The story line in rough terms: Police guy (Marc) unexpectedly falls in love with a fellow (Kay) who follows him into his precinct, setting a trail of events in motion.
This movie is nicely treated and should challenge a few conceptions. First, we are far away from the usual set of stereotypes for a gay theme movie. Do not expect the "feminine gay guy", "in touch with his sensitive side" or the depicting of a conveniently acceptable near-miss female guy here, the two main actors are beautifully masculine and the whole relationship will make many unsettled. This is not a "drug addicted losers" theme either: there are some mild drug involved but not the center theme. And no no no - this was not about the "gay disease spreading and corrupting the straight guy" or "not realistic as taking place in modern times with wide acceptance of gays". Those comments missed the bottom line. This movie is smarter in many ways and is about choices, struggle, duality and actually becoming a man by finally be in control of ones own life and impulses as well as external influences.
The character of Marc has a lot to look for - pretty good looking, strongly built and apparently fit he is well established, has a gorgeous girlfriend and a kid on the way. They are moving and starting their life in a house together, all looks like a classic life. The German traditional life is on the way for a traditional family, with no troubles ... on the surface. But this too classic in fact as on closer look, we realize Marc comes from a family of cop and goes to the police academy following a path probably already set for him by peer expectations and traditions. A good boy from a good family making Mama proud. But we guess him to be a tender and shy individual (from the start, he has secrets and simplicity in his manners toward Bettina and is soft speaking) who has followed the least resistance path in life until now. Even at training, he does not push himself and always falling behind and not able to finish the race - he cannot control his breathing and has no real motives.
With Kay coming and helping, a transformation and relationship develops - here, the movie could have developed the characters better: we wish to know and understand better what has pushed those two together beyond physical attraction but nonetheless, the love is quite believable and carries the sense of troublesomeness. But this is not a story about his parents, his girlfriend or his lover - this story is about Marc and his journey to independence.
The true value of the movie is what comes next. Marc struggles with the duality - he has feelings for Bettina and wants to be there for his (now born) child but his environment is pressuring and tightening. From his homophobic colleagues to his parents. "We did not raise you that way" is a classic yet tense moment discussion with his mother opening the Pandora's box of questioning and self-introspection. We also have a feel this movie is bringing to the forefront a topic beyond a classic gay theme - Marc would have been just fine continuing his relation with Kay and Bettina and raise a family if there were no pressures (perhaps again choosing the least resistance), a very "untraditional" way to live and not so black-and-white (homo / hetero) we are accustom to. Even Kay's declaration of love and his own expectations ("I! I! It is always about you - what about me?") brings things to the brink of the impossible. First his parents then Bettina discovers his affair and all hell breaks lose and in the opened. An attempt to patch and move back in, neither Bettina ("I cannot even be properly jealous") nor Marc can make it work as he soon finds he cannot breath again and struggles between the conflicting feelings and the whole situation. He clearly has not learn to be a man before those challenges.
Some reviews suggested this is about lust and not love but I would urge to think again as even that is treated briefly - I will pass on the relatively blend gay love scenes: again, I doubt that was the point so no real efforts were made here, only trying to convey either some passion or gentle touches. But the real point why this is clearly not about lust, is when Marc tries to understand himself going to a gay bar he has been in with Kay before and attempting a casual hook-up. It clearly does not work for him; it is not what he wants. He find it was truly about Kay and Kay is missing in his life and this whole excitement is gone and cannot be trivially replaced. But he has now apparently lost both Kay and Bettina and it is hard not to feel sympathy for him crying, alone, toward the end.
The ending would be sad if we do not pay attention - the closing scenes is similar to the opening one. He is on the running track again but this time, he is in control of his breathing and ahead of his fellow cops which leaves us hopeful he is ready to make his own decision but most of all, be in control of his life.
This movie is nicely treated and should challenge a few conceptions. First, we are far away from the usual set of stereotypes for a gay theme movie. Do not expect the "feminine gay guy", "in touch with his sensitive side" or the depicting of a conveniently acceptable near-miss female guy here, the two main actors are beautifully masculine and the whole relationship will make many unsettled. This is not a "drug addicted losers" theme either: there are some mild drug involved but not the center theme. And no no no - this was not about the "gay disease spreading and corrupting the straight guy" or "not realistic as taking place in modern times with wide acceptance of gays". Those comments missed the bottom line. This movie is smarter in many ways and is about choices, struggle, duality and actually becoming a man by finally be in control of ones own life and impulses as well as external influences.
The character of Marc has a lot to look for - pretty good looking, strongly built and apparently fit he is well established, has a gorgeous girlfriend and a kid on the way. They are moving and starting their life in a house together, all looks like a classic life. The German traditional life is on the way for a traditional family, with no troubles ... on the surface. But this too classic in fact as on closer look, we realize Marc comes from a family of cop and goes to the police academy following a path probably already set for him by peer expectations and traditions. A good boy from a good family making Mama proud. But we guess him to be a tender and shy individual (from the start, he has secrets and simplicity in his manners toward Bettina and is soft speaking) who has followed the least resistance path in life until now. Even at training, he does not push himself and always falling behind and not able to finish the race - he cannot control his breathing and has no real motives.
With Kay coming and helping, a transformation and relationship develops - here, the movie could have developed the characters better: we wish to know and understand better what has pushed those two together beyond physical attraction but nonetheless, the love is quite believable and carries the sense of troublesomeness. But this is not a story about his parents, his girlfriend or his lover - this story is about Marc and his journey to independence.
The true value of the movie is what comes next. Marc struggles with the duality - he has feelings for Bettina and wants to be there for his (now born) child but his environment is pressuring and tightening. From his homophobic colleagues to his parents. "We did not raise you that way" is a classic yet tense moment discussion with his mother opening the Pandora's box of questioning and self-introspection. We also have a feel this movie is bringing to the forefront a topic beyond a classic gay theme - Marc would have been just fine continuing his relation with Kay and Bettina and raise a family if there were no pressures (perhaps again choosing the least resistance), a very "untraditional" way to live and not so black-and-white (homo / hetero) we are accustom to. Even Kay's declaration of love and his own expectations ("I! I! It is always about you - what about me?") brings things to the brink of the impossible. First his parents then Bettina discovers his affair and all hell breaks lose and in the opened. An attempt to patch and move back in, neither Bettina ("I cannot even be properly jealous") nor Marc can make it work as he soon finds he cannot breath again and struggles between the conflicting feelings and the whole situation. He clearly has not learn to be a man before those challenges.
Some reviews suggested this is about lust and not love but I would urge to think again as even that is treated briefly - I will pass on the relatively blend gay love scenes: again, I doubt that was the point so no real efforts were made here, only trying to convey either some passion or gentle touches. But the real point why this is clearly not about lust, is when Marc tries to understand himself going to a gay bar he has been in with Kay before and attempting a casual hook-up. It clearly does not work for him; it is not what he wants. He find it was truly about Kay and Kay is missing in his life and this whole excitement is gone and cannot be trivially replaced. But he has now apparently lost both Kay and Bettina and it is hard not to feel sympathy for him crying, alone, toward the end.
The ending would be sad if we do not pay attention - the closing scenes is similar to the opening one. He is on the running track again but this time, he is in control of his breathing and ahead of his fellow cops which leaves us hopeful he is ready to make his own decision but most of all, be in control of his life.