The Wounded Man follows a young adolescent boy, Henri, who lives with his parents in a provincial coastal town in France. While at the train station to bid his sister goodbye, Henri meets Jean, a much older man and a hustler. He was shocked to witness Jean turn violent on an older man. He was even more dazed and confused when Jean went up and kissed him.
Because of the confusion, Henri didn't even realize when or how Jean left. This makes him obsessed with older gentlemen and homosexual prostitutes as he continues looking for the mysterious, sexy, and dangerous man.
Henri desperately falls in love with Jean and shadows him everywhere, but Jean keeps evading him. Henri finally discovered a new world of masculinity; being attracted to people of the same gender. He builds up this attraction and obsession towards Jean but has yet to approach him and confess what erotic desires he has.
Patrice Chéreau used The Wounded Man as a way to show a very controversial way to display a homosexual awakening. He comes at it from a different angle, showing that sometimes those who are gay might not know it until it happens, and shows a different side of what it means to discover your sexual attraction.
The film has an erotic feel, emphasized by the shady-looking characters and the minimal conversations between them. Patrice did her best to portray the isolation and hatred that comes with a young man coming out as a homosexual. Henri never knew or confronted his sexuality, and he kept on suppressing it. He fought the urge to act out and confront his sexual awakening like most people going through this stage do.
The results of hiding your sexuality are never good; the more you avoid something, the worse it gets. Although Henri tries to hide his emotions and urges, he ends up bursting, and the results were as expected. Through his experience, Chéreau shows us the dangers of suppressing your sexuality.
Patrice did his best in showing how to handle such matters, what to do and not what to do, and also the path one should take. Henri lost control and didn't know how to handle his confusion, and that is where Patrice showed us what not to do.
Overall, The Wounded Man is a stellar film and can be educational to those who want to learn more about sexuality and sexual expression. It is also a good way to bring understanding to the struggles different people go through when coming to terms with their sexual orientation.
Does this film have Public Performance Rights?
Yes, The Wounded Man has Public Performance Rights and retails at 27.99 DVD / 32.99 BD.
Is this movie suitable for outdoor screening?
Yes, the movie is suitable for outdoor screening. However, indoor screening provides much better detail and captures the mood displayed in the film better.
What ages would this film be suitable for?
The movie is suitable for people above the age of 18; it is not suitable for children. Parents can judge whether they think their children are old enough to watch it.