Review by Gary M. Kramer
By: Gary M. Kramer
In-House Review - Dec 20 2012
Gorgeous bronzed bodies on the beaches of southern France and a passionate romance between two French teens are reason enough to see Come Undone, but this bittersweet film also has something poignant to say about the heartbreak of gay first love. Eig...
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Gorgeous bronzed bodies on the beaches of southern France and a passionate romance between two French teens are reason enough to see Come Undone, but this bittersweet film also has something poignant to say about the heartbreak of gay first love. Eighteen-year-old Mathieu (Jérémie Elkaïm) is vacationing at the beach with his family when he meets local teen Cedric (Stéphane Rideau). After an extremely erotic kiss, the boys begin a hot and heavy affair, complete with skinny-dipping at night, nude dancing on the beach and intense lovemaking in the dunes. Yet as Mathieu grapples with his sexuality -- and copes with his sick mother, absent father and annoying kid sister -- his bond with Cedric grows stronger until it bursts.
The film, directed and cowritten by Sebastien Lifshitz, beautifully conveys Mathieu's coming-of-age -- a scene in which he comes out to his mother is quite moving. Our only criticism of Come Undone is the slightly clumsy time frame change - in comparison to the riches the film has to offer. Both Stéphane Rideau and Jérémie Elkaïm are incredibly sexy leads and give remarkable performances as the affectionate teens. (French with English subtitles)
Review by Amos Lassen
By: Amos Lassen
"COME UNDONE"
Tres Belle
Amos Lassen
Sebastien Lifshitz is a legendary filmmaker in France and hopefully "Come Undone" (Picture This! Entertainment) will bring his fame to America. Here we have a summer fling between two teenaged boys ...
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"COME UNDONE"
Tres Belle
Amos Lassen
Sebastien Lifshitz is a legendary filmmaker in France and hopefully "Come Undone" (Picture This! Entertainment) will bring his fame to America. Here we have a summer fling between two teenaged boys which becomes a full-fledged love affair in a sexy romantic film. It has several things going for it-erotic sex scenes and a look at teenage neuroses. Unfortunately it buckles under the weight of poor structure and heavy dramatics. Lifshitz obviously wanted to do more than give us a standard of coming-of-age story but he left a little too much unexplained and the result is a film that is excellent to watch although frustratingly uneven.
Jeremie Elkaim is Mathieu who is on the French seaside with his sister, his ill mother and their caretaker. During his first day on the beach he sees another teenager who is strikingly handsome. The again, late one night he sees the same guy walking outside of his house and goes out to talk to him. Garcon (Stephane Rideau) and Mathieu almost fall in love instantly but Mathieu is afraid and bolts. But they somehow work things out and as they become inseparable, eyebrows are raised yet no one is really taken aback. What bothered me was the fast forward of the film to Mathieu two years later in the hospital looking very ill. It seemed to take forever to find out what had happened to put him there and when it was finally explained, I was dissatisfied with the explanation.
What is strong about the direction is how it shows the cruelties of teenagers but he skips over some of the most important issues such as the rejection of Garcon by Mathieu at first and the movie is not well defined regarding the relationship of the two boys. The role Mathieu's mother is never really developed either and the cause of her melancholy is not disclosed until way too late. Somehow the movie manages to almost recover from these problems by capturing how people grow apart because of a difference in temperament. The actors are wonderful and with its faults, "Come Undone" is an extremely satisfying movie.
It is basically a simple story which gives a picture of vacillating passion and had it not been told through a series of vignettes it might have been a bit more satisfying. The youth in the film are slightly moody and troubled, longing for affection and each willing to give of himself in a new relationship and we are privy to their need for companionship and for escape from the mundane reality of a domestic environment.
I have t admit that I had to think carefully before I could decide if I really liked the movie or not. The more I think about I realize that I like it even more and more. It makes no attempt to be like an American film, carefully arranged. It is meant to test our memories and often throughout the movie I actually felt I was right there with the actors, experiencing what they were and feeling what they felt. The director pulls the viewer in and this could be a reason for feeling disappointed by it in the beginning. It is important to realize that the film is not a narrative but an emotional journey.
Everything about the movie is used to draw the viewer in, the lighting, the set and the camera work-everything is rich and lush and alive with nuance and detail. It seems that French film has a way of dealing with drama about life and "Cone Undone" is such a movie. The narrative is sliced and put back together and this adds to the emotionality of the film,
This is not a rosy story-it is sad and complex and frustrating but it works its magic quietly. I think it stands on its own only after it is over and you have had a chance to think about it. It is a story about teens but it is an adult story with its cruelty and its darkness. There is beauty and sadness, silences and ellipses, shadows and light and it is beautiful. You will notice that my mind seems to have changed during the writing of this review because the movie is still haunting me. Its purpose is not to show us a summer romantic fling with solid characters that fall in love and live happily after. Rather this is a movie for young men who are attracted to young men. It is not really a movie to entertain but it is a movie to make you think and make you feel. It is a beautiful portrait of the experiences of the young homosexual and eschews stereotypes and preaching. It is simply wonderfully naturalistic and superbly acted, photographed with a sense of the sea in a place where love happens. The simple humanism presented in the film is worth a view and a thought.
