User reviews

I had no expectations going into this film. And the first few minutes made me doubt my choice. But as the slow narrative starts to develop, it sucked me in and kept me captivated until the very end.

A very realistic, raw image of illegal immigrants and a very sensitive story of deception, love and protection.

I won't spoil the story, but if you are not homophobic and if you like movies such as Stephen Frears's "Dirty Pretty Things", this is a great cinematic experience. Hopefully this movie will get a wide enough audience and recognition.

Go watch it with an open mind.

Around the Gare du Norde railway station groups of East European lads gather and seek opportunistic chances for an easy buck. Daniel Muller (Olivier Rabourdin 'Of Gods and Men') is a gay man who is attracted to one of them - he is not sure if they are for rent but approaches Marek and a date is arranged at Muller's apartment. Only when he answers the door he is not prepared for the visitor he gets.

That is the start and what develops goes way beyond what I was expecting. We have quite a few issues being explored here from migrant integration, crime, pay for sex and affairs of the heart. I was at times feeling uncomfortable, angry, concerned and even happy. The main thing is that it is always engaging.

Great performances from all the cast but Olivier Rabourdin was totally convincing and Krill Emelyanov as Marek as the confused yet caring Ukrainian was brilliant. This is for those who enjoy an intelligent gay themed film, but a lot of the issues here are very universal and as such I can highly recommend.

Most will be familiar with Campillo's work from the TV adaptation of his film The Returned, Eastern Boys shares many of the same qualities of the TV show; a poetic approach to actions that are usually bluntly handled in cinema. Somehow Campillo manages to seamlessly combine several paradoxical elements and genres and still create an elegant and complete film.

The opening scenes are enough to cement the atmosphere of the film, as you are introduced to the eastern boys of the title, hanging around in the Gare du Nord, but it takes an impressive amount of time before their occupation becomes clear, and even then the plot meanders in ways that you may not be expecting.

Olivier Raboudin and newcomer Kirill Emelyanov are exceptional in the central roles, but Daniil Vorobyev is a revelation as the scene stealing psychotic boss, a performance which easily matches Gary Oldman's Stanfield from Leon. These characters and all the supporting roles are skillfully captured with a minimal and subtle script, that highlights Campillo's peculiar and under appreciated talent to bring cold environments to life.

I was only prepared to give this film just half a chance (which I'm glad I did), and bail out as soon as it got too "Euro" for me.

Aside from one semi-painful and overly long techno-music / dancing scene early on, the film was perfectly palatable to this particular Mid-Western American's tastes.

As others have noted, it starts off a bit slowly, and you're left wondering if there will ever be any dialogue.

Turns out there is, and in multiple languages too. I loved the realism of the two initially only being able to communicate through their own broken English, instead of their native tongues (each being unfamiliar to the other).

Really well acted by all, and beautifully filmed. It had a documentary feel to it, without the obnoxious jittery camera work that some directors think that look requires.

There are some mildly graphic gay sex scenes, so if that's too much for you, consider yourself warned. It's hardly gratuitous though, and nothing you haven't seen between heterosexual characters in other movies over the last thirty years.

The story could have used a bit more background on the primary characters, which is what prevented me from giving it an 8 or a 9. I can see how time constraints might have gotten in the way of the film maker's doing that however.

Anyway, it's a breath of fresh air from the usual formula and is much recommended.

EASTERN BOYS is the story of a middle-aged man developing a love interest with an Ukrainian rent boy. The boy's still caught up in gang life and his troubled condition as an immigrant in France complicate the relationship. EASTERN BOYS is part drama, part romance, a story told with relatively little words and carried by superb performances.

All of the characters appear to be very real, and even the movie's "villain", the gang leader, is relatable and not one-sided. The relationship between the two main protagonists is similarly multi-faceted and interesting.

Overall, the movie did keep me interested... but at times it just prodded along, bugged down by pacing issues. Especially the middle part of the movie had far too many short scenes with short musical interludes, which made everything seem blur together. Cinematographically, EASTERN BOYS looks decent but it also has a lot of generic shots and cuts... and a pretty bad overlaid images shot in a dance scene.

All in all, a decent gay-themed romance drama that will keep you entertained, but it won't blow your mind.

Most people in the West know that being gay in Eastern Europe isn't easy. However, the most difficult aspect of being a gay Eastern European - like yours truly - isn't the danger of the situation, or severing the ties to your family, or finding an opportunity to work in a Western country. No, the most difficult thing is that, once one is there, one is constantly confronted with the stereotypes pictured in this film and many others.

