It's one of those 'coming of age-movies' to give a special place on the mantelpiece: the German movie Sommersturm or Summer Storm as it is called in English. It tells about a group of young people. Tobi is inseparable from his friend Achim. They jog together, they jerk off together and they join the same rowing club. And they make plans for a journey. But then there is love. Achim falls in love with Sandra, but Tobi has his eye on Achim. Achim doesn't want to have anything to do with gays and doesn't know about the secret love of his friend for him.
The climax comes during the preparations for a rowing contest. Tobi's and Achim's group will compete with other rowing clubs. Before the actual contest they meet the other groups during a training camp. When it becomes clear that one of the competing clubs exists of only gay men, the only issue the others will talk about is homosexuality. In a negative way of course. That doesn't make things easier for Tobi. He is confronted with his own denial constantly. It's really beautiful to see the rapprochement between him and one of the members of the gay rowing club. The scene when Tobi experiences his own real sexuality is fabulous. Moving is the confession of his homosexuality to the other members of his club. The final reaction of his fellow rowers is fabelhaft, using a good German word.
The danger with this type of movie when young people discover they are gay is that clichés will be used. Fortunately, in Sommersturm that doesn't happen very often. The movie was made with passion for the issue of homosexuality and there is a good balance between seriousness and humor. Therefore the movie is 'suitable' for gays and straights.
The climax comes during the preparations for a rowing contest. Tobi's and Achim's group will compete with other rowing clubs. Before the actual contest they meet the other groups during a training camp. When it becomes clear that one of the competing clubs exists of only gay men, the only issue the others will talk about is homosexuality. In a negative way of course. That doesn't make things easier for Tobi. He is confronted with his own denial constantly. It's really beautiful to see the rapprochement between him and one of the members of the gay rowing club. The scene when Tobi experiences his own real sexuality is fabulous. Moving is the confession of his homosexuality to the other members of his club. The final reaction of his fellow rowers is fabelhaft, using a good German word.
The danger with this type of movie when young people discover they are gay is that clichés will be used. Fortunately, in Sommersturm that doesn't happen very often. The movie was made with passion for the issue of homosexuality and there is a good balance between seriousness and humor. Therefore the movie is 'suitable' for gays and straights.