The Dekkoo Films January 21, 2018 DVD release of Part 2 of the gay-themed web series "Romeu & Romeu" wraps up the Shakespeare-style saga of two post-adolescent Brazilian boys in love. The Unreal TV review of "Romeu" P1 discusses how these boys from battling families meet and come to make the beast with two backs.
The primary appeal of this saga is seeing nice and cute guys overcome internal and external obstacles to starting and maintaining a gay relationship even in this era of "don't ask don't tell" and marriage equality.
The "Romeo and Juliet" element contributes additional entertainment. Even parents who accept that their son is gay often have trouble having the object of his affection sitting at the family table. Throwing in that boy being from a family that is a hated enemy contributes additional drama.
Part 2 begins our young lovers officially being a couple; things are easier for early Parkinsons patient Romulo, who already is out and has a mother who laments a relationship with a handsome young (but not Jewish) doctor not working out. This PFLAG poster child additionally is cool with her offspring sharing a bed with the member of a family with whom her clan has a long-standing feud.
Aspiring actor Ramon has a much rougher time of it; he already knows that his father is homophobic before coming out. The relationship with a member of a despised family adds further fuel to the fire.
The bloodshed that the P1 review predicts comes early in P2. A battle that is pure Montagues and Capulets (or Jets and Sharks) leaves Romulo sibling Thales badly injured and Ramon brother Samuel hurt even worse.
Our young lovers then flee to the sanctuary of the loving and supportive home of Ramon's gay uncle in Sao Paulo. Seeing our boys being adorable and happy is very nice.
Reality fairly literally crashing in on the bliss of the lads sets up the drama for the second half of the season; it further proves the adage about people who do not grow up in a loving and accepting family ultimately finding one that provides that support.
The melodrama that amps up in roughly the final third of "Romeu" makes it seem that series creators Arthur Chermont and Faell Vasconcelos are going to end their program on a note that is at least partially true to the source material. This commences with a distraught and missing Ramon absconding with high-grade pharmaceutical drugs after a traumatic confrontation with his father.
This leads to our potentially tragic figure fleeing to a site of great significance both to "Romeu" and the general lore of fiction. The fact that there is a clever surprise is fine; having the film resort to an ending that is straight (sorry boys) out of a Logo movie is mildly bothersome.
The better news is that we live in an era in which Dekko (and TLA Releasing) fare is readily available and generally accepted. This reflects our more enlightened times and provides teen and young 20s guys who are coming to terms with wanting to come out a good resource. Unfortunately society is not at the the point that most high school boys can comfortably sit down with Dad to discuss liking other guys, let alone sharing impure feelings about the boy next door.
Another sad truth is that boys who love boys often do not end up with "the one." The lucky minority who do very rarely get celebrated in the manner that lesser films employ. It is admitted that a grand show of love and support is more theatrical than a scene of two guys unpacking in their new apartment.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Romeu" is strongly encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
No comments:
Post a Comment