55 reviews
Superb acting
- clark-96172
- Nov 9, 2019
- Permalink
Well Done, But Frustrating
Hints and actions say more than words
Before I get to the film, I'd love to know who on earth translates the titles of South American films into English! We had the disaster of Los Fuertes being translated as The Strong Ones when a competent translation would have been something like The Tough Guys except that the title actually referred to the forts taken by Chilean nationalists in the battle for independence. And here we have The Blond One. It just doesn't work in English. Why not Some Blond Lad/Guy/Fella? Because, at first, that's all Gabriel seemed to be for Juan, some guy. Or even "The Blond Guy"? The title is taken from a line of dialogue in a section when Juan is asked who is going to move in and he says, "The blond one" in the translated subtitles. I think that this is a bad translation. This would normally have been translated as "The blond guy".
After moving in with Juan as a lodger, Gabriel notices that Juan seems to be coming onto him despite his clear hettie proclivities and oikish straight mates. It takes nearly a third of the film before Gabriel gives in and the scene is sensitively and erotically done in the faltering first touches.
They are a couple of handsome lads with good bodies and more importantly, for the development of the plot, straight acting. No one suspects either of them would be up for swinging both ways - Juan has girlfriends coming round and Gabriel is a father. That's the way Juan wants to keep it.
As their relationship deepens it becomes clear that they are looking for different things. One wants stability and fidelity, the other wishes to keep up appearances and to sow wild oats in either direction. There are some pretty hurtful scenes where Gabriel has to keep stum about his feelings.
A few people have commented that the film is long and empty. For me it wasn't. The two leads filled the spaces by body language and looks. We don't have to have dialogue every second. These two guys did a great job of conveying emotion and feelings by suggestion.
The trainline linking the two guys' lives, work, offspring, other lover and friends was a recurring and unifying theme in the story often showing or being mentioned at significant occasions in the plot.
The guys get the futures they wanted - or were destined for - in the end. I found the ending liberating, especially in terms of being gay. I disagree with those who think the ending is pessimistic.
At an hour and fifty minutes, this evocative, languid film was just right.
After moving in with Juan as a lodger, Gabriel notices that Juan seems to be coming onto him despite his clear hettie proclivities and oikish straight mates. It takes nearly a third of the film before Gabriel gives in and the scene is sensitively and erotically done in the faltering first touches.
They are a couple of handsome lads with good bodies and more importantly, for the development of the plot, straight acting. No one suspects either of them would be up for swinging both ways - Juan has girlfriends coming round and Gabriel is a father. That's the way Juan wants to keep it.
As their relationship deepens it becomes clear that they are looking for different things. One wants stability and fidelity, the other wishes to keep up appearances and to sow wild oats in either direction. There are some pretty hurtful scenes where Gabriel has to keep stum about his feelings.
A few people have commented that the film is long and empty. For me it wasn't. The two leads filled the spaces by body language and looks. We don't have to have dialogue every second. These two guys did a great job of conveying emotion and feelings by suggestion.
The trainline linking the two guys' lives, work, offspring, other lover and friends was a recurring and unifying theme in the story often showing or being mentioned at significant occasions in the plot.
The guys get the futures they wanted - or were destined for - in the end. I found the ending liberating, especially in terms of being gay. I disagree with those who think the ending is pessimistic.
At an hour and fifty minutes, this evocative, languid film was just right.
Stunning filmmaking and a superb cast
I saw this film at the BFI Flare LGBTQ+ festival earlier today and was blown away. Quite simply, it is superb filmmaking at the very highest level, with extraordinarily subtle performances from the two leads.
Director Marco Berger presents the story of a love affair in a series of uninflected, mostly static shots, letting the camera linger on characters' faces as they register attraction, desire, frustration, jealousy and love.
In less skilled hands it could easily be boring or pretentious, but instead it's riveting ... and at times achingly painful.
Both lead actors - Gastón Re playing Gabriel and Alfonso Barón as Juan - are outstanding, as it the girl playing Gabriel's daughter. Gastón Re, in particular, deserves to win multiple awards for his beautifully judged performance. Largely wordless, he brings to life the inner life of the shy, yearning Gabriel so fully that I felt I'd known him for years.
If you were affected by Brokeback Mountain or God's Own Country then you will surely appreciate this film. Beyond that, if you admire the work of Ingmar Bergman or Wong Kar-wai or Pawel Pawlikowski then you should go out of your way to see this superb Argentinian film.
- murraybuesst
- Mar 27, 2019
- Permalink
outstanding
- willeasyer
- Jun 17, 2020
- Permalink
Very slow, very quiet
Great acting. It felt true.
I could relate to this story and I think it happens a lot. Two men in love with each other, but at different stages of dealing with their own. I thought the acting was first rate. And the ending, if not happy, at least felt satisfying.
