A Moment in the Reeds

This is a film about two young guys oppressed by the society, and their attempts to struggle free. It is an emotional journey to feel and be touched by it.

I consider entering the world of gay movies as one of the most important points in my life and I feel like this movie now has a very special place in my heart. As someone who has watched many movies of this kind I I'm very critical when it comes to story telling as it usually tends to repeat itself over and over again with many clichés. This movie shows us once again how less is more. Every dialog is well put together and has it's purpose in storytelling, developing characters and explaining their experiences, therefore there is no unnecessary babbling that would take away the beauty of the moment. Director somehow manage to trick us not to feel the lack of conversation perhaps by bringing them together quickly, like they known eachother forever or they understand eachother at some level we can't comprehend. Yet when they do talk, it's overwhelming and we can learn so much about the different worlds they live in and also about passion they have for one another. Thing that bothers me is how easily this affection that seemed so strong broke at the end leaving us with that weird feeling of being deceived to believe in something that doesn't exist, which is why I think this story needs a sequel.

I liked this movie, I liked its way in telling the story. Yes, its tempo is slow but the story streams perfectly. Dialogues and acting are very successful. There is no exaggeration or "unnecessary emphasis". Both players, Boodi Kabbani as 'Tareq' and Janne Puustinen as 'Leevi' did well-done job. I slightly disturbed in some scenes (not in scenes with sexual content) when the camera moved too much. For example,, the camera was moving (like shaking) during the scene where two guys were swimming in the pond. I don't know whether it was necessary. Camera moves are usually preferred for horror scenes or for increasing the tension.

I liked the movie but I have some general critics on movies which place "gay issues" at the focus. Why do generally gay movies have to be shut in an isolated places? Far from people, creating a lonely planet have started to be a cliche. 'A Moment in the Reeds' repeats this cliche too, like 'on God's Own Country'. (Likewise directors may create another getto instead they wanted to demolish the walls??) There is also often a hidden sadness in the background and it causes a slow motion streaming. The balance between "drama" and "comedy" are missed on purpose. (That's why I liked more the movie 'Theo and Hugo' due to its tempo.) Gay style-movies also like giving too much priority to dialogues. In the sound structure, the audience listens to dialogues more than the other sounds. These dialogues are also mostly between two main characters. Soundtracks, sounds of city, or other people's dialogues are usually less. This makes movie less believable and less real!! Despite of my general critics, 'A Moment in the Reeds' was directed quite successfully and deserves to be watched!

The truth is that this movie is part of a trend in gay European cinema of handsome refugees falling in love or lust with a local they've been hired to work with or for. This movie came out the same year as God's Own Country, which is raised by magnificent acting, editing and a story that went beyond the basics. Unfortunately, while this is not an awful movie, it pales in comparison. The actors do their job but the lead up to their first kiss is clumsy and everything after it is just badly paced and boring and you lose interest in the story, the characters. Instead of telling the story of gay refugees in Europe, it kind of fetishizes it in a weird way. It's not unwatchable but not as good as it should have been .

I truly don't understand the negative reviews i've read here. This was a spectacularly beautiful movie about a brief, but heartwarming encounter. Slow paced, that's true, but it wouldn't have worked any other way. The chemistry between these two boys elevated the whole to an even higher level. You rarely see this kind of genuine chemistry in gay interest films. So the movie had an open ending... Get over it. Nothing in life is ever wrapped up in a neat little bundle for you.