One of my all time favorites.

A Major Disappointment

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

When I was a student (couple of years ago) this film hit the rounds with student groups as a film to watch...and it was universally admired for it's honest and compelling narrative. Plot holes and flaws aside (quite possibly due to budget constraints) in some of the coincidences it still manages to pack a punch and moves with a pace reserved for action films of considerably higher budgets. The DVD extras included a 30 minute making of which gave unique insight into the reasoning behind the production and the genuine intent of cast and crew alike. I'm not gay but you don't have to be to see this film. It is a youthful honest film. A good watch and definitely worth a view. 10 scored because some of the reviewers here are being just idiotically mean and vindictive - in my opinion had the writers been given the budget of say Attack the Block or the other SHANK then this would have been even better than it is....possibly some of the comments are coming from the minds of those who mistook it for the other SHANK and weren't expecting a gay hero!It's the 21st Century people - this should have been widely distributed and supported and I say that as a Brit who appreciates British talent.

*spoiler alert, (I guess, but who even cares)* There's too much wrong with this movie to bother naming all the lousy points. But here are a few.Cal is uber-masculine, and we're lead to believe in the first part of the movie that he's attracted to other masculine guys. Yet we're tilting our heads in confusion when he is suddenly attracted to this flowery French guy whose wardrobe consists of mostly pink. Not believable.Seemingly minutes after Cal gets all lovey-dovey with Frenchie Flowers and starts shacking up with him, Cal is not only able to have loving, passionate gay sex (whereas earlier it is shown that the only gay sex he could engage in was sometimes violent, always impersonal and anonymous, which would then make him throw up), but is also wearing Twinky McStereotype's pink clothes. Yeah, I don't think so. Not believable.The coincidences of how everyone is interwoven and connected is so over-the-top, it'd be almost funny if it wasn't pathetic. The text message sent at the end is great; "Sorry -Cal." Which is to say this:"sorry that this all sucks and my boyfriend, who happens to be your student, who happens to have been beaten up by my gang who also beat up your boyfriend in a non-related incident while you and I also just happened to have hooked up randomly online once, after which I bashed you in the face. But we're going to get on a train together, all smiles, in our pink outfits and be on our merry way while you cry over your comatose lover." That sentence made as much sense as did this movie. Not believable.And, really, I can forgive some goofy plot themes and unbelievability to a point. Because there are some watchable scenes, and some not-so-bad acting, even (NOT including Pepe Le Pew (Frenchie) - he was awkward and painful to watch 'act'). But it was the pre-wrap up confrontation scene which took this from the edge of ridiculous to a you've-got-to-be-kidding-me joke of a movie.Jonno, the best friend from his "gang" (pfft, some gang, by the way), RAPES Cal. In front of the rest of the gang, even. While sobbing. Now, I'm not saying gay rape doesn't happen. I'm saying it doesn't happen LIKE THAT. No way in hell. Everyone's going on about how shocking this scene is. And it is, but only because it's SO OUT OF LEFT FIELD and ridiculously not believable.A lot of this movie, as is the case with much of gay cinema, is used as an excuse to show cute young guys naked. And sure, some of them are totally adorable. But unless that's enough to keep your attention through some idiotic choices which made a movie with some potential really very bad, then you may want to skip this one.

As a gay man I can understand why other gay men have found this film difficult to watch. It is disturbing.It depicts a very real story that looks at a young gay gang member hiding from his fellow hoodlums his sexuality whilst engaging in dangerous and at time's very unsafe sexual practices without their knowledge.Only a chance encounter (and subsequent love affair) with a victim of the gangs abusive streak arrests his spiral and descent into the hell of the ultimately bored undereducated unemployed subculture that does hang out on Britain's street corners intimidating all those who appear to have more to their lives than they do! This betrayal turns the tables and lives change - forever.Whilst I agree that some of the acting is clunky and requiring more schooling - it is all very valiant in effort. I haven't marked the film down for this as the direction, script and editing and urban soundtrack (balanced with some lovely score) keep you hooked to the last. The first frame of the film is carried with you to the last reveal and this satisfies the viewer considerably.This is a brave film, unique when set against the volume of gay films that are being released that have nothing new to say and tread well worn clichéd paths. I genuinely applaud it. It's unique interwoven story deserves at least a 9 out of 10 on its own.It might not be comfortable viewing for many but it packs a punch that resonates for a long time afterwards - a mark of a good film. Quite rightly it reminds us that despite more liberal legislation of late gay life is still uncertain, insecure and gay men are still very vulnerable from fearful attitudes.

This takes place in Bristol in the UK. Cal (Wayne Virgo) is part of a gang who go out and casually beat up people for no reason. Cal is also gay. He can't tell his gang and has anonymous degrading sex and tries to hide his feelings in drugs. Then one day his gang attack an innocent French student named Olivier (Marc Laurent). Cal intervenes and saves Olivier because he falls in love with him at first sight. They become lovers and the members of Cal's gang swear they will get back at him.SPOILERS! OK--there are plenty of problems here. Laurent is a dreadful actor and has NO chemistry with Virgo at all. Their relationship never rings true. The HEAVY British accents make most of the dialogue unintelligible. The rap music is very annoying. There's a twist near the climax involving Nessa (Alice Payne) that I didn't believe for a minute. And the rape scene at the end was too graphic and far too disturbing. However the plot is good and interesting. Virgo has a difficult role but pulls it off. Also he's a very handsome man and there's plenty of nude shots of him (front and back). The sex scene between Cal and Olivier is explicit but very erotic and hot! There's also plenty of simulated gay sex scenes and frequent male nudity. Also Tom Bott is excellent as Cal's best friend Junno. The sexual tension between those two was incredible. I wish the movie had been about them being lovers! Also their acting during the rape scene at the end was just superb.All in all its not without its faults but it does work. Graphic and powerful. I give it a 7.