AN ENGROSSING HUMAN DRAMA
Marco Berger's impressive slow-paced film takes place in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Argentina where the shy and reserved blondhaired Gabriel, superbly played by Gaston Re, who is gay has just moved in with his handsome widowed colleague with a young daughter, Juan, terrifically played by Alfonso Baron, who is dealing with his grief and coming to terms with latent homosexulity. The film shows the lustful yearning that Gabriel has for the closeted alpha male Juan who is constantly bringing a string of young women with while Gabriel watches from a far. The attraction and sexual tension between the two man is undeniable and they begin a hot sexual relationship that soon turns into heartbreaking love as Gabriel reluctantly allows himself to be dominated and dictated to by the self-centered Juan, who continues to have a relationship with a girlfriend while he beds Gabriel at night. Solid direction by Berger, and striking cinematography by Nahuel Berger. An engrossing human drama.
- dannyrovira-38154
- Jan 18, 2020
- Permalink
Sometimes silence says more than a thousand words
The quiet scenes could capture all the emotions, sensuality, desire, tension, passion, nervousness and love in the air. Bravo! Both actors are super talented, especially "the blond one". I just enjoyed the whole time watching it, to me it told a love story between two flatmates, the outcome of this story is not as important and amusing as how every details of it happened.
- the_donnie
- Dec 1, 2020
- Permalink
Hot in the closet
In Argentina, when one man invites a co-worker ("the blonde one") to live in a spare room in his apartment, things surprisingly get hot and steamy. But the closeted one want things to otherwise stay the same, unwilling to come out to his friends, who repeatedly visit unannounced, creating a form of coitus interruptus.
I saw this at the Inside Out LGBT film festival, where I'm sure some members of the audience appreciated the attractive leads, action, and nudity. However, the clunky dialogue (as represented by the subtitles) means that this film is likely appealing only to a select audience.
I saw this at the Inside Out LGBT film festival, where I'm sure some members of the audience appreciated the attractive leads, action, and nudity. However, the clunky dialogue (as represented by the subtitles) means that this film is likely appealing only to a select audience.
Beautifully realized
This film is quite a gem. I was hesitant going in as I am with most gay films I find, for fear of being let down more than anything, but this film definitely blew my expectations out of the water. While the story isn't necessarily anything we haven't seen before, it is beautifully well done and the chemistry between the two leads is phenomenal. Reason enough to give it a watch if you're into these types of gay storylines like I am. Thank you Marco Berger!
- thefendiprint
- Jul 11, 2020
- Permalink
Sexual tension abounds!
Handsome young widower in Buenos Aires rents a room from his co-worker at the factory--a randy but emotionally-detached bisexual who seduces him. Carefully (i.e., slowly) paced gay-themed drama from Argentina's Marco Berger doesn't have much to say on the subject of otherwise-straight men who find themselves in a homosexual affair (except to note that these feelings are repressed, mostly from shame). The widower, whose daughter attends second grade and lives with his mother, is shown to be dating a pretty girl and lives a banal, utterly ordinary existence. His roommate, who scratches his crotch 'absentmindedly' while standing in the room or uses his hands when he doesn't have to, seems to have more experience in this arena--yet both men spend an awful lot of time peeking at each other from the corners of their eyes or stealing glimpses into each other's bedroom. It's titillating, but not telling. Berger gives us a solemn male couple who don't get many opportunities to reveal much about themselves (neither at their job, where nobody speaks, nor at home). It's a very somber picture with a faraway soundtrack and supporting characters who slip in and out of the narrative without much clarity (coitus interruptus at its most benign). The sexual scenes (when they arrive, after much build-up) are uninhibited and quite passionate, but the characters themselves aren't much to get worked about. **1/2 from ****
- moonspinner55
- Sep 6, 2022
- Permalink
Too long, too slow.
I think the plot is really good but poorly developed. The movie is so tiring slow and repetitive (not to mention really long silence and awkward moments during the entire movie). At least "attraction" seems real between Juan and Gabriel.
The last scene was the best in the entire movie and also really touching.
The last scene was the best in the entire movie and also really touching.
- jonassantiago-38288
- Feb 8, 2020
- Permalink
amazing film
Berger is a dream weaver!
After watching Hawaii and then Plan B, Manuel Vignau's screen characters were just amazing! I don't know what Berger does or says to make these actors really get into their roles!! With The Blond One, again, a very Berger style of acting :) I was really touched by this movie, it's speaks about of lot of emotions that we all deal with everyday! As another reviewer commented, it is a film to be watched when I'm the right mood. Enjoy!! I look forward to reading more reviews soon... Is Marco working on anything new at the minute? I sure hope so!
