This indie film is a really powerful look at how a community can suffocate you and the hidden corners young people have to find just to be themselves in so many European towns, even with all the progress we've seen lately. The whole story plays out while the town is bracing for a massive, raging flood, and you just can't shake the feeling that some kind of intense reckoning or unavoidable doom is headed their way. To be honest, I didn't go in with super high expectations, but the way it’s put together makes it a seriously compelling watch. Plus, it’s not every day you get to see an LGBT-themed movie coming out of Croatia! The story follows Marko, a popular 18-year-old kid who seems to have it all—he’s got a girlfriend, he’s a competitive arm wrestler, and he’s well-liked at school. When he isn't in class, he’s usually hanging out with his brother, who has a disability, or helping his mom out in her greenhouse. Everything gets flipped upside down when a guy named Slaven ...
16 year old Sequin lives with his single father and has a very high sexual drive. He meets a lot of older men for quick gratifying sex. He now she is young and good looking and that gives him some sort of power over these men. His only rule is not to meet anyone twice. But one guy B starts fixating on him. Sequin receives an offer on the app to attend a 'Blue Room' a group sex session. He sees B there but while running away from him, he meets this young guy and he really enjoys having sex with him. Sequin is trying to find out about this guy, so he reaches out to B again on the app hoping he will find something. But little does he know this will be biggest mistake of his life. Soon enough he finds himself having a stalker who reaches his school, his home and scares Sequin. Few drag queens help Sequin out and try to teach him about realities of life. Learning the hard way, Sequin realizes that not everything that the virtual internet world shows , is gold and rosy. Thankfully the puppy dog classmate still have feelings for Sequin and the ending is a sweet one.
The film doesn't shy away from getting to the point right away. Its bold, straight forward and the way it is shot, you can tell that Sequin is entering some danger zone but its also exciting and electrifying. Casual hookups, especially when you are 16, can be something out of this world. Its funny that when Sequin breaks his rule of not meeting anyone twice, his lust with the younger guy in group sex that feels like love, is exactly what leads him into an entangled web os lies, manipulation and predation. The film's visuals are very stylizes, which gives it an aura of both authenticity but also fantasy. The lead actor Sequin is a treat to watch. The way he shows his cool swagger, his youth power anyhow it eventually leads to fear and inner vulnerability is shown with a panache. His relationship with his dad was cool to see since he accepts his son being gay, except he doesn't really know how much hook ups does Sequin really do. The film is all about testing one's limits.
The film is just the right length. It may not be everyone's cup of tea since its very different and interestingly directed. I'd say that the story is very relevant to today's time. Very sexy, Sequin in a Blue Room is at its heart a coming-of-age tale in a digital world filled with instant sexual gratifications and perilous risks that sometimes comes with it. (6/10)
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