Review by Raymond Murray
By: Raymond Murray
In-House Review - Nov 12 2014
Fresh from his fascinating - if controversial - 2009 debut film, Plan B, Argentinian filmmaker Marco Berger continues his focus on hitherto heterosexual men who develop feelings for other men.
Knowingly, even aggressively sexual, 16-year...
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Fresh from his fascinating - if controversial - 2009 debut film, Plan B, Argentinian filmmaker Marco Berger continues his focus on hitherto heterosexual men who develop feelings for other men.
Knowingly, even aggressively sexual, 16-year-old Martin (newcomer Javier De Pietro) locks his seductive sights on Sebastian (Carlos Echevarría), his recently engaged, 30-something swimming instructor.
Faking an injury, Martin eventually tricks his teacher into letting him spend the night at his apartment. As Sebastian begins to realize the possible sexual interest on the part of his student, he is conflicted. He is dismissive, but his curiosity is piqued by the boy's overt advances. An extraordinary event soon the increasingly troubled Sebastian to question his own feelings for young Martin.
Absent is not a simple boy-meets-boy drama. It's a taut, and at times, incredible sexy drama of repressed passion, guilt and regret. There are no easy answers in this edgy sexual thriller that won the Teddy Award for Best Feature Film at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival.
Review by Andy
By: Andy
I feel this movie could have gone on for a long time, as much of information was left to the imagination. I won't spoil it. The movie was good, but not at all what I expected. Watch if you want, but it is nothing that you won't miss. I will give it 2...
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I feel this movie could have gone on for a long time, as much of information was left to the imagination. I won't spoil it. The movie was good, but not at all what I expected. Watch if you want, but it is nothing that you won't miss. I will give it 2.5 stars.
Review by just a reviewer
By: just a reviewer
.....Latest Work is so very much the opposite (well, perhaps there's a "tinge" of romantic love). Instead, we're being given: A Crush-love...almost a Stalkerish-love.
(( 2.5 STARS AWARDED ))
In a comparison, "Absent" is the more...
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.....Latest Work is so very much the opposite (well, perhaps there's a "tinge" of romantic love). Instead, we're being given: A Crush-love...almost a Stalkerish-love.
(( 2.5 STARS AWARDED ))
In a comparison, "Absent" is the more accomplished production....both in camera work and locations-wise. And as in the earlier film, here the Co-leads and supporting actors also cannot be faulted. Javier De Pietro, as Gay-aware, swim team student Martin Blanco, delivers an admirable first film performance as a mid-teens young man, who is "crushing" on his team coach. Martin has a "Plan" (but...unlike in Director Berger's preceding film, no alternative, Plan B has even been thought of). Single-minded and intensely focused, our Martin has set his sights on placing himself in his team coach's very own bed. Next up, as our unsuspecting object of affection (I mean, obsession), we have the attractive, student-oriented Coach Sebastian Armas (Carlos Echevarria, an experienced actor of some 12 films). This film star ably paints a picture for us of a serious and never smiling, heterosexual(?) man, who is much concerned for those under his charge.....and possessing no(?) interest in the Gay lifestyle.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:
- The opening-credits camera shots, and especially the soundtrack, seem meant to be ominous in nature and apparently have been structured to forewarn where this film is heading. They consist of lingering, closeup angles of young Martin's striking and sexily hairy body. All this in the guise of a sports program physical exam (oh, of course). Continuing this fascination with Martin's body....later on, after our young trainee has manipulated his way into his coach's home, various intentionally provocative poses of Martin, in near undress, are provided by our Director....culminating in an early morning, "touchy-feely" visit to Sebastian's bed, as he lies .
- We are given long, sometimes static, film minutes (more than one-tenth film's running time) spent in an automobile front seat. Our Co-leads driving from place to place, as required by the storyline. These are uncomfortable (yet probably realistic) times spent together...with little dialog. Similarly, there are MANY other coach/trainee interactions where one might expect easy chatter/conversation. BUT such does not occur....and that is not what I would expect to happen between a dedicated coach and those he is mentoring (but perhaps such is not always the case in countries outside the U.S.).
- Young Martin appears not to interact with swimteam mates in a normal, youthful, fun manner...and is shown to roam pool changing rooms, in the hopes of seeing other young men in stages of undress.
