Matthias & Maxime

I was rather disappointed by this effort from Xavier Dolan. Perhaps writing/editting and starring in the film robbed him too much of objectivity when it came to actually watching this bit of a non-story. He portrays "Max", a young French-Canadian man who is about to emigrate to Australia. At a party with his childhood friends, he and handsome best pal Matt (Gabriel D'Almeida Freitas) get lumbered with starring in a video being made by one of their number's pesky younger sister. The scene involved the two of them kissing - something neither had done (as an adult) with a man before. What ensues is a slow, deliberately so, depiction of the complications that this kiss has on their relationship. "Matt" has a long term girlfriend, so his reconciliation with his "new" feelings for his friend take on a different guise from those of the single "Max" who has issues with his recovering addict mother. Sadly, though, too much of those repercussions are presumed on us by the director and not demonstrated to the audience. It doesn't need to be a cheesy traditional romance, nor a sex fest, but we are left to imagine or envisage that they want each other only because we know that's what the film is about - not because we are presented with much tangible, or even implied, sense of desire. Indeed the others in their group more readily flirt and banter than the two in the title. It doesn't have a beginning, middle and end - it just has a middle. A rather interestingly filmed and quite well put together middle, but a middle nonetheless. Certainly worth watching - I think Dolan has something about him - but I wanted more from the characters and the story - as it is I just felt like a rather unsatisfied observer.

As much as I like the work of Xavier Dolan, this film was very disappointing. It was predictable, dull, and just not showing anything new or creative. I look forward to his next fantastic film.