Weekend: The Criterion Collection

By: Robert O'Neill
In-House Review - Jun 04 2012

I am such a fan of Weekend that I find it difficult to write about. There is a part of me that feels as though dissecting the film will take away from its magic and power. If you haven't seen it, stop reading now, order your copy and come to it with fresh eyes. The first time I saw it, I was by myself and had little-to-no expectations. I was so emotionally awestruck and uplifted that I immediately wanted to watch it again and share the experience with another person. Honestly, I think I have seen it about 12 times by now (with different friends) and I can say confidently that, with the exception of a poorly-written song that plays during the closing credits, Weekend is a PERFECT romance - especially for those of us who remain skeptical of love stories.

Two cute, gay, British hipster boys meet, share a one-night-stand and then start connecting on a deeper level the next morning. One of them, though, is leaving for school in Portland, Oregon at the end of the weekend. They only have that short period of time to spend together. The premise seems simple, but the emotions are complicated. The fact that these two guys, opposites at times, are so drawn to each other starts to make them question all other aspects of their lives and plans for the future. They quickly learn how to push each other's buttons, but come away stimulated by their interactions. These two clearly have a lot to learn from one another. On top of that, the sex (depicted graphically, but with great sensitivity and beauty) is pretty amazing too. With the time constraint looming over their early-stage romance, the pressure is on. Will these two throw caution to the wind and start planning a life together or are they destined to part ways with only a sweet, melancholy memory to show for their relationship? You'll have to watch to find out!

Newcomers Tom Cullen and Chris New are so comfortable in the lead roles, delivering such wonderfully memorable, naturalistic performances that it's easy to forget they are acting. Andrew Haigh, a director-to-watch if I ever saw one, manages to keep raising the emotional stakes while never betraying the realistic atmosphere that he creates. What begins as a dialog-driven character study, ends as an almost edge-of-your-seat experience that still values honesty, and the simple examination of finding love when you least expect it. Weekend is easily one of the most excitingly romantic movies I've seen in a long, long time. It totally blew me away and I hope it does the same for you.

By: Mediaman23

I was one of the lucky ones to see this masterpiece in a theatre. Having watched gay themed movies for over 30 years, none touched me, seemed so real, and more relatable than Weekend. Even the beloved classic, Brokeback Mountain, spends the great majority of its screen time around non-gay scenes. But this one, so human, our Brief Encounter. If the accents are tough, use closed-captioning. Enjoy this lower budget classic.

By: Marksw

I waited for a long time to see this movie, and I'm sorry to say I was very disappointed. In the most simplest of terms, this film was unbelievably boring! Were there elements of some good romance, yes. Was the acting good, most definitely. Many of us have had weekend romances that didn't go anywhere, and some have turned into relationships. There was nothing new or interesting about the plot line of this film. Don't waste your time or money.

By: Amos Lassen

One of the most honored and talked about films of late is Andrew Haigh's love story, "Weekend". It is the story of Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) who met at a bar one Friday evening after Russell left his straight friends and went out to a gay bar. He was looking for a quick one night stand so just before the bar's closing, he picked Glen up for what he thought would just be another "shag". Instead, Russell and Glen find themselves in a long weekend in the bars and in bed, drinking and taking , talking and telling stories and having sex and they get to know each other through intimate conversation. They share a weekend that they will never forget and an emotional connection that will be part of their lives forever.

This is a new kind of love story in that it is totally honest and makes no apologies as it looks at Russell and Glen and their search for identity and the importance of being committed to someone else and what that commitment means. Set in England, we see two men who meet, have sex, talk and become attracted to each other (in that order). Glen, however, is moving to the United States the Monday after their weekend and upon hearing this, Russell initiates even more sex and eventually they talk about love, life and relationships.

The dialogue is very sharp and even though you may have to listen carefully because of the accents, there are some very interesting topics discussed. This is a difficult movie to classify because although it is a love story, the two men only share two days together. We cannot think of it as a coming-out-story because our characters are out and met in a gay bar. I might consider calling it a character study or a comedy or a drama or just a stew of all of these but in actuality, I believe, it defies classification because it is so many different things. While Russell is out to himself, he is not out to his friends and cannot talk about bring gay to them. Glen certainly has no problem with his sexuality and seems to be at home in the bars. When the two meet at the bar, a romantic chain of events begins and we are with them as they make love and have serious conversations. We watch as love blooms only to be let down as the guys are upset when we realize that Glen is leaving on Monday.

Cullen and New turn in perfect performances and they give a sweet sadness and bare intimacy to the story of a very powerful yet brief love affair. We see the film from Russell's point of view and we learn a bit about him-he is a lifeguard and his free time is spent with his straight friends and getting high at home. With a bit too much to drink, he meets Glen and they have sex. So, you ask, what is new about that? Well, up to this point the movie is not unlike many others but it is here that the characters begin to become real people-rather that seeing the sex between the two men, director Haigh lets us listen as both men try to explain to each other who they are. Glen asks Russell about his past sexual life and why he picked him up and is able to get Russell to talk. We learn that Glen is an art student who actually his sexual liaisons as an art project. Russell is a bit surprised and embarrassed by this but Glen sees potential for discovery and "reinvention in anonymous, casual sex" and sees what is happening as constructive experimentation and self-discovery which can be used as art.

Russell is intrigued by Glen as the audience is and we feel the chemistry between the two men who are both anxious to and hesitant about sharing their sexual attraction for each other. During the 48 hours following the initial meeting, they spend the majority of their time having sex and talking. Russell opens up and Glen learns about Russell's love for antiques. We especially see this in the city where the action takes place. Nottingham is an old city that has lots of history and many young people who are trying to discover who they are.

Sex is seen graphically and honestly and that is due to that is what the film is all about. Russell is a bit of an enigma. He is out of the closet but does not feel comfortable expressing his sexuality publicly and will not discuss it with his friends who are all straight. He confesses that when he is alone, he is happy being gay and here is where we hit the core issue of the film. It seems to be that self hatred which one keeps inside can make it difficult for one to understand himself and we question the meaning of "being gay". Glen and Russell as seen as individuals who are gay while they are not seen as gay characters. Being gay just happens to be part of them. Glen is a gay political activist while Russell is not at all involved. They debate about it, talk it over and disagree about gay marriage so we cannot really see them as representatives of a gay community.

Looking at the movie as a love story, there are scenes of romance which are totally realistic. When the two part at the train station, we have idea that they will ever meet again but the more important aspect of the film is that two men met, made live and conversed during a weekend they will forget.

Another interesting fact about "Weekend" is that the script is simple and all dialogue. The writing of the movie is absolutely perfect-especially the end. Most men change because of the intense weekend that they shared. Russell finds that he can now respond to homophobia and Glen realizes that he can say goodbye? he claimed to not do boyfriends or goodbyes). The two men suited each other even though they might not have known it. The film is a candid look at the moment when two people understand that have deeper feelings for each other than desire.