Here, we have a well-off man in his 40s cruising a hustler in a station, foolishly giving him his address because he isn't free that day. It's not just the hustler who shows up for the date, but also his peers. They clear the man's apartment, which he stoically endures. To make up for it, the hustler returns later for the promised sex and keeps coming back. The man falls in love with him but the boy's motives remain unclear.

The way the story plays out gives very good testimony to older Western gays' fantasies of very young manipulative (or manipulable) Eastern rent-boys. In their media, they ignore that rent-boys of Eastern origin are usually straight, in reality it's actually very important to them, as they consider paying for sex with other gays unnecessary. They dream of a 'love story' in which they wield all material and emotional power, and that their partner is a much younger willful tool. Since this is (fortunately) unlikely with the more liberated gay generation of today, they project this fantasy on poor refugees.

If 'Eastern Boys' can be interesting for straight audiences, then because it shows how superficial gay men can be, and that stereotypes in our community can be just as pervasive and mean as those women are often subjected to. If you want to get a taste of what the situation of rent-boys is really like, there are a number of documentaries which deal with the issue, such as 'Rent Boys' AKA 'Die Jungs vom Bahnhof Zoo' by Rosa von Praunheim (Germany) or 'Not Angels but Angels' by Wiktor Grodecki (Czech Republic).

'Eastern Boys', on the contrary, is a disrespectful charade. Western gays advocate their rights emphatically. They should respect that such a cliché depiction is highly offensive to Eastern gays - and enforces stereotypes faced at home, namely that being gay is a sign of Western decadence, weakness and psychological disorder. We are people, not your objects of desire.

"Daniel" (Olivier Rabourdin) is a successful gent who cruises the mall and picks up the handsome young "Marek" (Kirill Emelyanov). Rather unrealistically, I thought, he gives him his address and next day - equally unsuprisingly, he has a few unexpected visitors who completely implausibly clear out his house around him after have drank his booze and eaten his food. At this point I was ready to turn this off! I didn't though, and I am glad. Next day, "Daniel" answers the door to the young rent boy - alone, this time - and over the remaining course of the film we follow the two as they begin to bond. The former man realises that his new toy-boy is, at heart, a decent lad who has moved from desperate circumstances in the Ukraine and fallen into bad company in an hostel dominated by the "boss" (Daniil Vorobyov). There is a degree of chemistry between the two here, and we do - after that rather ropey start - begin to feel just a little invested in the youngster as his character develops and his personality and integrity are encouraged by an older man who initially just wanted sex, but who quickly realises that more could be on offer - for both of them, here. It takes quite a swipe at immigration policies, of bullying and of crime whilst offering us performances that emit just the slightest glimmer of hope and aspiration. It's far, far too long - and Robin Campillo really ought to have been far more savage with the digital razor blade at the start, but once it's up and running it develops an impetus to it that makes it engaging to watch.

Pretty weird flick... Olivier Rabourdin is "Daniel", who thinks he has picked up a hustler at the train station; instead, things go from weird to weirder. The person who shows up at his door is NOT the person he thinks he hired, and when a whole group of eastern block people show up, things go south quickly. Daniil Vorobyov is "Boss", the chiseled, muscle-y leader of the pack, who runs the show. Then Daniel sees Marek, the guy who lured him into this whole mess (Kirill Emelyanov), and they strike up an odd relationship. The last two thirds of the film is mostly about their relationship, which has its ups and downs.

Written and directed by Robin Campillo, whose other works are related to gangs or different social classes and the issues that come with that. Not much info on any of these actors in IMDb. While this film is a bit off-beat, it's certainly entertaining, and one of the few films where I was not able to guess what comes next. English subtitle translation du français.

This film is not for the faint hearted - it's fairly full on - powerful and moving. The language bar is very low. Shot in French, English and Russian - you don't really need to know much of the other languages to understand it. It's tense and moody - especially the first half.

Strong performances from the leads and from main supporting actors.

Recommended

This movie lingers so much that it's running time is filled with nothing substantial, which is a great shame as the premise feels like it could have grown to more had the pace been quickened to include more meaningful interaction. Instead we're given a bare bones story, where characters are underdeveloped and there doesn't seem to be any real connection between the two main characters. Other than simple pity I see no reason for the older characters actions. There is no personal drivers to keep the characters interacting.

A bit of depth is given during a scene with fireworks, but it's the one time we're given insight into a character's inner mind and emotions. I stuck with the whole movie as reviewers said I'd gain something from the ending, however the journey felt paper thin and there was nothing to be learnt from the movie.

