Movie Review - Weekend

Weekend (2011)

Starring Tom Cullen and Chris New

Directed by Andrew Haigh

***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***

I'm not afraid to admit that Weekend would have never been on my cinematic radar had it not been for its appearance on a few Top Ten lists at year's end calling it this decade's Before Sunrise.  While there's some truth to that comparison in this tale about two men who meet in a bar and spend forty-eight hours having sex, getting high, and discussing their intimate and not-so-intimate thoughts, Weekend is much more intense than Sunrise in its focus on the difficulties faced by homosexuals in a decidedly heterosexual world.  Longing for societal equality, but finding that hard to come by, the two lovers -- the somewhat closeted Russell (Tom Cullen) and out-and-proud Glen (Chris New) -- find in each other a sounding board for their innermost thoughts.

It's that intensity and that lack of light-heartedness that somehow makes this flick a bit less successful than its aforementioned Richard Linkater-directed cinematic predecessor.  Weekend is heavy and while I'd like to say I'm able to remove "myself" from the mix when watching films, there's ultimately the sense in an intimate film like this that you want to connect with the characters.  While I certainly felt and understood both the pain and love that Russell and Glen expressed to one another, I couldn't help but be a tad disconnected from the whole scenario simply because of its subject matter.  (And I don't necessarily blame the filmmakers for that issue...it's probably something that falls squarely on me...and likely relates to the very issues the film raises concerning peoples' unease being around the two main characters.)

Still, the film is certainly an admirable one and probably the best love story I've seen on this subject matter.  Both Tom Cullen and Chris New (two actors very new to the world of acting) are both quite good.  Cullen, in particular, is rather winning in his role as Russell whose shy demeanor masks his true desire to simply find someone to love without having to worry about how it will appear to his straight friends and family.  Director and writer Andrew Haigh creates an almost documentary-type feel which at times proves to be a little difficult to take (couple the strong British accents with a lack of vocal amplification and you're just asking for trouble).  He lets his camera often linger in scenes longer than is sometimes comfortable providing the viewer a more intense glimpse of the two lovers.

In the end, despite its intimate discussions about homosexuality, Weekend isn't a movie about a gay relationship...it's simply a movie about a relationship and the sometimes scary notion of commitment.  It's certainly not going to be a movie for all, but it may be worth a shot if you're looking for something different to add to your Netflix Queue.

The RyMickey Rating:  B