Spin-off or side story (unfortunately taking up near half the film's running time) involves Leo's reconnection and interaction with a former primary schoolmate---Caro by name---along with some of her family members. In her, we're given an at times catatonic, depressed, young lady who, to my thinking, was likely thrown into the mix by Writer / Director Enrique Buchichio only to give us more insight into Leo's amazing empathy for others. I will leave further comment on Caro and her storyline to other reviewers of this film. To end all this up, let me just acknowledge there may be some of you who ask why this small film would end with Leo deciding upon a little road trip, and even see it as more of his avoiding reality. However, I believe Director Buchichio is using it as a final little journey of self-discovery for our Leo. Showing us that all will turn out well (as any gay romantic would wish) and giving us a wonderful, final wide-screen shot of the car windshield and close-up of Leo's face (yes, you CAN see his thoughts), as it lights up in a small smile during the film's last split seconds. YES...that's right; Leo IS telling us something. And then you know....you just KNOW, in that very moment: He's decided to, at last, throw OPEN the door to "LEO'S ROOM."****
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