I've given it a four as the movie has some moments of promise and it's cinematography is visually nice.

When a dozen young thugs thugs enter your apartment and ransack it, you would expect some resistance, some violence. But no, in this very French film, everything is very civilised, almost as if it were a social gathering, with the robbers dancing as they rob and the guy being robbed having a drink as we watches all his fancy possessions being lugged away. Though the film has a high degree of tension and pent up violence running through, it never actually manifests itself except in short bursts and in the (relatively) mild form of a boy being roughly shoved to the ground, having a foot placed on his face and then tied up. Which is why these small bits of violence are so impactful and lead to such explosive consequences in the story. This is a very unique film and I really enjoyed it.

The Gare du Nord, Paris. A group of Eastern European "toughs" work the streets, searching for wealthy businessmen to invite them back to their lavished apartments. Daniel, a white-collar worker, notices a young "minor" he finds attractive, Marek. Eerily following his footsteps until he encounters him. Cornered. They exchange address details, arranging a time for a meet. The next evening, Daniel prepares himself and the apartment for Marek's arrival. Polo shirt. Denim jeans. White sneakers with laces tied tightly. The phone rings. "It's Marek". "Come on up". A gentle knock on the front door echoes around the polished abode. Daniel nervously unlocks the entrance, but what waits on the other side will change his life forever.

Campillo's dramatic thriller has an unpredictable direction that maintains an unforgiving ambience throughout. Amalgamating two opposing classes of society into an eventful invasive situation that tests the boundaries of both parties involved. Daniel taunted for his repressed homosexuality by the entity that invites themselves into the apartment. Helpless to the scenario that crudely unfolds. The next morning arrives. Daniel, silenced by the aftermath, encounters Marek again. Clouded with guilt or exploiting Daniel further? Marek confidently applies himself to the prostitution that was promised originally. Daniel hesitates but proceeds.

What follows for the remaining runtime is a "Good Samaritan" narrative, with Daniel granting Marek a chance at embellishing the adult world without restrained by the impoverished limitations of immigrants living in hotels under the jurisdiction of social-services. Campillo insightfully provides a harrowing portrait on France's uncontrollable level in immigration whilst intricately crafting a tender relationship in the process that challenges the maturity levels of both individuals. The thematic veneers that Campillo layers upon the furnished walls of Daniel's apartment, astonishes upon every nail-biting turn provided in his screenplay. Every sparse line of dialogue. Every nullified murmur of displeasure. From teaching Marek the French vocabulary of body parts to Marek himself detailing his war-torn past to a befuddled Daniel. The script provokes a monumental amount of care from each character. Not love, but supervision.

What initially commences as a protruding thriller unravels to become a mature drama perceiving change. How one well-intentioned soul can provide an opportunity for a less fortunate individual to better themselves and integrate their intuition into a society that discards them. Replenishing a system that accepts immigrants by granting them a life they can lead. Not trapped by the confinements of four walls that surrounds these helpless souls. Campillo also illustrates loveless intimacy, with Marek offering himself to Daniel for a few euros, amplifying the modern issues of gay culture in general. The explicit scenes of sexual nature were difficult to watch given the circumstances these characters find themselves in, highlighting an insufficiency and inadequacy between the two of them.

It's an incredible piece of cinema that relies on character intervention and sublime direction. Fortunately Rabourdin and Emelyanov produce two of the finest performances queer cinema has to offer. The dimensionality they provide in every situation, from awkward conversations to the conclusive rescue mission, is outstanding. Manifesting pure yet flawed souls into their performances. Rebotini's score occasionally overwhelmed the dramatic endeavours on screen, but supplied a hefty bass during the initial home invasion sequence. Notable praise must be awarded to Lapoirie's gorgeous cinematography. She utilised the confined environment around her to accentuate the thrills of both the first and third act. Even a simple shot of the neighbouring apartment blocks, day or night, contributed to the class segregation theme that Campillo deftly analysed.

The only noticeable criticism was with the chapter titles acting as transitions between human drama and unpredictable thrills. Their abrupt tonal alterations unfortunately felt out of place and less seamless than removing them entirely. It may liken the feature to a journal, yet hinders the pacing occasionally.

Oscillating between genres is no easy achievement, however Campillo's versatility proves that it can be done without regressing the feature. Eastern Boys is a testament to thematic cinema. Embedding a surplus of apt themes into a tender character-driven bond that rarely treads through cliches. Powerful, palpable and quite simply near-perfect. Eastern Boys proves that, when given the chance, we can take control of our lives for the better.