When we think of LGBT cinema, we usually think of men in drag, or stories of the community collectively overcoming hardship. Andrew Haigh's "Weekend" is a different one. While it does focus on the characters' sexual orientation, it's more about the subtlety in the characters' lives and how they seek fulfillment. The movie makes sure to create complex, relatable characters, so that we can always feel for them. It's not the greatest movie ever made, but one that prompts the viewer to think deeply about the characters, empathizing with them.I recommend it.

Contains spoilers...After all the praise that has been given to this film, I was surprised by finding myself becoming so bored by it I struggled to make it to the end.The film consists of two broadly uninteresting people having mostly downbeat and unoriginal conversations. One, Glenn, is a 24 year old aspiring artist, though what we learn about the quality of his mind and the limited range of his consistently solipsistic thinking suggests he will be without success. He complains that straight people aren't interested enough in hearing about gay sex, that if he did a show about him talking about gay sex then straight people wouldn't come, that there aren't enough gay story lines on TV, that heterosexuality is shoved in his face, that marriage is too conformist, that gays are too pigeon– holed etc ad nauseum. And many other things the average gay man will have heard expressed 100 times before, with as little depth. Glen's friends hold him back, he thinks, seeing him only as he used to be, whereas he feels he is constantly changing. He hates Nottingham. He doesn't want a boyfriend.The protagonist, Russell, is more endearing and essentially likable, but most of the time words need to be dragged from him, sometimes in a mumble. His relationship with his best friend Jamie is much dwelt upon, but when together he barely holds a conversation with him. He maintains a habit of writing down his depressing sexual encounters with closeted or cheating or just unhappy men. Several of these are later read out, Glen and Russell taking in turns.Most of the film takes place inside Russell's small and dreary flat. The director's choice of a washed out colour palette of grey and blue compounds the dreariness. Outside, people shuffle up concrete paths. Russell lives there in a vacuum. Glen has some friends, but from what little we see of them, they are neither interesting or pleasant and he doesn't like them much. Really there is little of anything in their lives. What others found deeply romantic, I experienced more as claustrophobic and was unconvinced by the depth of foundations of the connection. Both characters are lonely and slightly unhappy and fancy each other. But it was easy to imagine the relationship being broken off, whether or not Glen does ultimately go to Portland (the film's only plot point). The most exciting thing they do together is have a backie on a bike.The sex is believable and unerotic, to my mind at least, and even the drugs are no fun. In this film taking large amounts of cocaine only makes people crave gloomy and irritable conversations with each other; I would suggest another dealer. These men in their mid 20s talk a great deal about whether and when they feel embarrassed or ashamed to be gay, and about coming out and the extent to which they are out. Which hasn't been my own experience of what English gay men in their mid 20s talk about with each other (yes, I've been one). As well as a lack of plot, there is no cinematography to speak of that could be described as filmic. It could easily be made for TV, except there's deliberate camera shakiness and blurring. There's little in the way of a soundtrack. The film is very well acted; the leads play their parts convincingly, it's the characters that lack interest. There is most of the time a strong sense of verisimilitude. And that has been the biggest source of praise for the film. But filming people talking on a bus would also have a sense of verisimilitude. The question is what would be the point? Where is the creativity? Are the leads being gay sufficient justification for the film? I certainly don't feel it told me anything about life, or made me see life in a slightly new way. The sense it brought to mind was of being stuck in a corner at a disappointing and dingy house party, being spoken to at length by someone dull, but being in two minds whether to leave yet as it's a long journey home and I'm not yet drunk, so I hang around.

I assumed this was a DVD I had seen in the shops a few, but I must have gotten confused with the comedy Weekender with the yellow and pink cover art, oh well, I heard this critically acclaimed and I was very interested to see why. Basically in Nottingham on Friday night Russell (Downton Abbey's Tom Cullen), who works as a lifeguard, heads from a straight house to a gay night club to go on the pull alone, and just before closing time he meets student artist Glen (Chris New), and they end up having sex back at his apartment. The next morning they wake up, Glen has Russell speak on his voice recorder talking about their experience, he says it is for an art project, and after he leaves Russell does what he always does after each man that is with him, writes about him on his laptop, it is obvious that he feels lonely most of the time. Russell and Glen do meet up the next day to ride Russell's bike, and returning to his apartment they spend the day sharing stories about past experiences and encounters as gay men, Russell tells how he grew up in foster care where he made a friend with Jamie (Jonathan Race) who is like a brother to him now. Before leaving again Glen tells him that he will be leaving the next day for a two year art course in Oregon, but he invites Russell to a party he is holding in a bar, Russell is upset a developing relationship can't last much longer, but he goes to the party and meets some of his friends, including a female friend who is normally aloud to hear all Glen's tapes, but not Russell's. The female friend tells how she is not sure Glen will actually go ahead with the trip to America, being in a relationship with a man called John who cheated on him but renounced beliefs for him, and how he was beaten up in the park by homophobic thugs. The pair of men leave the bar and go to an amusement park where Glen admits to feeling down amongst friends but happy with Russell, when they get back to the apartment they smoke marijuana and snort cocaine, and Russell reads to Glen his similar project about men he has been with, and it is a surprise when Glen recognises his ex John as one of them, they argue about it. Glen feels that things will improve for him when he is in America, but Russell wants him to stay so perhaps they can have a real relationship, but this only causes another argument between them about trust issues from past relationships and how happiness can be really achieved, but they do reconcile, passionately kiss and sleep together. In the morning they plan a game where Glen acts as Russell's father, he never got the chance to come out as gay to his real father, Glen leaves the apartment, Russell feeling devastated explains his feelings to Jami who suggests he should drop him and see him off at the train station, there they say their goodbyes and share one last kiss, before leaving Glen gave Russell a present, it is the voice recorder about their first encounter. Also starring Laura Freeman as Jill, Jonathan Wright as Johnny, Loretto Murray as Cathy, Sarah Churm as Helen, Vauxhall Jermaine as Damien, Joe Doherty as Justin and Kieran Hardcastle as Sam. You could describe this as perhaps a modern day homosexual version of Brief Encounter, with a dash of Before Sunrise, Cullen gives a touching performance as the quiet lonely gay man who thinks he's found solace but is to again be devastated, New is equally good as the young man he is falling for but cannot stay, I admit the love scenes were a little awkward, you see sperm on one of their chests LOL, but it is necessary, the dialogue scenes of the two men talking almost generally are the most interesting, it works really well as a talkative story and a small emotional love story, a fantastic romantic drama. Very good!

The story line only covers two days and nights. The two main fellas put away a lot of beer, shots, pot, and nose candy! They quickly discover their true character individually and in each other through lengthy conversation and the opening of their souls. Glen is aggressive and unafraid of confrontation and Russell is passive and neutral toward life. These two discover a common bond through the haze of booze and a friendship/love is created. Then reality checks in!This is a wonderful indie film for people who want acting and a feeling of empathy for the main characters. You cannot help feeling sorry for Russell and his plight in just existing. Glen is his own person and will follow his own path with many Russell's along the way.A great piece of movie making - but it has a bit of trouble getting of the ground in the beginning. Stick with it because the art & entertainment value in it is a great payoff!