User Reviews

This film is about, well, two young men's first love. But more, it is also the cinematic memory of one of the partners some years later. So, it is first "about me" and then "about us" in my memory. The film is quite beautiful. The men are obviously in love, acting or not, and the eroticism is very strong. We see just about everything. That is a plus in that we see the range of loving acts between them. Playful and serious in turn, they seem pretty authentic to me. I have been with my third or fourth love now for forty years so I recognize the pains of growing up with the first, second and third. Why is it that some reviewers mistake the slow dance of love to be boring. Not too good a future if that is your take. Just some advice from an old timer.

Usually, in romance films, love is showcased in a black/white manner. In the end, the couple either stays together or drift apart. "About Us" is a love story that aims to highlight a relationship that is merely a moment in time. The film featured many qualities that I enjoyed. First, the main characters displayed excellent chemistry that came across realistic. I will agree with another reviewer who said that it seemed as if the actors were boyfriends in real life. That displayed chemistry made the film truly enjoyable. I also enjoyed the intimate scenes; as they were moments where we could see the sexual connection between the actors.

Outside of the chemistry between the actors, the film was entirely too long. "About Us" could've been a 15-minute short story but the unnecessary and somewhat repetitive scenes stretched the film without adding any depth or introspection to the story. In the end, when it is revealed that the characters immediately split at the beginning of their long-distance relationship, I did not understand why. It seemed as if there was no actual effort to maintain the relationship, which came across as inauthentic since for the majority of the film the characters were "madly in love". While I appreciate the simplicity of the film and can understand that some relationships simply don't work, I wish the film spent more time allowing us to understand each character outside of their relationship. Maybe then I would be able to understand why they would end a seemingly perfect relationship without effort.

I watched this film after watching Cousins byuch of the same team. They are such different films: one broad and one very specific. One is played for warm laughs and the other plays out in a series of moments. This one is the specific one, a series of captured little moments that had me falling on love with the young students of the film and then had my heart breaking between them as the little things pulled them apart.

The writing in this was sensitive and thoughtful,.and the direction, while sometimes too precious and reliant on music, was overall prudent and perceptive. The two leads, as has been said by other viewers, had chemistry that is off the charts and rare in ANY film (as well as life-giving in a gay film). Rodrigo Bites, especially, had such honest reactions to scenarios that I wanted to see more of him, to know where he ended up after the credits rolled.

I see that some folks found it too slow-moving and found it somewhat "boring." I, on the other hand, felt this series of.ligjt touches and captured moments to be so real and relatable that the memories almost feel like my own.

MY ANALYSIS ******SPOILER ALERT****** *******+WATCH MOVIE FIRST+****** .

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Diego sought the reason he saw the sadness in his boyfriends eyes. Matheus obliged and opened up to Diego that 12 years earlier his brother died by suicide and he felt guilty that he wasn't able to prevent it. Diego says he promised himself to take the sadness from Matheus. He does temporarily. But Diego is selfish, lying numerous times to his now husband. His childhood dream of becoming a filmmaker taking precedence over his spouse.

Diego's insensitivity to Matheus abandonment issues is central to them drifting apart. Diego is immature and an opportunist with an agenda.

If the author wrote this from a real life experience (which the movie did not say, I must add) but, if he did to right the record in his favor, he did not succeed. Diego took advantage of Matheus, borrowing $ and allowing Matheus to act out dangerous behavior in lieu of repayment shows Diego is only out for himself. I felt Matheus pain, a mark of a good film. Memorable. Fine casting and beautifully shot. A must see for those that appreciate a non-violent phycological take on love in the human condition. It does not conquer all and can be used to effectively hurt and cause pain. Unnecessary pain. Diego had no empathy and allowed Matheus to suffer. Diego got his film and the price of Matheus devastation was acceptable.