Chris Knipp
11-04-2014, 09:25 AM
Daniel Ribeiro: THE WAY HE LOOKS (2014)
http://www.chrisknipp.com/newpictures/gayblind.jpg
Teen gay love and coming of age in Brazil
The Way He Looks is a charming little gay coming of age film set in São Paulo, Brazil, director Ribeiro's feature debut, about two boys who fall in love. They are classmates in school. As newcomer Gabriel (Fabio Audi) goes around with Leo (Ghilherme Lobo), who's been blind since birth, and shares seeing experiences like dancing, moviegoing, and an eclipse, this gives Leo the greater independence from his parents that he's so eager for, and the two boys grow close. When Gabriel leaves his hoodie behind at Leo's bedroom the night of the eclipse and Leo smells it and tries it on and lies down in it, you know where things are going, if you didn't long before that. The Way He Looks is like a Young Adult gay film. As Jay Weissberg wrote in Variety (http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/berlin-film-review-the-way-he-looks-1201110045/) when it debuted at Berlin, it will be encouraging to young gays, and the two cute boys are impossible not to like, so for the subject matter allowances will gladly be made, though "in truth the script and direction are little more than average."
The three main characters, including Leo's best friend before Gabriel comes, Giovana (Tess Amorim), who becomes jealous of Gabriel, never seem just types. Seeing actor Ghilherme Lobo in particular gives a nicely understated and convincing performance as the blind boy. Under the circumstances it's a pity the direction and storytelling don't have a bit more individual character, but what viewers seem to like is the prevailing sweetness of the story; even the class bullies who tease Leo and complain about the clatter of his Braille typewriter seem to bear him no real malice. Given his lifelong experience of blindness, Leo's parents seem more protective and nervous for him than one might expect, especially his perpetually worried mother (Lucia Romano).
The Way He Looks/Hoje eu [não] quero voltar sozinho (the original title means "Today I [Don't] Want to Go Back Alone"), 95 mins., debuted at Berlin. It won the FIPRESCI Prize for best feature film in the Panorama section and the Teddy Award for best LGBT-themed feature and it also won the 2nd place award in the Panorama section; later it won the Audience Award at Outfest. It's the official Brazilian entry for the 2015 Best Foreign Oscar competition, and has been in numerous film festivals, with theatrical releases in Brazil, France, Poland, Hong Kong, and the UK. US release 7 November 2014 brought generally favorable reviews (Metacritic 71%); praised as "trailblazing" by Armond White in Out (http://www.out.com/entertainment/armond-white/2014/11/07/brazilian-film-way-he-looks-trailblazing-look-gay-youth). New on DVD & Blu-ray March 17th 2015.
http://www.chrisknipp.com/newpictures/gayblind.jpg
Teen gay love and coming of age in Brazil
The Way He Looks is a charming little gay coming of age film set in São Paulo, Brazil, director Ribeiro's feature debut, about two boys who fall in love. They are classmates in school. As newcomer Gabriel (Fabio Audi) goes around with Leo (Ghilherme Lobo), who's been blind since birth, and shares seeing experiences like dancing, moviegoing, and an eclipse, this gives Leo the greater independence from his parents that he's so eager for, and the two boys grow close. When Gabriel leaves his hoodie behind at Leo's bedroom the night of the eclipse and Leo smells it and tries it on and lies down in it, you know where things are going, if you didn't long before that. The Way He Looks is like a Young Adult gay film. As Jay Weissberg wrote in Variety (http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/berlin-film-review-the-way-he-looks-1201110045/) when it debuted at Berlin, it will be encouraging to young gays, and the two cute boys are impossible not to like, so for the subject matter allowances will gladly be made, though "in truth the script and direction are little more than average."
The three main characters, including Leo's best friend before Gabriel comes, Giovana (Tess Amorim), who becomes jealous of Gabriel, never seem just types. Seeing actor Ghilherme Lobo in particular gives a nicely understated and convincing performance as the blind boy. Under the circumstances it's a pity the direction and storytelling don't have a bit more individual character, but what viewers seem to like is the prevailing sweetness of the story; even the class bullies who tease Leo and complain about the clatter of his Braille typewriter seem to bear him no real malice. Given his lifelong experience of blindness, Leo's parents seem more protective and nervous for him than one might expect, especially his perpetually worried mother (Lucia Romano).
The Way He Looks/Hoje eu [não] quero voltar sozinho (the original title means "Today I [Don't] Want to Go Back Alone"), 95 mins., debuted at Berlin. It won the FIPRESCI Prize for best feature film in the Panorama section and the Teddy Award for best LGBT-themed feature and it also won the 2nd place award in the Panorama section; later it won the Audience Award at Outfest. It's the official Brazilian entry for the 2015 Best Foreign Oscar competition, and has been in numerous film festivals, with theatrical releases in Brazil, France, Poland, Hong Kong, and the UK. US release 7 November 2014 brought generally favorable reviews (Metacritic 71%); praised as "trailblazing" by Armond White in Out (http://www.out.com/entertainment/armond-white/2014/11/07/brazilian-film-way-he-looks-trailblazing-look-gay-youth). New on DVD & Blu-ray March 17th 2015.