- dcook-76708
- Dec 9, 2019
- Permalink
Film Review - The Blonde One (2019) 7.3/10
"A decade after his debut feature PLAN B (2009), Berger has asserted oneself as a supernal intimist in configuring the game of seduction. Juan, a virile, both-ways-swinging satyr, finds Gabriel a low-hanging fruit and proceeds with his tried-and-tested titillation swimmingly, knowingly stoking Gabriel's thigh on the sly, appearing dishabille in front of him accidentally on purpose, gazing him too long with his lip-smacking gaze. A reactive Gabriel absorbs all the signals in full, it is a matter of time that the two consummate their carnal knowledge, short of 35 minutes into the movie, Gabriel yields to Juan's provocative suggestion, but it is always the nonplussing and awkward post-coitus moments that eke out the intrigue which is crucial to keep audience hooked in this gradualistic probe into the delicate equilibrium between two men who are sexual bedfellows."
read my full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks
read my full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks
- lasttimeisaw
- Sep 19, 2020
- Permalink
Super cute
Argentina has really surprised me with its gay themed films, this is another good one, slow a few times but worth seeing how the characters get involved, the end is real and it can be related to a lot gay/bi men.
Solid 8 stars.
Solid 8 stars.
- JeanFlores-Dickens
- Sep 23, 2021
- Permalink
OK...let's get real!!!
Almost every scene showed someone eating, drinking, and/or smoking in dive settings. If not for the precious blonde actor, who was front and center in most every scene, this movie would be total trash. Yeah...the blonde played the bottom and he had a nice white one, too. I felt sorry for him because he was so sweet and his closeted boyfriend was mostly a cowardly, insensitive jerk. I like the use of quiet facial shots where thoughts and emotions are communicated in silence, but this movie could have been better.
- ohlabtechguy
- Nov 27, 2020
- Permalink
Damn near perfection
I am blown away by this film. Gastòn Re's portrayal of Gabriel; an introverted, intelligent, heart wrenching and Awkward and such a captivating character. The open and lightly scripted film is filled by Gastòn's kaleidoscopic expressions and emotions. An actor I want to see more of in the future.
This film is the strongest and most polished of Marco Berger's career and it is difficult to fault in any way.
This film is the strongest and most polished of Marco Berger's career and it is difficult to fault in any way.
- barkingbard
- Aug 16, 2020
- Permalink
Bravo Marco!
Always stoked with Marco's work, brilliant story, i felt the emotion for the blonde guy one, he struggled hard to keep his feelings for Juan.
- olliesfake
- Oct 22, 2019
- Permalink
What we have here is failure to communicate
Gabriel moves into the spare room in his coworker Juan's apartment. Juan wastes time with his idiotic friends. Juan plays around with his girlfriend. Juan plays around with Gabriel.
Blondhaired Gabriel, the man of the title, barely says a word, maintains a blank look and hardly moves throughout the entire film. Juan doesn't say much either; his dialogue consists mainly of "Do you want a beer?" and "Let's get something to eat." But at least he smiles once in a while. Gabriel is a block of wood, with no personality whatsoever.
He lies on his bed reading.
He sits on the couch watching TV.
He rides a train.
He works in a wood shop.
These little slices of nothing, repeated over and over, seem to comprise most of the running time of the film. They'd be fine as counterpoint to actual drama but in between, nothing much happens. Gabriel rarely speaks more than a word and shows no emotion at all, ever. During the sex scenes he's completely passive, practically motionless, and adamantly stonefaced. I don't even think he's breathing hard - if he's breathing at all.
The wood shop scenes are something of a metaphor for the entire film. Gabriel and Juan drill holes in little pieces of wood, and cut them into smaller pieces. There's no finished product, no indication of what they're building, no sense that there's any point to their work. And if the filmmaker is using this to represent something beyond his own poor storytelling skills, there isn't any hint of that either.
It seems we're intended to infer (because he sure won't say it out loud) that Gabriel wants a relationship, and Juan is a jerk because he doesn't. But wait... it's clear from start to finish that Gabriel is staying with Juan only until his mother gets her spare room ready, at which point he'll move in with mom and his young daughter in another town. If he stays with Juan he'll be abandoning his daughter. If he lures Juan into a romance and then leaves... well, who's the jerk now?
All of these subtleties are left to the viewer to figure out, because the guys just plain don't talk about it. Or about anything.
I like artsy films. I like atmospheric films. I even like bleak films, if that bleakness is meant to convey something. In this case, there just doesn't seem to be any underlying philosophy. There's only a filmmaker trying to copy an artsy style without understanding why it worked for someone else.
Communication is the key to a successful relationship. It's also the key to good filmmaking. Unfortunately, there ain't any of that around here.
