This film was revelatory for showing how intelligently and subtly you can make a great love story (that happens to be gay) with superbly sophisticated cinematic techniques (the cinematography and editing is remarkably subtle and unobtrusive) and which certainly deserve a second, or even third, viewing which only then makes the skill and power of the film-maker apparent.
I much liked the way that we only hear what we need to hear - this helps with identification of the characters and their situations as we are put in their position so if one person is unsure about what they heard, we are in that position too – but this takes a little getting used to, as normally in the world of film we are the all-knowing, and hearing viewer. Likewise, we often do not see what they are looking at which again has the effect of making us (me) try to empathise and understand what they are going through, looking at or thinking.
The music is infrequently used (there are long periods with none) and this throws the emphasis on the actual film-making rather than underlining the situation and emotions with a crudely emphatic soundtrack. He asks the viewer to rely on their skills of looking, seeing and understanding without any emphatically extraneous help.
As the film unfolded we gradually saw different aspects of Eugenio - e.g. that lovely scene where he is outside the bathroom, collects the clothes and then invites him into the room –and the smile both before and afterwards is wincingly beautiful and powerful. There is also smartly subtle use of colour, particular with clothes – who is wearing what and the common colours, particularly the vivid red.
The film beautifully captures the delicate and often painful ying and yang of a love affair that, to begin with, neither party seems sure about – or whether it is what they or the other wants. First one makes a move, then the other.
The film is a marvellous depiction of a love affair – from dawning via uncertainty to some confidence then doubt, a major mistake (the attempted kiss) an ending – but finally fulfilment. It is tremendously powerful emotionally and totally dramatically and plausibly satisfying without an ounce of sentimentality which, if one gave a simple plot outline, would not be the case.