Rating: 
Summary: A straight girl's favorite French movie...
Review: A genuinely moving story, The Man I Love (original title: L'Homme que J'aime) centers on the unlikely but potent romance between a straight diver and a gay pool attendant.
The film, in typical French fashion, invites the viewer to look outside convention and towards the deepest potency of true compassion by focusing on more familiar themes like coming out and AIDS. The film quickly draws you into the secret world created by the two lovers as they confront mainstream social expectations as well as grief, doubt, pain, and their personal demons. In the best possible way, the characters establish themselves as men courageous enough to love unselfishly and care for each other. Truly a subtle and striking film!
Rating: 
Summary: Don't bother
Review: After declaring his love for the straight Lucas, Martin not only gains his love, he breaks up the heterosexual relationship Lucas was in at the time. (Oops!) Martin then proceeds to spend the duration of the film driving Lucas away. Since he's dying of AIDS, Martin is far too busy playing the martyr to acknowledge the pain his lover and mother are going through. He shows a completely selfish and callous disregard for anyone's feelings but his own. Martin is an insensitive, self-righteous jerk who deserves to die alone. Good riddance!
Rating: 
Summary: not the romantic drama it thinks it is.
Review: arghhh. this film is incredibly frustrating to watch. not because of the performances; overall the actors were excellent. the cinematography was at times beautiful, sometimes downright odd, but at least it was mostly interesting. it is in the screenplay where this movie fails. one of the most important elements in creating the necessary drama in a tragic love story is to fully engage the viewer in the depicted life and character of its leads. martin is a poolboy who is not so much irrepressible as just plain irritating. lucas is the rather angry and befuddled object of his affection who, after a painfully unbelievable courtship, eventually and inexplicably falls in love with martin. and throughout the rest of the film we watch as martin treats...well, basically everyone who cares about him...REALLY poorly. i find it difficult enough to believe that the initially straight lucas would ever want to spend more than a few minutes with martin, let alone totally turn his life around to begin a romantic relationship with him. not because lucas is mostly straight, but because martin is so miserable. i'm not wrecking any of the plot when i mention that martin is dying of aids. we learn within the first ten minutes that this is so. but since this is an essential element of the plot, shouldn't it serve some sort of purpose? martin does not give the viewer any revelation about life or death. we see no character growth. martin's relationships are actually quite dysfunctional and more than a little abusive. so what are we left with? a love story that doesn't give a whole-lotta-love.
the handsome jean-michel portal gives a genuine and intense performance as lucas. mathilde seigner is wonderful as well. marcial di fonzo bo is actually very believable as a bitter and irritating guy who totally stalks the object of his affection into submission. is this love? is this a deep and moving drama? it certainly didn't feel like it. and it's not the fault of the actors.
Rating: 
Summary: A Truly Moving Love Story
Review: Few gay themed love stories are as touching and moving as this one between Martin, a gay man, and Lucas, a seemingly straight man whom he has fallen in love with.Maybe it is the fact that Martin is living with AIDS and realizes that time is precious, or just that he goes after what he wants, but he wastes no filling Lucas in on the way he feels, a feeling which at first Lucas doesn't seem to share. But the two become friends, and as they do we begin to realize, as does Lucas, that something more is developing, something he never thought possible...or did he? Although he has a girlfriend, Lucas wonders, as does the viewer, if there isn't something missing. Much of the pleasure of this film is in the small touches as the story unfolds, as we see Lucas come to the realization that this new friendship is developing into something more meaningful. From here the movie unfolds to it's very moving and satisfying conclusion. You may find yourself wanting to watch this movie more than once, especially when you see how it ends. Repeated viewings only seem to make the story more meaningful. This movie is a story of coming out, of being true to yourself, and the tremendous power of love.
Rating:
Summary: Too idealistic, Too Simple
Review: I found this movie to be incredibly simplistic in its ultimate message and its failure to fully develop the characters leave the viewer feeling unfulfilled, and in my case, extremely confused. The Man I Love immediately introduces that the main character has feelings for Lucas, the straight guy (I'm talking like in the first 5 minutes he is like I love you). Because of this hurried approach to ignite the love between the two characters, the powerful message in the end becomes undersupported. For Christ's sake the main guy has AIDS and chases after Lucas, who is struggling with his own sexuality. So, there are two conflicts occurring simultaneously. The amount of internal conflict paired with lack of character development (like the viewer doesn't get to know the characters at all, period, the end) causes the movie to ultimately fail in its purpose. Don't rent this movie, 'cause youll get a huge disappointment. Rent Burnt Money. It's awesome!
Rating: 
Summary: A decent, affecting film that disappoints.
Review: I have no idea where the picture on the cover came from. It's not even the pool in the movie. The actual movie is much more than just a simple pool boy infatuation.
Martin loves Lukas almost from the first moment they meet and pushes his way, through a series of chance and unlikely events, into Lukas's life and more.
Unfortunately (for me at least) the story is eventually revealed to be yet another dying-with-AIDS gay love story. It's been done. Here it is done fairly well, but it isn't very fresh or interesting. I grew tired of Martin's constant demands of Lukas (do this, do that, get away from me, etc.) and had trouble sympathizing with his occasionally nasty demeanor once the connection with Lukas was made.
That said, there are some touching expressions of love between the boys, including a wonderful wedding and "Mom," who steals the show. "Don't hurt my son or I'll put a bullet between your eyes." I believed her.
It's worth seeing, but I would rent it first.
Rating:
Summary: A stunning success
Review: I've passed this movie up continously in the video store. The synposis on the back of the movie cover simply does not give it justice! Finally, I broke down and rented it and I'm so glad I did! It's beautifully acted and scripted and it totally moved me. Don't be decieved by the cover, this it truely a great movie about two men who fall in love with each other.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe it's because I'm half-French
Review: I've read some of the other reviews but I can't agree with the negative ones, perhaps, because I think you really have to understand French culture and our ways.
I really thought this movie was great. Yes, fine, there was no literal reason for Lucas to fall for Martin, but that is normal in a French movie, but if you are French, you'd understand.
Having said that, it really is about Lucas learning to finally love, and he chose Martin, even though, at times Martin was a bit much and mean towards him. Again, in French culture, it all makes sense.
So all I have to say is that this is a very romantic film, if you understand the culture, if you don't, then yes, it could seem like crap because they didn't have a big Hollywood ending, like you were looking for.
Rating:
Summary: Another AIDS gay flick
Review: If you've never seen a story about a gay man stricken with AIDS and a loyal lover in a tear jearker, then you may be able to tolerate this movie. Otherwise, if you're looking for a film with real sex, believable characters and plot, don't waste your time. The only redeeming feature of this film is the French sea town setting. The motivation for the straight diver's change of preference is totally absent. The presentation of the main character as more than a kooky, pushy companion is not convincing.
Rating:
Summary: About the dvd
Review: It seems nobody wrote about the dvd edition, so that's my main point here.
Well, the image is 1.78 non-anamorphic, but it's a very good transfer. The colors are very nice and it's quite sharp, perhaps a little diffuse, but very slightly, or maybe it's just some grain (I'm no expert), but I think it's in the source. But this is a minor thing, I really think it's good image quality. And the subtitles are optional, always a good thing.
About the movie, I'm mixed. I agree with the reviews that indicate the character motivation and other script flaws, but at the same time the actor who plays the main character won me over by the end of the movie. I mean it moved me, and I guess that's the point.
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