Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Boys (2014) is a romantic drama about a teenage boy coming of age and discovering his attraction to his friend, Marc.
Sieger (Gijs Blom) is fifteen, living with his widowed father (Ton Kas) and older brother, Eddy (Jonas Smulders). While running track for the local athletics team, he becomes friends with Tom (Myron Wouts), Stef (Stijn Taverne), and Marc (Ko Zandvliet). One day after practice, the four boys decide to go swimming. Tom and Stef leave, and Sieger stays behind to hang out with Marc. As they play in the pond, Sieger and Marc share a couple of kisses. Before Seiger leaves, he tells Marc that he’s not gay.
What follows is a film about Sieger discovering his attraction to boys and his feelings for Marc.
Some Thoughts:
Boys is a sweet coming of age story with very little turmoil. While Marc is fully aware that he’s gay, Sieger is unsure. He watches Tom and Stef kissing girls but is apprehensive when he has a chance to do the same. And although he has feelings for Marc, he hasn’t come to the conclusion that he’s gay.
There’s also a lot of subtle emotion within Sieger’s family. His father is still grieving over the death of his wife, and Eddy has a rebellious attitude that causes friction between himself and his father. And Sieger is caught between helping his father around the house and being loyal to his troubled brother.
The lack of heavy drama and the sweetness of the story only works because of Sieger’s age. Sieger is fifteen, an age when we’re neither children nor adults. This gives the film an innocent charm that’s almost intoxicating.
Everything about Boys comes together so well. The acting is good, and cinematography is beautiful.
The Final Verdict:
Boys is a simple film about the subtle emotions that come with first love. Ther’s not a lot to it, but it will leave you feeling satisfied.
