Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Horseplay is a drama about a group of mostly straight men who gather in a remote Argentine villa for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
A group of male friends get together for a week not knowing that one of them is gay. Of the group, the film focuses on three of them: Nico (Bruno Giganti), a homophobic gay man; Poli (Franco de la Puente), who is gay; and Andy (Agustín Machta), who is bi-sexual with a preference for women. And once the characters are set, the movie becomes an exploration of homoeroticism and homophobia in straight male culture.
Some Thoughts:
Horseplay covers some of the themes director Marco Berger has become known for, especially that of toxic masculinity and homoeroticism in straight culture. And while Horseplay sounds similar to another Berger film, Taekwondo, its exploration of masculinity and how the story plays out are both different.
Like the other Berger films I’ve seen, this one has a story that flows naturally and is never dull. Because the acting and writing are so good, everything about the film feels realistic. There’s never a moment that takes you out of the movie or makes you question the situation. Even the male nudity comes off as natural.
Because this is a film that puts themes over story, those who want a specific plot to follow might be disappointed. The intended audience is the art house crowd, especially those interested in male culture.
The Final Verdict:
Horseplay is a smart, mature, and unapologetic exploration into masculinity and homophobia. The acting, pacing, and visuals make it easy to watch, and it has an ending that’s hard to forget.
