GAY MOVIE REVIEW - Beyond the Walls

Had a few hours to kill (over the past week), so I figured I would watch a movie.  This one had some sexy-looking actors looked interesting (and I remember seeing it on the Outfest line-up last year), so…..!

Beyond The Walls 

PLOT: The French film follows Paulo, a young pianist, who meets Ilir, a double-bass player originally from Albania. It's love at first sight. Paulo is soon confronted by his girlfriend, Anka, & finds himself out on the street. Paulo moves in with Ilir, despite his misgivings. One day, when Paulo promises that he will love Ilir for the rest of his life, Ilir leaves the city and doesn't return. A few days later, Paulo finds out that Ilir is in jail, and the two lovers embark on an heart-breaking relationship.

REVIEW:  Considering that the crux of the movie is how Paulo & Ilir react to their ‘long-distance’ relationship, the first hour of this movie seems almost unnecessary. But I’m guessing that the director included it to show fragile & co-dependent their relationship (or Paulo) is. In fact, the movie doesn’t really tell us a lot about Ilir; it focuses more on Paulo & how he handles the role-reversal of having to provide & protect Ilir (with money & other things he can use for trade) in prison. In the end, Paulo finds a new provider and runs into (a weaker, more needy) Ilir once more. But Ilir’s attempts to reconnect fall short & Paulo leaves him behind after he (Ilir) fails to get back what they once had.

The ending of Paulo & Ilir’s relationship makes Paulo seem rather cruel & almost a leech who sucked Ilir dry, leaving him when he couldn’t provide anymore. Anyway, here is the trailer: