Comme un frère

'Comme un frère' (Like a Brother) is a brief film by writers and directors Bernard Alapetite and Cyril Legann that succinctly examines the development of identity of a young lad over a period of less than a year. The technique of telling the story of the coming of sexual age of a boy is one that may confuse some viewers - the present is combined with the past in a patchwork manner, the only key that the past is the subject is the use of near monochrome film color that successfully suggests the blur that past events now faded affect the senses - becomes one of the more unique aspects of this little French film.

The story opens in Paris where young Sébastien/AKA Zack (Benoît Delière) sits in a café with his current boyfriend Bruno (Johnny Amaro) and lets it be known that it is his birthday. Bruno's questioning as to why Sébastien is not in a celebratory mood begins flashbacks of a year ago when Sébastien lived in the small coastal town of La Baule where he doted on his best friend Romain (Thibault Boucaux). Despite Romain's devotion and physical closeness to Sébastien, Romain is in love with Sophie (Amandine Maugy) whose best friend Marine (Adeline Ishiomin) is trying to attract the love interest of Sébastien. The four are close, but something is missing: Sébastien loves Romain and while the two have some beautifully tender moments together, Romain is not the gay boy Sébastien needs.

Sébastien leaves his provincial town for Paris, connects with his father (Michel Derville) and confides his true identity as a gay young man. His father is warmly supportive and suggests Sébastien move in with him. Sébastien (now called 'Zack') begins to visit clubs and eventually is absorbed into the gay life, yet he still dreams of Romain. After months pass and Zack is in a comfortable relationship (Patrick Esilva), Romain comes to Paris and the two now young men meet in a park - but where will this new reunion lead? The actors are for the most part very fine - especially Thibault Boucaux and Adeline Ishiomin - and the sensual aspects of the story are well captured with restraint. With a running time of only 55 minutes the story flies past the eyes much in the way memories bounce in the psyche and it is this manner that makes the story fresh. There should be more to come from the creators and certainly from some of the fine new actors in this film. In French with English subtitles. Grady Harp

Bernard Alapetite & Cyril Legann's film is allocated in two distinct moments: the present in which we catch a glimpse on young Sébastien's life, and the past, which sets the basis for everything he is experiencing now.

Why is it the past so important for most of us? Surely it's not only because we tend to have a glorified memory of years gone by. The past, after all, can sometimes fully define us if we manage to comprehend it. In the present, Sébastien is going to gay bars and hooking up with guys, but in the past only one boy occupied his every thought: his best friend Romain.

When Sébastien is alone, he draws Romain's body in a piece of paper. Here, the image is clearly the ideal and thus the unobtainable object. One moment exemplifies this assertion perfectly: when the two boys are lying in bed together, watching TV, the muffled sound of pornography coming from the background arouses Romain enough for him to fondle himself knowing that his friend is right there; as he proceeds to go to the bathroom Sébastien follows him and watches carefully how his friend masturbates frenetically. Except that he doesn't see his friend's facial expressions of joy, but rather his image reflected in the bathroom's mirror.

Why is the mirror important? For Jacques Lacan a relationship between the specular and the non-specular exists. The individual does not have direct access to the real of his body, it's only through the virtual image in the mirror plane that one gains such access. Although this indicates the necessary interposition of the Other, the Other of language. When Sébastien is looking at himself during the first minutes of the movie, his only concern is his physical appearance, and it should rightly be so as he intends to expose himself to the gaze of the other. This paradigmatic scheme is the foundation of narcissism, in which one's psychic energies are invested in one's own image thus making it lovable (for others).

But is the protagonist narcissistic? Every time Sébastien practices sex with other men he let his himself being penetrated; thus complying with what most people would label a "passive" position. There is, however, one instance in which he plays a most active role, and that is when he spends the night at Romain's place, and starts touching him and caressing him.

If Sébastien is truly narcissistic then the recognition placed upon himself by others would be undermined by a certain 'deceptiveness', because narcissism tends to mask the fact that I perceive myself from the Other's point of view. When Sebastian spies on his friend, draws him or thinks of him, he is indeed circumscribing himself into the sphere of the other's desire; and should he come to the conclusion that the other is no longer there to support him, then the first steps towards narcissism will be taken.

I saw the movie first and then read the reviews posted here. It's a charming movie and I felt really good after watching it. It's one I might buy. The flashbacks were a bit disorienting at first but not so difficult to keep track of things. I found the color differences to really set the atmosphere. Unlike one reviewer I didn't try to lighten the image in order to see more of the sex - I assumed the intimate scenes were filmed that way for a reason, and I think I was right.

The acting is really good, and the actors believable. I've seen some low budget films that were amateur by comparison. This one felt like a real movie. The leads are incredibly good looking. The actor playing Romain (the straight best friend) is almost too pretty - but once I realized that then he was less of a distraction. The lead, Seb/Zack did a fantastic job with the character. I will see if he's done other movies.

What also appealed to me is the use of good drama - no violence, no deaths, no gay bashing. It's an unrequited love story that happens to have a gay lead, and as such was really enjoyable. oh yeah, and the eye candy wasn't bad either. I've never seen so many hot ass shots (outside of Cadinot, which another reviewer references). If you enjoy a good story then check this one out.

It was a good movie. I don't really like when a movie flips between past and present and this movie is no different. I would have like it more as a straightforward story, but nonetheless, it was fun and entertaining. I liked the actors and their relationships, especially Sebastian and Romain's. A lot of the time it seemed like Romain was gay, or at least bi, even though he never admitted so.

What I didn't quite understand, though, was the ending. It didn't imply anything so Romain and Sebastian could have gotten together, but I seriously doubt it. Besides, I liked Bruno a lot more. It could have been a longer movie, and I would have liked it if the movie had been longer, not necessarily continuing the story, but merely adding parts in the middle. I would have liked to know more about Bruno and Sebastian's relationship and I like to imagine that when the movie is over they will continue dating.

I agree, the storyline is slender. This is a portrait of a very young man in his first year of moving to the city, being out, juxtaposed with his recollections of the beautiful—and straight—best friend he left behind.

Maybe it's the locale, the language difference, the glimpses of French gay life, but I found this movie very watchable. I think I would be less forgiving (as an American) seeing the same story in an American film. The American version would be more of a straightforward story, I think, and almost certainly heavy-handed. This film is serious, but it's done with a light, gentle touch, and that makes it easier to take.

The movie flips between past and present without much concern for our keeping up with the story. In fact, the jumping around is a reflection of the boy's state of mind. I can't imagine an American film doing the same thing without a lot of dumbing down.

So, despite the familiar plot, if you can even call it that, I still think this is worthwhile. It's very filmic, and relatively uncompromising.

And, the main character's straight best friend is a f**king raving beauty.