I say this was surprisingly good because it was a gay film, and most gay films are terrible. This one had proper actors and a really good storyline. Why only a 7 rating? Well, I wonder how long "normal" film audiences would put up with every single film they watch being miserable, and a tragedy. I would be hard pushed to name more than a handful of gay movies that are positive, or even just where both protagonists survive! It gets a bit repetitive and depressing. And it's especially poignant when the two leads are so good and the story is so intriguing. Both leads were very attractive, too, which definitely helps when you want to invest in their relationship. I found the casting of the actress playing Isobel very odd. At first glance, when Tim first sees her, I thought she was an old woman. She's not, but she is definitely odd looking, and wholly unconvincing as someone Tim would have fallen for. Maybe that was the point. Being so pretty himself he was looking for something different. Anyway, this is a good film. It's a bit dated now. Letters? Haven't seen a letter in a film for a good while. But despite that I'd recommend this if you like gay movies.

I agree with all the other comments that this is indeed a well made film and works superbly as a fantastic thriller.HOWEVER, let's all be aware that it contains some truly blinding homophobic stereotypes. Specifically: Gay men can be cured by meeting the right girl, Once meeting said girl, former gay man becomes repulsed by other men, Bisexuals have no morals, Inside every gay/bisexual man beats the heart of a psychopath, spurned gay men act psychotic and therefore should be avoided at all costs.There are three gay men in this film and all of them should be sectioned! I do agree that it is a great film and superbly shot and acted (God knows I'll never be able to look at a four poster bed again without thinking of the sexy Marc Warren!), but for once can we have some gay characters in a thriller that are NORMAL??? Just wanted to point this out, Enjoy! - Mike.

I think this film is fantastically erotic and well acted. Lee Williams and Marc Warren do an excellent job of making you care about their characters, despite their flaws. This film is a journey into the the various stages of love. It is also an examination of the duplicity of love and the old saying "there's a thin line between love and hate." The pacing of the film moves along, until we get to the character Isabel, then it seems to drag. The the love Tim professes for her doesn't seem as heated as what he had for Ivo. I don't think the actress cast for Isabel was the right person, because she and Williams had no chemistry. All of their scenes felt contrived. But then again, maybe that is the point, she is a way out from Ivo for Tim. His passion for her isn't real. The tempo picks up and keeps going once we get to the "murder" of Ivo. The twist where we find out Isabel is Ivo's sister was interesting. Ivo and Isabel's scene in the bedroom was creepy, but she too was unable to resist Tim's charms, even though she knows who he is from the beginning and what he meant to Ivo. Maybe this was her form of rebellion against Ivo and her husband. Otherwise, her character is shut down and devoid of the ability to change her nature. She is walking damaged goods, just like Tim, Ivo, and her husband. They all suffer from weaknesses they are aware of, but choose to swim in them anyway, instead of making internal changes.Through flashback scenes, the audience finds out Tim was molested as a child. When someone tells him they love him (as his molester did) he shuts down. Tim is aware of this fact, but does nothing or maybe can't do anything to change this sadness within himself. Ivo walks around the university and seems shut down also, which could explain their attraction, beyond the physical. However, the audience comes to find out that Ivo, despite being the elder, is the vulnerable one in the relationship, though you fear for Tim at the beginning. Ivo realizes Tim doesn't love him, yet hangs on anyway, just as many people do in real life. The final scene between Ivo and Tim, where Tim tries to return Ivo's money and coat he gave Tim, is touching and sad. Ivo realizes how unreceptive to love Tim is and rightly calls him a selfish bastard at one point during their conversation. Yet there is still something between the two. Tim seems to reach a point of clarity and understand that Ivo did love him. His childish attempts to make amends (returning the money/coat) are correctly rebuffed by the wiser Ivo, who doesn't want to dance to Tim's tune again. Tim wants to play the chase game again. When Isabel, "they only person he's loved" comes to see Tim at the end of the movie, she looks like a mirage, she is blurry and unreal. The love of his life comes to him, yet he won't open the door, because she isn't the love of his life (Ivo) which Tim realizes too late. Tim is holding Ivo's pictures and perhaps finally on a conscious level, realized he loved Ivo. This realization paralyzes him and you know he can't open that door.As far as settings, Alaska was the right place for a love that was on its deathbed. At the end of the movie, it was appropriate for Tim to go back to his dank little town, where he constantly ran into reminders of his real self. There was also some humor, e.g. when Tim questions Ivo going off to teach a class in a leather jacket and when Ivo forces himself on Tim on the boat, the announcer in the background says "No one knows glaciers like Dr. Ivo Steadman." Kudos to the actors for showing the complexities of people and relationships. This film lets you know you are responsible for your actions and the people who choose to love you, whether you love them or not.

I quite agree this is a fantastic story and contains all of the elements that run through relationships of this type. Marc Warren steals the show with a performance that gives the right level of menace. Anyone with an ounce of sensitivity would be moved. It is a travesty that this title is not available in general. I would love to own a copy in any format, but probably never will. The BBC produce a lot of fodder for the general public yet still miss releasing gems like this. If anyone thinks that they can persuade the powers that be to get this title onto DVD then please do so. Marc's major work since then has been the Hustle series, a very different story, but in which he is equally excellent and supported by other excellent performances including those of the veteran actor Robert Vaughan.