Vivir sin nosotros

I never thought a film could equal ' Theo and Hugo ' and ' Sauvage ' but this film perhaps even surpasses both of them. David Fardmar has quite simply made a masterpiece and Bjorn Elgard gave a performance that stunned me with its quiet power. Unlike the above mentioned films the sexuality is slightly less explicit, but all the stronger for it. Enough is shown and is beautiful to watch. No abuse, no violence and always in the context of that most fragile of things, an attempt to attain mutual love. Even in one scene where a young man is just used as a sexual outlet due to frustration and emotional loss was sadly understandable. Basically we trace the story of two lovers who have broken up, and it is a heartbreak that both endure and cannot mend. To say more would be to spoil the film. But I must return to Bjorn Elgard's tenderly inward performance, and his silent tears in one scene cracked me up. Nothing false and nothing overstated, and it takes a lot from within to give life to a character and to make the viewer believe that he is not simply acting, but being the role. I do not diminish in any way the other actors as all gave fine performances, but Elgard's faraway look, lost sometimes even to the point of inner breakdown is perfection itself. There is comedy as well in the film, and it is finely placed in several scenes; once in a restaurant and in another where a divided bed ( literally torn away like an emotional amputation ) made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. And yes viewers men do cry, and I am thankful for it. If I am giving the impression this film is a weepie it is not. It is a sober look at Gay men's relationships and is multi-layered. Above all it is superbly made without a scene that jarred and the camera work was balanced and assured. I like to believe even the perhaps homophobic Ingmar Berman would have envied its power and the heights and depths of what it means to reach for truth and love.

Short, a beautiful film. Not only at the aesthetic level, but for a sort of honest portrait of the break- up of a relation, for the clean story, for the ignore of excesses. For the clarity . And, sure, for the acting. It is easy to criticize it . But its basic, significant virtue is to be a mirror. It reflects basic realities, familiar emotions, well known feelings and not comfortable said words.It propose a wise way to build his character by Bjorn Elgard, making his Adrian realistic, dark, vulnerable, easy recognizable in many fellows of us or, maybe, in ourselves. It propose a complex love story. And it did that in fair, smart and delicate manner. So, a very special film. Not th last, for the magnificent end - the photography is one of the motives for define in this way.

If you have ever been in a relationship that ended sadly, you will be able to empathize very well with the protagonists here. And since the actors portray their characters with such accuracy, you will feel their pain so acutely that you may indeed find it painful to watch. It might even bring you to tears. Yes, it is a downer of a film. The very first scene is the actual break-up point in the relationship, which occurs in their bed, as they discuss what has happened to their relationship and if there is any chance that their problems can be fixed. Even the bed itself becomes a point of contention, a sort of symbol of division.

As each of them returns to the modern gay dating world, we see them go through some very realistic attempts to move on with their lives. We witness a few of their dating encounters: some comic, some desperate, and some just sad. There is a very touching scene where the two of them and their respective new flames attempt to have a civil dinner party.

So, dare we hope for some sort of reconciliation in the end? Watch and see. (And look in the Special Features on the disk to see an alternate ending.)

Talented actors and good cinematography do not save the show, due to the poor screenplay. The dialogue is simply not believable; the characters express their emotions as if they had been watching daytime soap operas all their lives.

An honest depiction of relationship on the rocks and the aftermath for the one who leaves behind alone and wounded. Bjorn Elgerd is fantastic as the man who has a hard time showing the true emotions and deep grieve on his loss of his partner. The closeness, intimicy and mental pain echo's Swedish director Inmar Bergman.