Blondhaired Gabriel, the man of the title, barely says a word, maintains a blank look and hardly moves throughout the entire film. Juan doesn't say much either; his dialogue consists mainly of "Do you want a beer?" and "Let's get something to eat." But at least he smiles once in a while. Gabriel is a block of wood, with no personality whatsoever.
He lies on his bed reading.
He sits on the couch watching TV.
He rides a train.
He works in a wood shop.
These little slices of nothing, repeated over and over, seem to comprise most of the running time of the film. They'd be fine as counterpoint to actual drama but in between, nothing much happens. Gabriel rarely speaks more than a word and shows no emotion at all, ever. During the sex scenes he's completely passive, practically motionless, and adamantly stonefaced. I don't even think he's breathing hard - if he's breathing at all.
The wood shop scenes are something of a metaphor for the entire film. Gabriel and Juan drill holes in little pieces of wood, and cut them into smaller pieces. There's no finished product, no indication of what they're building, no sense that there's any point to their work. And if the filmmaker is using this to represent something beyond his own poor storytelling skills, there isn't any hint of that either.
It seems we're intended to infer (because he sure won't say it out loud) that Gabriel wants a relationship, and Juan is a jerk because he doesn't. But wait... it's clear from start to finish that Gabriel is staying with Juan only until his mother gets her spare room ready, at which point he'll move in with mom and his young daughter in another town. If he stays with Juan he'll be abandoning his daughter. If he lures Juan into a romance and then leaves... well, who's the jerk now?
All of these subtleties are left to the viewer to figure out, because the guys just plain don't talk about it. Or about anything.
I like artsy films. I like atmospheric films. I even like bleak films, if that bleakness is meant to convey something. In this case, there just doesn't seem to be any underlying philosophy. There's only a filmmaker trying to copy an artsy style without understanding why it worked for someone else.
Communication is the key to a successful relationship. It's also the key to good filmmaking. Unfortunately, there ain't any of that around here.
Heartwarming
It was slow and repetitive at times, with little dialog, but this helped draw out the story somehow. And then you had bursts of dialog here and there, shedding light into the characters. The end came kind of suddenly, at first disappointing, but then surprisingly heart-warming, despite the previous sad development. Overall a quiet, sweet film.
- catwatchesclouds
- Jun 3, 2020
- Permalink
Best movie of Marco Berger till date
I have always liked Marco Berger's movies in the past. However, his last couple of movies did not impress me that much.
So I watched this movie with comparatively low expectations. But now I am so impressed with this movie. This movie is not just about gorgeous men with hot male nudity. The romance evolved between two men has shown in such a beautiful way. I loved the way how the director has depicted a very slow growth of love between two leading characters.
Sex scenes in this movie which contain hot male nudity are also done in a very beautiful and erotic movie. Acting of two leading men Gaston Re(As Gabriel) and Alfonso Barón(as Juan)is fantastic. Not only that director has worked on even minor characters. Even minor characters like June's friends and girlfriend and Gabe's family memebers have contributed to the storyline.
Even train which is used by Juan and Gabe for daily commute between work and home has played an important character. The sexual tension shown between Juan and Gabriel while they travel daily in the train is inescapable and I am really looking forward to see this movie again when it will available on amazon to rent
So I watched this movie with comparatively low expectations. But now I am so impressed with this movie. This movie is not just about gorgeous men with hot male nudity. The romance evolved between two men has shown in such a beautiful way. I loved the way how the director has depicted a very slow growth of love between two leading characters.
Sex scenes in this movie which contain hot male nudity are also done in a very beautiful and erotic movie. Acting of two leading men Gaston Re(As Gabriel) and Alfonso Barón(as Juan)is fantastic. Not only that director has worked on even minor characters. Even minor characters like June's friends and girlfriend and Gabe's family memebers have contributed to the storyline.
Even train which is used by Juan and Gabe for daily commute between work and home has played an important character. The sexual tension shown between Juan and Gabriel while they travel daily in the train is inescapable and I am really looking forward to see this movie again when it will available on amazon to rent
Powerful and realistic
It all feels real, no special effects or gimmicks, just regular folks involved in a secret affair... Some moments are very poignant because of how realistic they feel... Definitely not Disney material!!!
- juanpablosegundo
- Oct 31, 2019
- Permalink
Slow paced...
... but still a little masterpiece on the subject of frustrating and even emotionally abusive relationships. I m only giving it 8 stars because of a few unnecessarily long scenes and a pace which is a bit slow for my taste. The performances are superb, though, and the cinematography, consisting of continuous close ups capturing every kind of emotion in all its details, is particularly inspired and effective. The ending is out of this world, literally! It offers an unexpected climax that only adds to the frustration and secures the viewers' empathy. This whole film is romantic drama at its best!