Beauty
BB.5
(out of 5)
A middle-aged, married man in Bloemfontein spots a handsome young man from Cape Town at his daughter’s wedding and immediately becomes obsessed. He’s been living a lie for years, playing the family man at home while enjoying casual sex with men on the side under the most lurid circumstances, but this new discovery, with his ripely beautiful face and sexy physique, captures him in a whole new way. In his pursuit of an ideal that he can never face because his closeted status makes him so self-destructive, our protagonist finds an excuse to travel and follow the young man, leading him to some pretty extreme choices and an unpleasant (and disturbing) conclusion. This dour piece of preachy melodrama gets high points for good acting and a suitably judgemental view of homophobia in a society that has taught people to hate themselves, but it overdoes the didactics more than a little bit. The lack of humour or passion, which would have been effective without being inappropriate, makes it feel like two hours of finger wagging, right down to the poignant final scene that makes sure that even the dimmest audience member knows exactly what they should learn from the experience.
South Africa/France/Germany, 2011
Directed by Oliver Hermanus
Screenplay by Didier Costet, Oliver Hermanus
Cinematography by Jamie Ramsay
Produced by Didier Costet
Music by Ben Ludik
Production Design by Franz Lewis
Costume Design by Reza Levy
Film Editing by George Hanmer
Film Festivals: TIFF 2011
Cast Tags: Alan Jacobs,Albert Maritz, Andre Knoesen, Andre Solomon, Charlie Keegan, Chase Downes, Clare Bywater, Craig Eygenberger, Dave Cannon, Dean Roberts,Deon Lotz, Drikus Volschenk, Dylan Baker, Elsie Potgieter, Geoffrey van Biljoen, Georgie Lawson, Gordan Stevens, Hendrik Kotze,Hendrik Pistorius, Henry Jack Cloete, Jacques van Rensburg, Jan Hendrik Opperman, Janine Botha, Jefferson J. Dirks-Korkee, Jeroen Kranenburg, Lea Seekoe, Leon Kruger, Lynita Crofford, Marion Holm, Marius Raubenheimer, Mart Kotze, Megan Barr, Michael de Swardt, Michelle Scott, Morne Visser, Nico Burger, Norma Anschutz, Owen De Jager, Peter Taljaard, Raymond Bassett, Riaan Visman, Rina Moodley, Robin Smith, Roeline Daneel, Ross Rowley, Shaun Rossouw, Sue Diepeveen, Suko Mandidi, Tihran de la Mare, Tinarie van Wyk Loots
