Hidden Kisses

It's not easy to speak about homosexuality. It's not easy to be homosexual. Hidden kisses will make you look at all the pain gay guys have been through, it will make you feel how much it hurts to have a father who thinks you're sick, to be surrounded of people staring at you disgusted, laughing at you. Just watch it. I've been hesitant to watch this movie, i thought it would have been an average movie talking about the love of two young guys. This is much more. This is a movie everyone should see. And after you've watched Hidden kisses you will be braver if you're a young boy scared of being himself, worried about other people's judgement. And if you are a homophobic, even after you've watched this movie, my question for you is: 'Haven't you got a heart?'

Really loved this movie. Great coming of age love story that is sad and lovely at the same time. What the two characters go through separately; what they endure because of a kiss is maddening and disturbing. Still, so good; a must watch.

It is a powerful film. This is the only fair definition. It is an inspired, so precise portrait of a situation who has not solutions. It is a film about teenagers, a picture on a party, cruelty, hate, prejudices, teachers, a single father and his son. It has all the pieces to be a manifesto. Butit is more and more becomes scene by scene. Two scenes are real significant for me - the opened black board by Tristan and the lines about Oscar Wilde and his talk with the Math teacher.And, not doubts, admirable performances. It is a provocative film and a great question about yourself. So, just a powerful film. About honesty, truth and the way to perceive the other.

My expectations were pretty low when I fisrt found this movie, I hadn't heard about it and it seems not many people have either. To my surprise, it's a beautiful and so well done movie. Yes, it's about the drama of being gay, coming out, being accepted, finding love... however, Hidden Kisses (French: Baisers cachés) tells us a story of two boys, at first focusing in one of them, and as the movie goes around, the second one is wisely included in the script - and all you can feel is your inner wish for them to be ok, to be loved, to love. Plus the movie brings awareness of the fact that homophobia and bullying are still present in the French schools, and surely in many other countries. And it needs to be discussed, there could be no space for hate and discrimination against love, specifically LGBTQ love. Kudos for the director and specially the cast, great story! LOVE IS FOR EVERYONE!

At the root of homophobia lies the notion of masculinity as the rigid standard for men and boys (and in a minor subplot, femininity for girls and women). We've seen this all before but Hidden Kisses confronts it head on. In some ways that are deftly handled and in others that are a bit clumsy. There is a homophobic father and is often the weak link in these coming of age movies. It's hard to to get ones head around a character that is so thinly defined except there are real people like this. There are plenty of homophobic students who bully Nathan including one who is black.

The movie really shines when we see the full impact of social media on cultural expectations and norms, and how young adults don't see the consequences of their actions using it. They can do so much harm with so little effort. If the film had focused on this thematically, it might have been a more daring and smarter film. As such, it mostly just does the old stuff very well and returns the focus on the two leads, only to stray with brief chatter between teachers and parents.

The actors do a good job, especially Bérenger Anceaux as Nathan but the adult cast is uniformly excellent.