- After the unsuccessful attempts to get closer to Sebastian during that night spent at the Coach's home, and perhaps ashamed of his actions there, Martin quickly owns up. He does so in a note left for Sebastian, reading that he had contrived the overnight stay (but he does not specifically spell out what his aim had been). From that point, Martin begins distancing himself, even missing training sessions. Then occurs an uncomfortable scene in which Coach and his girlfriend (yes, he has one) take seats in a cinema, unaware that Martin and a young female acquaintance are already seated there. One seat separating the 2 men, (as the Director has planned for), we suspensefully wait for awareness of each other to hit the fan.
- Somewhat later, their relationship climaxes (yes, I use that word) in a face to face confrontation: Martin openly admits to his plan for a "hoped-for seduction".....And Sebastian, realizing the untenable position in which he had been placed, directs a blow to Martin's face, and angry words are exchanged.
- Shortly thereafter, Tragedy Strikes.
We will never know this film's "What Might Have Been". Perhaps even Director Marco Berger cannot know. BUT....in the story's closing 20 minutes, we find ourselves being carried along, as if within Sebastian's innermost mind, seeing him live each day--though he is acting as in a near-. Then, startlingly, we begin experiencing "What Might Have Been" memories of his past times spent with Martin (but happening as Sebastian wishes they "might" have occurred). Closing shots take place with the Coach revisiting the darkened and ghostly poolhouse. Then follows a final scene of our Co-leads (yes, both) seeking and finding one another in the semi-darkness: ....a Sweet Kiss....an Admission of Regret....a Request for Forgiveness. And we see, for the very first time in this unhappy film, a tender smile appear on the face of Sebastian.
PS--Oh, face it....I want Romance! (M. B. does it so well)
Review by Amos Lassen
By: Amos Lassen
Martin (Javier de Pietro) is a young student who lusts after his athletic coach, Sebastian (Carlos Echevarria) and he goes so far as to go too far one evening. Sebastian tries to maintain a distance from Martin but he also wants to be kind to the boy...
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Martin (Javier de Pietro) is a young student who lusts after his athletic coach, Sebastian (Carlos Echevarria) and he goes so far as to go too far one evening. Sebastian tries to maintain a distance from Martin but he also wants to be kind to the boy. Martin seems to know no borders and when the line is crossed...
One must be prepared for the sexual tension in this film and it is amazing to watch this film with others because the silence is unbelievable. We sit and wait and wait and watch and watch and even though we can suspect what is going to happen, we still wait to see it as if this were a thriller.
Martin fakes an eye injury in class so that he can get Sebastian alone as they go to the hospital. He has already got his lies all planned as to why he cannot go home afterwards and manages to get Sebastian to invite him to spend the night at his house. The next day Sebastian learns that Martin's parents spent the whole night looking for their son. Neither Martin nor Sebastian were able to well and then Sebastian finds a note from Martin apologizing for making up stories about why he could not go home. When Sebastian confronts Martin, he learns that Martin had hoped that something would happen between the two of them and this angers Sebastian so that he hits the boy and things change. Sebastian begins to lose the ability to think about anything except what happened. Martin stops going to swimming class and a gulf develops between the two. Martin is then killed in an accident and Sebastian is left to deal with his feelings. He begins to see that he had possibly sent out wrong signals and so he begins introspection and thinks about how he really felt about Martin. Sebastian feels guilty and hopes that Martin will forgive him for what he did.
There is great beauty in the film and the night that the two were at Sebastian's home is amazing to watch. The sexual tension is very thick and we sit in anticipation of what will or will not happen. This could have been melodramatic to the nth degree but it is not. The entire film is subtle and the end is pure beauty. The acting is superb as is the cinematography and this is very sexy drama of repressed passion, guilt and regret. It is fascinating to watch the character develop as each unfolds retreats and then unfolds again.
Marco Berger who gave us "Plan B" both wrote and directed this film and it is amazing. It is a beautiful, gentle, very understated and subtle story. Martin is considerate and respectful, and although he manipulates situations in an attempt to get closer Sebastian, he never threatens and never behaves any more irresponsibly than any other teenage boy would-he is simply lost in a world of lust. Most of us have had some kind of experience like this so we know. Not much even happens--Martin tricks Sebastian into letting him stay a night in his apartment, and there is dramatic erotic tension during that night as the boy longs for something to happen. This is a movie of feelings about a deep, strong attraction. There is no action here and I think that is what makes this film so special.