Phenix Brossard gives power to one of the finest love scenes on film. Like the magic of the love scene in Louis Malle's ' Les Amants ' it happens in a bath. Two people in a bath together and then the moment arrives which made this a perfect film for me. Phenix Brossard says ( to my ears, although the copy I saw with French subtitles translates as ' Bonjour ' ) almost inaudibly ' I love you ' and in that split second I saw a totally new way of expressing those time old words. The whole scene expresses it even if the word ' love ' is not said and it was in my own imagination. Let those who see it decide. In fact his whole performance radiated an inner glow that shows up the lack of depth of the people ( not the actors ) around him. All the hypocrisy of the ' cultured ' and pretentious London media scene with its overnight failures and successes has rarely been so accurately portrayed. The hypocrisy of words insincerely felt, the tantrums, and I got the feeling that Noah played by Brossard sensed it all. The one scene of real talent is when he plays a prelude by Shostakovich and you know for once the applause is justified, and there is nothing London trendy about it. I want to congratulate Simon Amstell for such a perfect gem of a film. Now to get to the core of what I am trying to say. Colin Morgan gives a brilliant performance and he truly deserves all the praise he gets from his acting, but for me the acting that went beyond acting was Brossard and without him in the film it would not have had that special quality rarely achieved in a performance; a real sense of being. And to those who think the film is cliched, then see it again and not through a glass darkly. If there are awkward moments they are negligible, and the entire cast were well chosen. As for the ending Brossard urges Morgan into a very, very powerful affirmation and for a while after the film had finished I saw Paris. There is a lot of pretentiousness in Paris but somehow Noah ( an appropriate name ) will save Benjamin from being out of his depth. A deeply moving love story.
Benjamin
2018
Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance
Benjamin
2018
Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance
Keywords: lgbtgaygay themegay relationshipgay love
Plot summary
In Simon Amstell's affecting, bittersweet comedy, a rising young filmmaker is thrown into emotional turmoil by a burgeoning romance and the upcoming premiere of his second feature.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Movie Reviews
A Perfect Film
A truly BRILLIANT portrayal of a basket case!
Nothing predictable here. Really enjoyed this quirky and unusual Rom-Com. Nearly every major character is "weird" in their own special way. Everything flows smoothly and lead actor does a BRILLIANT job.
I found the two pivotal scenes PURE GENIUS: 1.) Bathtub scene and 2.) closing scene. Showing that once you shut up and get out of your own head; you can break through and truly LIVE!!
LOVED THIS
Vaguely Enjoyable
Benjamin
Overall I enjoyed the movie, Colin Morgan played a really socially dysfunctional character that was really deeply unattractive. Yet despite this everyone was drawn to him and fancied him how strange.
The relationships were either superficial or tawdry and perhaps a reflection in the metropolis.
This was no Romeo and Juliet