Drown

An unpleasant drama that suffers from a garbled narrative flow, Drown is a character study set against ominous events that threaten to break into cruel violence at any moment. Juggling slices of past and present scenes, filmmaker Dean Francis (adapting a stage play by Stephen Davis) creates a mosaic portrait of Len (Matt Levett), a lifeguard whose consistent good work earns him an annual award, an honor that he eagerly laps up given his barely sublimated self-loathing and rage. Bullied by his father for being gay, and generally hopeless about his options in life, Len has abused weaker gay teens and tried to hide his sexual orientation, even from himself. Along comes Phil (Jack Matthews), a confident and more carefree gay lifeguard who appears to have none of the problems that bedevil Len, resulting in an uneasy relationship that explodes when Phil wins the award that Len has taken home for years. Drunk and helpless on a beach at night, Phil will be subjected to various torments inflicted by Len and his sidekick (Harry Cook). Unfortunately, the jagged, non-sequential storytelling here only undercuts the strength of the material, dampening the intended impact. Not recommended. (T. Keogh)