Boys

Dutch director Mischa Kamp's Boys captures one young man's coming-of-age with sensitivity and grace. Since the death of his mother, 15-year-old Sieger (Gijs Blom) has shared a home in the country with his affectionate father, Theo (Ton Kas), and delinquent brother, Eddy (Jonas Smulders). Sieger's best friend, Stef (Stijn Taverne), a fellow runner, is interested in girls, but Sieger isn't (although he keeps that to himself). When the pair make the relay-race team, Sieger finds himself attracted to Marc (Ko Zandvliet), a teammate who is both confident and shy. After their first kiss, Sieger tells him, “I'm not gay,” but Marc finds that doubtful. The two continue to see each other in private, while Sieger also hangs out with Stef and two female friends, leading Marc to assume that Sieger is dating one of the girls. Kamp has a knack for shooting the boys from unusual angles as they're running, biking, and swimming, which lends the film a dreamy, kinetic feel. Sieger's attempts to please everyone hurts Marc the most, especially since Sieger fails to explain what's going on, which isn't fair, but does feel true to the experience of teenagers who are trying to do too many new things at once. An exceptional gay love story that eschews melodrama, this is highly recommended. (K. Fennessy)