I wrote:
The acting, by and large, is passable at best. Neither male lead shows any depth, but Verdú could be a star in Hollywood if she learns English. The problem is that despite its claims of ‘frankness’ the tale is just dull and hackneyed. The boys are off the rack horny male teenagers, then without any real reason, supposedly reveal a homosexual attraction for each other. The problem is that neither lad gives any prior indication that they are gay. Sure, they shower at clubs together, snap towels, jerk off at poolside, and share sexual boasts- but that’s standard heterosexual behavior. Prior to their night together both boys show their utter helplessness to Luisa’s wiles, so the night they share comes off as nothing but a plot contrivance to play to male homosexual fantasies- that all men who are friends are really latent, everyone’s sexuality is on a ‘sliding scale’, etc. Pish-posh, I say. I know lesbians, too, like to say ‘Once a woman’s tasted snizz she’ll never go back to plain old gizz’ but, c’mon- this is an example of plain old bad screenwriting by Alfonso and Carlos Cuarón.
Here is the trailer:
I only mention it again because I did so in my recent interview.
