Weekend

This lovely, drifting film follows a young, introverted gay man, Russell (Tom Cullen), over the weekend he meets Glen (Chris New), an outgoing, aspiring artist.

The plot of Weekend might be a bit of a gentle and well-used trope, but it's an admirable demonstration of the fact that it's always possible to find new material to explore within a trope. While describing that trope might make for an interesting review, I think it's better to allow the film's story to reveal itself: suffice to say it's an old story.

With just a hint of full-frontal nudity in the first ten seconds of the film, this isn't for the prudish. But, though it isn't shy, the sex is handled (for the most part) with a straightforward, unceremonious attitude that blends it well with the more dialogue-heavy parts of the film. (The same is not true of the camerawork, which is all angled just so, to keep the explicit action an inch out of view.)

Set in Nottingham, the film’s director and writer Andrew Haigh manages to portray a distinct sense of the everyday discomfort the outside world brings to his main character, Russell, in contrast to the brash fearlessness of Glen. Leisurely shots of security cameras, disinterested teens and dark spaces contrast sharply with Russell's cosy retro flat and well-loved furniture, while the handheld shots, aimed between strangers, give a sense of voyeurism where Haigh wants it.

The dialogue is elegant and tightly written, swinging between intense, insightful and very funny, and casually swooping through musings on one-night stands, coming-out stories, cheating, gay bashing and the lead characters' own beautifully-developed stories.

It's possible that Weekend may fall prey to the very dilemma faced by the artwork of its main character, Glen: a work that prominently features gay sex risks being dismissed by the mainstream, and reduced to titillation by the queer community. That would be a pity, since Weekend is a thoroughly sweet (and more than occasionally twee) love story, which just happens to be full of boys pashing. It's the kind of film that would be ideal for a first date, assuming that first date is not with a homophobe. (Perhaps it is still ideal, in that it would weed the homophobes straight out, off the bat.) This is a lovely little film, and I recommend it highly.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Weekend
Director: Andrew Haigh
UK, 2011, 97 mins

Distributor: Rialto
Rated MA
In cinemas Thursday January 26, 2012