Rialto

Many on here have stated how depressing this film is and I suppose they have a point, but I saw it differently despite its sadness. I saw this as the story of a man wanting himself and others around him to live lives without deceit and with honesty. He is coming to this point in his middle aged life after his father has just died, his lifetime job is ending and he finds himself slowly pursuing a young male prostitute. The film never gets into details about the past regarding his sexuality, but he is clearly new to this facet in his life and one has to suspect that he's been secretly dealing and not acting upon these desires. The lead performance is wonderful. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor is an actor I am completely unfamiliar with and he is just simply perfection in this role. Ultimately, it's a fairly simple story about a man wanting to live honestly despite what may be. The ending was a bit of a surprise, but it's an interesting way to leave us.

Totally gripping from start to finish. Vaughn-Lawlor is nothing short of stunning in complete immersion in this role. There is not a second in which I did not believe I was watching a real person with many layers of suffering and confusion about many different issues.

His character does some despicable things but I completely understood where those actions came from, and that he had done all he could do over many years to avoid their manifestation. His humanity and good heart and desire to do the right thing was never in question, even as he staggers through scene after scene showing a man falling apart yet not yet willing to end it all.

Loved this film. Love Vaughn-Lawlor in it. Hollywood would never even get close to making a film like this, which is why I've almost completely given up on watching them. Thank god for Asian, British, European, Scandinavian and Australian films. So much richer, deeper, human and willing to tackle earthier subject matter than milquetoast Hollywood.

I thought this would be an interesting look at how 2 worlds collide and would have something fun to take away. WRONG. It was extremely slow and boring. I get what the other reviewers said about each man escaping from the pressures of being a man, but seriously? There are no happy moments at all in this film and an ending that leaves you wondering why on earth you just wasted the time to watch this. I was really wanting .... something out of this, but ... you just leave with nothing. Sadly, this was a waste of time, imo.

Rialto (2019) -

I'm glad that I could use the subtitles for this one. There's a lot of quiet whispered talk in a very strong accent.

It's not a cheerful film at all with Colm dealing with the death of an abusive father and Jay still dealing with his own Dad and being a parent himself.

I didn't realise that so many people had Daddy Issues like mine actually.

There's also a lot of aggression between everyone in general.

Although it's got a quite dull, grimey and sordid element to it, there is also something very sweet, but also erotic about the connection between the leads. It's not just the sexual scenes, which aren't actually that explicit, but also the timid and saddening relationship between Colm and Jay, as they open up to each other. It's that moment of intimacy as your getting to know someone while the urges continue to build.

It's filmed in a similar way to 'Vera' (2011-), so alike that I kept expecting her to turn up and accuse Colm of murdering someone. I think that would have just made his day. It would have improved the film too as the story doesn't really go anywhere and there's not enough of anything else to make it worthwhile really. As such there's not really a lot of point to it for me.

The acting is all very fine and all that, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor in particular, but it could have been used for something a lot more worthwhile and to tell an LGBTQ+ story that doesn't seem so seedy and wrong.

I'm probably a bit too sentimental, but I would have liked the two leads to have found a kindred spirit in each other and run off together. What actually happens is incredibly boring and the build up that actually had some potential comes to a crashing halt and before you know it the film is over.

309.88/1000.

Beautiful film. Paced beautifully and acted superbly. A heartbreaking look into the life of a closeted man - struggling to come to terms with himself and the effects it has on the people around him.