Skip to main content

Regarding Billy

Even after it has been few hours since I watched the film, I am having a little hard time making a decision on my thoughts of this film. I think the film had great potential as a short film but they dragged it on for a long time (it is really slow) and in turn it lost the essence, the magic and the intimacy that this film could have created with the audience. 

Dean and Billy are best of buddies and share a very nice, playful – but very frustrating – friendship. Out of the blue Dean announces that he is joining military for 4 years. Dean departs with much unsaid. In the meantime Billy's parents pass away and so now he moves back to the town to take care of his young learning-disabled brother Johny. Just when they were getting settled Dean comes back to the town and starts living with the brothers. Billy is ecstatic to see him but still is having a hard time telling him about it. The 3 men bond together and have a good time. Billy tries to tell Dean his true feelings for him a lot of times but always fails but when he finds out that Dean is probably turning blind soon because of military he cant hold back anymore and blurts out his feelings without fearing. Dean responds positively and admits to having loved Billy ever since he can remember. The 3 young men then share some intimate family moments. 

Like I mentioned abpve that the film was really slow but the underlying story was definitely beautiful. It also had beautiful mesage about love, companionship and a sense of family which I think all of us gays aspire to have. It's strange how few films attempt to manage the coming of adulthood, deal with being gay and coming out, and still find relationships that matter to us. This film manages to address all of these in a gentle and approachable manner. And yes the 2 men being attractive definitely helps ;) Definitely worth a watch if you dont mind a little sluggish pace at which the film progresses. (6/10)

Comments

ILHiker said…
I came to read your review of this one after commenting on Taekwondo. This movie was much like Plan B for me. I watched it awhile back and found it slow and dull. I watched it again a few years alter and it has become a re-watchable favorite. I think something shifted in me once I got into my 50s and slower-paced, romantic movies became more to my taste. I also stopped liking cheese and started linking the taste of cumin. Jeff London makes sentimental movies. At one point in my life that would have put me off, but these days it's a big point in their favor. Regarding Billy is my favorite of his movies, with Arizona and Best Day Ever not too far behind.
Golu said…
You may eme laugh with your statement "I also stopped liking cheese and started linking the taste of cumin"
There is no doubt that at various stages in our life, we get attracted to different kind of cinema. I clearly remember in my 20s I used to LOVE the so called 'chick-flicks' but I can't stand the sight of them anymore and I constantly question my sanity for having ever liked them

Same with gay films, I do enjoy more serious meaningful cinema now. Although having said that, I still do have my guilty pleasures with some hardcore teenage gay romance series/films.

Popular posts from this blog

The Shortest Distance is Round 3: Fallen Flowers

Continuing with the weird trilogy of "The Shortest Distance", I am so glad that finally I am done with part 3 and won't have to deal with this again in future. Thankfully, as of now the makers have not announced any further parts; which will save all of us on this earth from the embarrassment of watching this in near future. After the first 10 minutes are used in sort of recapping bits of first two parts, the story moves forward. Haruto is now starting to have feelings for Ruka, the mysterious pole dancer from second part. In a fit of rage, Ruka ends up killing the goat man and to save him and Haruto, Shibahara asks them to go underground. Meanwhile Shibahara continues the search for Seiya (the guy who had cut off Haruto's penis). It turns out Seiya is now also taking care of the original club owner from part 1. Both of them were released after they had informed Shibahara of Aoyama's secret location. Shibahara tortures Seiya's boyfriend leading to Seiya killin

One Summer Night (Korean)

I really wanted to like this film but for non native speakers, these movie leaves a lot to be understood and the way scenes were unfolding in front of me, I wasn't sure many times what was really going on. The story had potential button getting any back story on any of the characters limited my ability to empathize with any of these actors. Film starts with two North Korea military guys Yong Joon and Jae Sung having sex and they are caught red handed and they run. Three years later we see Yong Joon in Seoul leading a very mundane and poor life. He has a boyfriend Tae-Kyu, who is a weird guy. He is carefree, doesn't do any work and is completely emotional and financially dependent on Young Joon. In fact, even Yong Joon will go to any lengths to protect him , fend for him and taking care of him to the extent of even taking up prostitution. Suddenly one day Jae Sung appears in their life again. His motivation is not clear but it is obvious he wants Yong Joon back in his life, who

Ultimate masturbation: Shigoki no yama (Japanese) [The Ultimate Masturbation]

I would never know what was the point behind making this film. Was it supposed to be a comedy, cos it wasn't. It wasn't even porn. It was just a silly attempt at making something absolutely senseless and ridiculous. The story, as well as direction is equally shoddy. You could laugh for having seen something so bad, but I wouldn't call that comedy. An old man runs a camp about gay masturbation. The explanation given is that gays masturbate for pleasure unlike straight men, for whom the act is seen as shame or because they can't find a woman. One day a straight man shows up and wants to join the camp for his thesis. After discussion, he is allowed in. Rules include that you can masturbate together, you can masturbate one another, but there is no fellatio or anal sex. Some students of course breaks rule. The teacher then talks about 2 forms of masturbation which gives ultimate pleasure. He shows one without touching and then refuses to talk of the other. Somehow suddenly,