Review by Janorm
By: Janorm
This is a gay romantic melodrama with a gigantic roller-coaster ride which plays with the audience's emotions. Only the French could tie-this-one-on, and turn it into a utterly magnificant picture. This story holds the audience in its firm grasp fr...
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This is a gay romantic melodrama with a gigantic roller-coaster ride which plays with the audience's emotions. Only the French could tie-this-one-on, and turn it into a utterly magnificant picture. This story holds the audience in its firm grasp from from beginning to final conclusion. A definite inclusion for your Collection! LE MAGNIFIQUE!! VIA VIE AMOR!!!
Review by djb32067433
By: djb32067433
This movie was the first foreign film I've ever seen. None the less, Come Undone was really wonderful and romantic. Sometimes the story lines were a bit confusing to follow but none the less, a joy to watch. Both Mathieu and Cedric were wonderful. Th...
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This movie was the first foreign film I've ever seen. None the less, Come Undone was really wonderful and romantic. Sometimes the story lines were a bit confusing to follow but none the less, a joy to watch. Both Mathieu and Cedric were wonderful. They did not use sex as a means for defining their love for one another, which was refreshing. It was sad that they did not stay together as Mathieu had so much to deal with personally that it took a toll on both him and Cedric. Better than most LGBT independent films. This was a joy to watch. Very mature, very smart.
Review by rayson
By: rayson
If you're looking for a movie that has a lot of action, this is not for you. If you're looking for a movie that will spoon-feed you every piece of the puzzle in agonizing detail, this is definitely not for you. If, however, you want a subtle and ha...
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If you're looking for a movie that has a lot of action, this is not for you. If you're looking for a movie that will spoon-feed you every piece of the puzzle in agonizing detail, this is definitely not for you. If, however, you want a subtle and haunting story about a young man "come undone" by love/desire, then this is for you. When I first saw this movie I thought it was well made, good but not great. But the movie stayed with me, and weeks later I still found myself thinking about it. And the more I thought about it the more I liked it, the more I appreciated it. I've seen it three more times and have grown to love it.
Review by jimbo
By: jimbo
This movie has all the ingredients of a great gay move - sexy stars, stunning locales etc - all that's missing is an editor. What on earth was going on in this movie? Bad enough that you have subtitles - but throw in a story line that is so hard to f...
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This movie has all the ingredients of a great gay move - sexy stars, stunning locales etc - all that's missing is an editor. What on earth was going on in this movie? Bad enough that you have subtitles - but throw in a story line that is so hard to follow, dialog that sometimes makes no sense and the result is infuriating - not to mention the weak ending! A wonderful premise - a terrible result!
Review by ??
By: ??
Ok the cover art is kinda sexy..so it gets ya to buy it right???.. But I found this movie really boring!! It was just a couple of cute guys who deal with normal every day stuff.. one guy has health problems but they never really tell you wtf is going...
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Ok the cover art is kinda sexy..so it gets ya to buy it right???.. But I found this movie really boring!! It was just a couple of cute guys who deal with normal every day stuff.. one guy has health problems but they never really tell you wtf is going on... and then there is this other guy who has fricken anger mangement problems.. it just goes off into to many directions.. so dumb! And the ending..wtf is up with that??? the only great part is the f--k scene on the beach..which I think was real.. but besides that..I found this movie dumb and dull.
Review by Vince
By: Vince
It's a rare kind of film . . . beautiful, honest, and well-acted with artistic sense, excellent musical score . . . and breathtaking cinematography - It's all I'm looking for in a movie. The ending part is simply touching that leaves the vie...
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It's a rare kind of film . . . beautiful, honest, and well-acted with artistic sense, excellent musical score . . . and breathtaking cinematography - It's all I'm looking for in a movie. The ending part is simply touching that leaves the viewer's seat so pathetic . . . and inquiring further how and why the film ended this way. The content of the film is presented in an honest and unbiased manner. The material could be a rich source of scholarly discussions for further behavioral studies in the Freudian context and the emerging field of Developmental Psychology.
Review by !
By: !
An artistic filmed gay film. I'll keep it short and simple. In my opinion, this was the first and probably one of the best gay love films i've seen. the acting and storyline really captivates you, as you can strongly feel and see each characters emot...
