The Man I Love

Rating:
Summary: What a beautiful film
Review: It was a beautiful film. I liked it a lot. I was glad to see a homo oriented themed film that had quality (good, committed actors and really decent writing). The synopsis and cover make this film look like garbage -- but it isn't! It's a good watch.

Rating:
Summary: Bringing a different love to life...........on film
Review: It was often said in earlier times that the French were the masters of old-fashioned, romantic film making. In more recent years, however, they've given us a tale of a 'different kind of love' and it is contained in a wonderful, largely unheralded film, entitled: "The Man I Love." Surprisingly made for French TV, this is an Aids-related story of gay love being found while at the same time being lost. Only in the gay-themed and American-produced titles, "Big Eden" and, more recently, "The Trip," have US filmmakers come somewhat close to realistically depicting gay love. Even so, these directors and their main couples never quite appear to be completely and truly comfortable and at ease in the gay love they try to put across on the screen. Just the opposite occurs, however, in "The Man I Love," a motion picture in which you can actually visualize love emerging and growing......something that would seem impossible to capture on film. Here are two male leads: Marcial Di Fonzo Bo as Martin, an Aids victim who hasn't yet given up on life and finding love, who instantly recognizes that love the moment he sees a blond-god of a man appear, of all places, at the front of a high-dive board; and, then, there's Jean-Michel Portal, as blond Lucas, in an uncanny characterization of a man who has known only heterosexual love, but who, in this story, finds himself faced with something entirely different. It is Portal's striking performance which enables the audience to see the actual realization and growth of love. Through his eyes, his facial expressions, and his body language, he does, indeed, present love emerging (even though resisted) and growing. The movie viewer can virtually see these internal feelings "happening," an experience akin to watching the "speeded-up-on-film" development of a seed to plant. This is, without doubt, an unusual film experience, and, as one earlier reviewer said: "Repeated viewings only seem to make the story more meaningful."

Rating:
Summary: A Love Story in the Impeccable French Style
Review: Perhaps the French do indeed have the market on love stories. THE MAN I LOVE is the improbable tale of a young gay man (Martin) living with AIDS who falls in love with an apparently straight diver and swim coach (Lucas) who comes to work at the Centre Nautique where Martin is the pool boy/janitor. Martin is so comfortable and carefree with his sexuality that he immediately pledges his attraction to the somewhat confused Lucas. Martin follows Lucas home where he lives with an especially lovely young Lise who immediately is infatuated with Martin's ability to use sign language (Lise teaches in a school for the hearing impaired) and encourages the mortified Lucas to include Martin in their social life. Things progress, Martin realizes he is coming to the end of his struggle with AIDS, invites his mother to meet Lucas, and gradually Lucas embraces his bisexuality and falls in love with Martin. All of this story is played (by an exceptional cast) as a simple tale of love and it is because of this honesty that the film succeeds. There is a tendency to push the Act Up movement - Martin's extended family engage in a laying in strike against the hospital for the French government's lack of AIDS research and treatment venues - but even this bit of grandstanding shows passion and compassion in a very real manner. The ending of the film, while edging a bit towards the saccharine, manages to quickly fall back in step and leaves the viewer with a sense of the power of love....as only the French can do! The setting in Marseilles is beautiful, the score is charming, and the mood is warm for a tough subject.

Rating:
Summary: Simply Awful
Review: The box cover and desription of this make this flick seem sexy and edgy. It is actually boring, depressing, and almost completely reprehensible. The moral of the story is that straight men can be persuaded to pity gay men enough to sleep with them (but only if they have AIDS and are dying). I was insulted by this film. Save yourself time and agravation--skip this one!

Rating:
Summary: BRAVO! Gay cinema at its best
Review: The depiction on the cover of this dvd/video is somewhat misleading as it tends to lead one to believe that this a superficial "softporn and eye candy" type movie. The very opposite is true. While the actors in this film are definitely easy on the eyes they have have a depth of character and emotion that few american gay film characters achieve. I found myself feeling sorrow, attraction, and admiration, all at the same time for the lead character of Martin throughout the movie. The plot is sad and beautiful at the same time with just the right amount of emotion and not too much preachiness given the fact that it is about AIDS and the impending death of one of the characters.
This is a must see if you get the chance.

Rating:
Summary: French w/English Subtitles & this is an AIDS/HIV movie
Review: Those are the two most important things you should know about this movie prior to buying it (French w/English Subtitles & this is an AIDS/HIV movie). I knew about the French part, even though it wasn't clearly stated on the amazon site. The movie was well-done. I normally don't like AIDS/HIV movies, but this one was okay. The filming and acting were good. The storyline was okay (good-looking gay guy dying of AIDS falls in love with cute straight boy, cute straight boy comes to love the gay boy and helps him to the grave). Profanity and nudity are kept to a minimum, which I think is good. This might be better as a rental rather than a purchase. Do you really want to support the French?

Rating:
Summary: Another AIDS gay flick
Review: Were it not for the beauty of the main character I would have not watched this movie. It's very predictable in the "I love you/go way no I love you" conflicts. That one of the characters has AIDS and how the lover reacts is nothing new either.

Rating:
Summary: Just o.k.
Review: Were it not for the beauty of the main character I would have not watched this movie. It's very predictable in the "I love you/go way no I love you" conflicts. That one of the characters has AIDS and how the lover reacts is nothing new either.

Rating:
Summary: Just o.k.
Review: Were it not for the beauty of the main character I would have not watched this movie. It's very predictable in the "I love you/go way no I love you" conflicts. That one of the characters has AIDS and how the lover reacts is nothing new either.