Like You Mean It

This film has some components of a good film -- romantic relationship facing some challenges, overall good acting, an international aspect with German dialog, great production quality, and enough plot to explore the potential impact of life events on the main characters -- so I was surprised that it left me dissatisfied most of the way through the film. The main character, Mark, remains virtually emotionless throughout, with the exception of a mental/emotional collapse in one scene. He remains an impervious handsome lead we're hoping might become human. His partner Jonah expresses more emotion, and we have more of a sense of his character and longings. But the script fails to develop these two characters, instead indulging in scenes of sexual imagery and intimacy to seduce its viewers.

Mark's lack of emotional involvement extends to virtually all areas of his life, including his family in Austria and his work as an actor on the fringes of Hollywood. The straight couple who are friends of Mark and Jonah show flashes of humanity, but no particularly compelling story relevant to the film. In the final scene, Mark's modest attempt to reach Jonah may be intended to show his humanity, but there's no hint of what he learned or why he's changed. I gained little insight into these characters in the film, certainly felt no connection to them or their lives, and wondered what the writer/director was trying to communicate. This isn't uncommon among current films -- with attractive actors whose physical appearance is their only identity, leaving audiences to watch them without knowing much of anything about them. Their appearance speaks for itself.

Give me Scenes From a Marriage by Ingmar Bergman for a slow-moving but dramatic film or else a film with a gripping plot. Pretty actors, skin, a slow-paced plot, and no drama fall flat for me.

Mark is an actor who like many is struggling; he is having other problems and has a past of mental issues. He decides that he wants to reconnect with his caring partner – Joshua. The thing is he does not know how and in trying to do so he starts to learn more about who he actually is.

We follow him and his partner Joshua on their journey and it can be slow going at times – but life is hardly a white knuckle roller coaster ride all of the time – so I am fine with this. The issues they have seemed to be universal and not just limited to the gay community and that is exemplified by some of their straight friends who have alternate relationship issues.

Now as I said this can be slow in places but it is the resonant honesty about the characters and situations that will pull you in and make you care. It is all handled in a very adult way. It is also acted extremely well and the cinematographer has done a rather excellent job with the complimentary and often inventive camera shots. There are some bedroom scenes here too but nothing to frighten the horses or anything. It is one for people who like their films to be more on the contemplative side and if that is your thing then I am sure you will find a lot here to appreciate.

This is a good film. On the surface it is about a gay couple struggling to stay together, but it is actually about one-half of this couple.

Mark, played by LIKE YOU MEAN IT'S writer/director, Philipp Karner, doesn't merely have difficulty committing, he has increasing difficulty communicating with anyone. His character is interesting, especially in that, as a professional actor, auditioning generally for voice-over assignments, he must use a wide variety of voices. That English is not his native language, and though he has mastered an infinite variety of American accents, he is finding himself unable to continue.

Jonah, his boyfriend, played by Denver Milord, is a struggling musician. What is very subtle about this movie is that it shows us typical tensions a gay couple experiences but demonstrates a unique element: Post-traumatic stress disorder. Jonah, an intelligent man, is helpless to reach Mark, whose relationship to his estranged father is the backdrop to this couple's crisis.

It is well-acted and photographed, and unlike a lot of movies which have entertainers as main characters, it shows what they do. We see that Mark isn't just an actor down on his luck. We see him auditioning and we realize he's good. When Jonah sings to Mark one night, at Mark's request, we are shown that he is good and that he is doing the sort of music heard today. This adds to the realism.

LIKE IT IS is as thoughtful as any story by John Updike or Joyce Carol Oates. The short story may be the form which has most influenced this film. In my view, that is a plus.

This is one of those movies that isn't going to spoon feed you the plot. You just have to experience what's happening, what's going on.

And at first there doesn't seem to be much going on. After a while we know we're seeing the dynamics of a couple who are at the beginning of a breakup.

But that's what's on the surface. Beneath the surface, this is really a portrait of an actor. A family event triggers self-examination that makes him aware that he's been acting his way through life. He does it so well he's not always aware of what he's doing. Clearly, though, he's disassociated himself from significant and important parts of his life, including the relationship that is beginning to unravel.

I liked this movie. It's for adults. That the couple in question is gay is a bonus because most of what's made for our market is pretty cartoon-like. Pseudo rom-coms or overwrought tragedies. This is more like real life, even though the two main characters lead a somewhat more exotic life than most of us do. But it's a nice change of pace. It's not in the same league as Weekend or Futuro Beach, but it's not that far behind.

Give it a chance.

A delicate theme just well explored. Sensitive subjects , from the stress about future to the complicated lines of relationship are wise used , exposed, explored in beautiful manner.

The shadow of madness as presence and the great cinematography are two good points of this film who not desires to impress but proposing a fair, honest tone about ordinary pressures and the answers to them.

The acting can be defined as key of this special drama for the slow story, for the reflection moments, for the way to reflect crisis , for the simplicity and gentle pieces defining the characters. A story who has so many chances to be perceived as a personal one.