Movies

Let's get the obvious out of the way first: Weekend could be categorised as a "gay film" given its topic of a romance between two men over the course of a weekend. But that label really shouldn't deter open-minded audiences going to arthouse cinemas to see a slice of beautiful cinema that stirs the heart, engages the mind and fills the senses.

With aching honesty and on-the-nail wit, Weekend grapples with love, loneliness, sex, identity and that most basic human need: intimacy. A winner on the film festival circuit, this low-budget British drama captures the universal experience of falling headfirst in love.

Russell (Tom Cullen) is a mostly closeted homosexual who lives alone in what appears to be a council high-rise, and by day works as a lifesaver at a local pool. He heads out to a gay club and goes home with out-and-proud artist Glen (Chris New) for what at first appears to be just a sexual encounter. It becomes more like the 1945 classic Brief Encounter as the two opposites attract, despite Glen's revelation that he's set to leave for Oregon for an art course.

While it won't be to everyone's taste, Weekend is a quietly powerful film with something to say about the human condition. On a wider level it's a love story, but it's also an exploration of polarising philosophies within the gay community (or any minority community for that matter): the desire to fit in and be accepted by wider society, and the desire to be different and celebrate that difference.

These ideas are expertly teased out through Russell and Glen's candid dialogue about coming out, relationships, sex, true love and personal aspirations. One is a romantic, the other is a cynic, and together they are a yin and yang within all of us.

New and Cullen's nuanced performances are integral to the film's success. It's rare to see such organic, true-to-life portrayals on screen.

Like the acting, Weekend itself resonates long after its moving conclusion.