| RATING: | 60% |
| FORMAT: | DVD |
A would-be clever movie about a young boy’s introduction to the adult world of sexual love. This one subtly portrays the boy’s confusion and the adult’s attempts to conceal their emotions because social-class barriers are being crossed. Socially-forbidden love and the envy of those who have never loved are the themes here.
Unfortunately, all of these themes are communicated largely through sophisticated dialogue rather than appropriate acting. It would, of course, have been almost impossible to find a twelve-year-old boy who could convey the emotional turmoil and affective confusions of someone on the cusp of puberty. That would require the psychological distance and insight of maturity - so the film suffers from thus having created a rod for its own back.
Moreover, since the film is told from the boy’s point-of-view, the passion of the two lovers concerned is never truly revealed and so never truly dramatized nor explored. An implicit social context is never enough for true dramatic impact - some details must be made explicit. Watching this movie is a bit like real life where most people conceal their true feelings for one another. However, therein lies a crucial difference between melodrama and real life since drama requires the manifestation of emotions to be effective.
That said, the acting is exceptional and stylish - from an exceptional British cast - and tries its best to overcome these quite serious dramaturgical flaws. It needs to be since this movie is a character-driven affair - not a plot-driven one
No comments:
Post a Comment