As American film and TV has finally begun to embrace more joyful queer storylines over the last few years, the darkness of international queer cinema reflects a bleaker picture of the realities of gay life in the rest of the world. “Consequences,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, is the first Slovenian film to ever deal with Lgbtq themes, a fact that augurs the film’s unflinchingly dark outlook.
That’s not to say there isn’t much to enjoy in Darko Stante’s debut feature, which is impeccably crafted, and boosted by an electrifying performance from its smoldering young lead, the equal parts brooding and babyfaced Matej Zemljic. “Consequences” thrums with a vibrant current — propelled by a dizzying churn of cigarettes, cocaine, fistfights, and shirtless young men — until arriving at its predictably explosive conclusion. The film’s perspective may be austere, but its heart is defiantly exuberant.
That’s not to say there isn’t much to enjoy in Darko Stante’s debut feature, which is impeccably crafted, and boosted by an electrifying performance from its smoldering young lead, the equal parts brooding and babyfaced Matej Zemljic. “Consequences” thrums with a vibrant current — propelled by a dizzying churn of cigarettes, cocaine, fistfights, and shirtless young men — until arriving at its predictably explosive conclusion. The film’s perspective may be austere, but its heart is defiantly exuberant.
- 8/3/2019
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
“Consequences” is a somewhat daring enterprise for Slovenia in that it doesn’t judge its characters for their bi or gay sexuality. Indeed, their simultaneous extreme machismo and party-hearty vibe seem designed to impress younger viewers that these figures are cool whoever they shag. Offshore, however, Darko Stante’s promising first feature looks more like a bad-boy beefcake fest whose precise point beyond titillation is unclear. Nonetheless, this well-crafted drama should be welcome at gay tests and in niche home-format sales around the world.
Broodingly handsome — though there’s scant evidence he’s actually the thinking type — Andrej (Matej Zemljic) is a mature-looking 18-year-old ne’er-do-well whose mother (Rosana Hribar) is at wit’s end with him. He refuses to attend school or get a job, and a rap sheet of petty criminal offenses is now capped by his striking a girl at a party after she’d complained about his lack of sexual follow-through.
Broodingly handsome — though there’s scant evidence he’s actually the thinking type — Andrej (Matej Zemljic) is a mature-looking 18-year-old ne’er-do-well whose mother (Rosana Hribar) is at wit’s end with him. He refuses to attend school or get a job, and a rap sheet of petty criminal offenses is now capped by his striking a girl at a party after she’d complained about his lack of sexual follow-through.
- 9/27/2018
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
Andrej (Matej Zemljic) is an eighteen-year-old abuser. He’s stopped going to school, started getting into fights, disrespects his parents, and most recently hit a teen after she berated him for his not wanting sex. It’s an escalating series of incidents that no one is willing to deal with anymore, so they decide to let a judge handle him instead. The verdict: a detention center for troubled youths with 24/7 security, education, workshops, and free weekends (if you don’t do something to lose those days too). Like any kid his age, Andrej fears what this means while turning the blame onto those who “gave up” on him when he’s the one who gave up first. Either this place will give him structure or it’ll just make him worse.
The title of the film is therefore quite apt. Darko Stante’s Consequences not only throws the word around...
The title of the film is therefore quite apt. Darko Stante’s Consequences not only throws the word around...
- 9/22/2018
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
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