This review contains spoilers.
I watched this film years ago and just a couple days ago. While I agree with much of the glowing reviews (the photography, the natural, generally undramatic realistic interaction between characters, budding romances etc.) there is a mean streak in here, as well as several instances where some are being extremely inconsiderate. I'm not exactly sure how old these people are supposed to be, but they seem like very late high school or early college? Tobi, the rejected Gay lover, just doesn't get it that Achim is straight. Achim talks about girls, about having a problem if a Gay guy liked him, on and on and still almost to the end, Tobi doesn't get it. Meanwhile, Leo likes him, and is very tender with him several times, Tobi injures Leo's arm (unintentionally) still Leo can't participate in the competition, something they presumably train their whole lives for. Tobi doesn't even apologize! Come on! This is the perfect, tender romance of the century movie? What about the part where Tobi tells Sandra to not withhold sex because of her small bosom (something boyfriend Achim told Tobi in confidence) Yes, "kids" and adults are mean, but I'm not the one saying this is such a gentle love story. It is downright harsh in places. To say What he did to Sandra, Tobi is a selfish little twit. (And stupid too, if he thought Achim wouldn't be furious about it or that Achim would stop loving Sandra? Even if Tobi is naive about homosexuality, he must know that male/female is the majority). Oh, and I know that Tobi was fixated on Achim so Leo was probably just a diversion. It is easy to get the impression I hated this movie, I didn't. I just wrote this review as a counterbalance to the excessive number of reviews purporting this movie to be perfect. I'm aware that people can be mean, and there are plenty of immature adults around. But I think for some of the dumb sh*t Tobi pulled, he needed his a** kicked. As a Gay man myself, I can understand how difficult it is to come out but this never is an excuse to be cruel and inconsiderate to others.
I watched this film years ago and just a couple days ago. While I agree with much of the glowing reviews (the photography, the natural, generally undramatic realistic interaction between characters, budding romances etc.) there is a mean streak in here, as well as several instances where some are being extremely inconsiderate. I'm not exactly sure how old these people are supposed to be, but they seem like very late high school or early college? Tobi, the rejected Gay lover, just doesn't get it that Achim is straight. Achim talks about girls, about having a problem if a Gay guy liked him, on and on and still almost to the end, Tobi doesn't get it. Meanwhile, Leo likes him, and is very tender with him several times, Tobi injures Leo's arm (unintentionally) still Leo can't participate in the competition, something they presumably train their whole lives for. Tobi doesn't even apologize! Come on! This is the perfect, tender romance of the century movie? What about the part where Tobi tells Sandra to not withhold sex because of her small bosom (something boyfriend Achim told Tobi in confidence) Yes, "kids" and adults are mean, but I'm not the one saying this is such a gentle love story. It is downright harsh in places. To say What he did to Sandra, Tobi is a selfish little twit. (And stupid too, if he thought Achim wouldn't be furious about it or that Achim would stop loving Sandra? Even if Tobi is naive about homosexuality, he must know that male/female is the majority). Oh, and I know that Tobi was fixated on Achim so Leo was probably just a diversion. It is easy to get the impression I hated this movie, I didn't. I just wrote this review as a counterbalance to the excessive number of reviews purporting this movie to be perfect. I'm aware that people can be mean, and there are plenty of immature adults around. But I think for some of the dumb sh*t Tobi pulled, he needed his a** kicked. As a Gay man myself, I can understand how difficult it is to come out but this never is an excuse to be cruel and inconsiderate to others.