This Hindi movie is a pretty straightforward slice-of-life story that tries to give a modern look at what it's like to be a single, professional gay man. It dives into how he understands who he is, the chances he missed out on, and the personal choices he’s made along the way. The director used three parallel timelines to tell the story, which honestly didn't make much sense to me. While the core idea was actually pretty interesting, I really feel like this would have worked way better as a short film considering the point it was trying to make. Still, it wasn't a bad watch. The plot centers on Rachit, a city professional, and his friend Shikhar as they hang out for an evening. Rachit is a polished, urban guy, while Shikhar has more of a "small-town" rustic vibe, and you can really see the contrast between them when they talk. As the night goes on, Rachit starts thinking back to some old memories from a long time ago. He remembers being an intern after college in ...
I honestly had no clue what to expect going into this one, but I think being in the right headspace made all the difference. The movie is a super slow, almost meditative story about a brief but incredibly intense relationship between two guys in the early 1900s. It’s a really solid story, but man, it moves at a snail's pace. Still, it dazzles you with how beautiful it looks and some truly striking acting. It’s basically a love letter to the music of that era, but even more so, it’s about a love that just wasn't meant to be. Plus, with Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor as the leads, you already know the acting is going to be top-tier.
The story follows Lionel Worthing (played by Paul Mescal), who’s had a deep, almost magical connection with music since he was a kid—he can feel it and see it in a way most people can't. This talent gets him off his family's farm in Kentucky and into the Boston Conservatory in 1917. That’s where he meets David White (Josh O’Connor), a fellow student and composer. They hit it off instantly and start having weekly secret hookups, eventually falling for each other. But then the war hits; David gets drafted, and Lionel heads back to the farm. A few years later, David comes home and invites Lionel on a road trip to find and record old folk songs. They end up creating their own private little world of music and romance, showing their love through the beautiful old ballads they collect rather than actual words. However, the war left David with some serious mental scars, and Lionel gets annoyed that David doesn't really understand what it’s like to be working-class. They split up after the trip, and even though Lionel writes to him constantly, David never replies. We follow Lionel as he moves to Rome and London, dating both men and women but always leaving them. Eventually, after his mom dies, he goes to Boston to find David, only to learn he passed away years ago. He meets David's ex-wife for a pretty emotional heart-to-heart, and the movie jumps way ahead to 1980, where an old Lionel finally gets to listen to those old recordings they made together.
Like I said, you need a lot of patience for this one, but if you give it some grace, it really pays off. It's been a long time since I've actually enjoyed a slow-burning, sad movie like this. Everything is told so subtly and quietly that it’s both enchanting and a little frustrating at the same time. The lyrics in the songs are beautiful, and the whole thing is just handled with so much class. The movie takes its sweet time showing them meeting, breaking up, and finding each other again across different years and countries. Mescal plays Lionel as this quiet, inward guy, which is a cool contrast to O’Connor’s David, who is way more witty and restless—the screen really lights up whenever he's there. Their chemistry feels totally natural and real. Even though they get physical, they never actually talk about their relationship. It’s not just a "forbidden" love; it’s a love that doesn't say anything at all, which is what makes it so interesting. I kind of wish there was more of the actual romance, but since the film is just as much about the music, I get why they did it. Everyone who sang in this was incredibly talented.
It’s a visual masterpiece with powerhouse performances that manages to turn a quiet, melancholic story into something really special. (7.5/10)
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