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An artistic filmed gay film. I'll keep it short and simple. In my opinion, this was the first and probably one of the best gay love films i've seen. the acting and storyline really captivates you, as you can strongly feel and see each characters emotion and perspective. This was my type of film, as it was haunting, unusual, and realistic. There may have been a few gaps in the film, meaning some misunderstandings, but aside that, it just makes the film have a bigger impact on you as it leaves you wondering. all on all, i recommend it but warn you that this movie may not be for everyone, just because it's raw and different from the mainstream typical, "perfect" love story. 4/4
Review by btmboy
By: btmboy
Incredible film. Great acting and superb story. The ambiguity in the story adds so much to the imagination. I was not sure that about the ending at first, but it left me contemplating and creating my own ideals as to how the story should continue...
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Incredible film. Great acting and superb story. The ambiguity in the story adds so much to the imagination. I was not sure that about the ending at first, but it left me contemplating and creating my own ideals as to how the story should continue. This movie is a gay man's dream for cinematography...it tackles gay issues head on with a compeling story, great direction, and outstanding actors. It provides the visual and sexual stimulation that is sooooo appreciated (loved the scene at the beginning when he is playing with his uncut dick...nice!). There is very little wrong that can be said for the film. Some will not appreciate not having all the pieces filled (like why he tried to commit suicide or exactly what happened), but that mystery really adds to the film in a way that is so rare. If only all gay films were this good.
Review by glstouffer
By: glstouffer
I have always loved foreign films and this is not going to deter me from watching more. However, this film although deals with homosexuality head on, which i applaud, leaves to many other questions unanswered. For instance who and where did Pierre co...
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I have always loved foreign films and this is not going to deter me from watching more. However, this film although deals with homosexuality head on, which i applaud, leaves to many other questions unanswered. For instance who and where did Pierre come from it explains it somewhat and you can tell that he is the one that matthieu is supposed to be with. Yes, it does show how relationships can start but it never showed why it ended or why Matthieu tried to commit suicide. Once again what happened to his mother and sisters so that he could move into their house. His youngest sister was the only one that had trouble with his being gay. For a coming out storyline it was quite passive. I wish I could have come out that easily. Even when meeting Cedric's father it wasn't hard for him to say that he was gay and the father was willing to accept it hands down. I have yet to meet a father that was that understanding even knowing that his son is gay.
I did however appreciate the frankness of the film with its nudity and forth rightness about homosexuality. In this sense it reminded me of an Merchant-Ivory film called Maurice. I wish that other films would address the frankness but not lose people in the story lines.
Review by RomeoScott
By: RomeoScott
Very well done. I've read reviews where people complain about the 3 time lines in the story and finding it hard to follow. To be honest there was only one time where I was confused, but that went away after a a mn or two.
The acting acting is gr...
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Very well done. I've read reviews where people complain about the 3 time lines in the story and finding it hard to follow. To be honest there was only one time where I was confused, but that went away after a a mn or two.
The acting acting is great, the story is very well done. The photography is very lush and beauitful. I bought this on just hearing good reviews. The money was a bit step from what I usually pay for a DVD, but Im glad I did.
This should be used on Gay or Sexual studies in Universities, and stuides on Youth Sexuality.
Review by Slinky09
By: Slinky09
This is a good film, dramatic and demanding yet moving and tender. But ultimately infuriating because there are to many gaps in the story and the viewer is left to make up missing parts. The director should have spent more time editing to remove some...
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This is a good film, dramatic and demanding yet moving and tender. But ultimately infuriating because there are to many gaps in the story and the viewer is left to make up missing parts. The director should have spent more time editing to remove some of the seams.
Review by Green Giant
By: Green Giant
COME UNDONE is simply one of the all time great films about
male adolescence. Stars Jeremie Elkaim and Stephane
Rideau give performances that
are nothing short of stellar.
one of the reasons the film
works so brillantly is th...
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COME UNDONE is simply one of the all time great films about
male adolescence. Stars Jeremie Elkaim and Stephane
Rideau give performances that
are nothing short of stellar.
one of the reasons the film
works so brillantly is that
the sexual frankess of the subject matter is not shied away from. for instance about 10mins. into the film there is
a scene featuring Elkaim that is unlike anything you usually associate with the lead actor in a legit film.
of course it doesn't that the
photography is lush and beautiful as are Elkaim and Rideau's stunning physiques.
an absolute must have for your dvd collection.
Review by Chris
By: Chris
I thought the story was great but a little choppy in areas where you might get lost.The love scenes and nude shots were very good and a credit to not being ashamed of sex and being gay. This is a keeper!
Review by SkinnyEbert
By: SkinnyEbert
I was a little weary of this film. Thinking it was all sex and no substance. Gladly I was wrong. This is easily at the top of any list of gay films out there. Superb acting by Elkaim. He is absolutely a star.