North Sea Texas (2011) ( Noordzee, Texas ) [ Blu-Ray, Reg.A/B/C Import - Germany ]

I'm not an easy audience and with gay films in particular I usually click off after the first fifteen minutes but this film kept my interest to the very end. The acting was very good and the character's were all both interesting and quirky. There was sex just not visible sex yet I found the film to be erotically charged from beginning to end. The casting of this film was masterful. The two young men were as authentic as authentic gets. The character's were believable and I would go a step further and say I can't imagine the characters being played any other way. The film has a slow but steady pace the camera isn't dancing around as in so many films today where the cinematographer gets "creative" and I get pissed off. The dialogue is about as economical as it gets so I wouldn't describe the characters as "developed" or developing as the film progresses. They are somewhat obvious from the start and it is simply the action that moves them forward. Things just happen and not necessarily because of their interaction. There are so many great shots of characters just looking at each other that are sexually charged...the mixed messages so closely resemble what really happens within the grey areas of human sexuality. There isn't much shock value in the film and that's why I liked it so much. I wasn't yet once again being manipulated by a writer and director with formula A...sex and gruesome violence.I was given the opportunity merely to witness the wonder of a few people's lives...intimately. Part of that wonder is the obsessive behavior that the boy demonstrates that is so true to life especially for a gay youngster completely infatuated with someone he's in contact with every day. The story isn't unique but is told with an artistry that makes me want to see this film again to gleam yet another layer of detail that I might have missed. I am going to buy the DVD.

I saw this years ago and didn't remember many details and whether I liked it. After just seeing a YouTube reviews on the ten best gay films on teens (this made the list) it peaked my interest and knew I could find it on Amazon. After just watching it again I remember previously enjoying it and most definitely enjoying watching it tonight. While there have been coming of age themes following a similar plot, this was different. The uniqueness of the main boy's character & how well the character was developed set this film apart from the others. OMG, the exceptional acting job of the boy who played Pim sealed the deal. The supporting actors were also excellent. Wonderful direction & editing. No scenes dragged on and the timing and transition between scenes were great. Pim was very quiet yet his nonverbal communication let you know his thoughts, feelings, hurts and struggle to find happiness when life short changed him of a nurturing family. He knew he was different and tried so hard to fit in and feel loved, only to be disappointed each time. The unexpected ending was wonderful. I will see this again.

This isn't the easiest review to write. My emotions are mixed on this one. I love the film, I just wish I understood all of it. It was difficult for me to follow. Perhaps it is the language barrier, or moreso the cultural barrier I suppose. The film is in Dutch with English subtitles, and while the English translation is fine where the words are concerned, perhaps the culture doesn't quite get translated. If I were Dutch I might understand it better, but to an American there is a lot here that is very much foreign and more difficult to follow.The story is rather simple but there were places that just lost me. The beginning made little sense until several minutes into the film. Don't be impatient. Stay with it and give the film a chance to draw you into it's plot. A very handsome lead actor: Jelle Florizoone, plays as "Pim" a boy who has grown up in the home of a single mother who has issues of her own and is more concerned about her own happiness than the general welfare of her child. Pim is a very quiet young man who lives in a world all his own. He rarely opens up to anyone, and dreams a lot about the love and affection that has never really been a reality in his life. The object of his attractions is the equally handsome "Gino".The attraction is quite obviously mutual, but Gino (very well portrayed by Mathias Vergels), being older, is a lot more outgoing and open to explore other possibilities. The two hit it off quite well and share a beautiful, erotic relationship which defines to Pim everything he has always dreamed of. For Gino however, it's just not the romance of a lifetime. His search for love is a little more uncertain, and will take time and exploration to figure out who he is and what he truly longs for.Meanwhile Gino's little sister Sabrina has fallen head over heels for Pim, until she uncovers the truth of his affection for her brother. Gino and Sabrina's mother, also a single parent, takes Pim under her wing to show him the love and understanding that she alone seems to realize he has never known. Mom also seems to understand a bit more about Pim and Gino than they might expect. She is also very ill and soon these three may be left to figure things out without her guidance.The acting is SUPERB all the way around. Florizoone is not only visually appealing to the camera, but his acting is right on target with the character he portrays. A haunting look at the life of a child who has somehow managed to grow up without the guidance of a father and with a mother who needs as much parenting as he does. Very well directed and I do recommend this film for your viewing pleasure.I'm a bit disappointed as the film didn't quite live up to my expectations and I feel an English version might have made a little more sense in spots and made the whole plot more enjoyable to watch. Keep in mind it is a foreign film and don't expect more than it can deliver. You will fall in love with Pim and be rooting for a happy ending. The ending is good and to this reviewer, that caries an awful lot of weight! Definitely worth watching.

While this may not follow a typical romance where everything seems to fall into place and everyone lives happily ever after. This movie shows a very earnest realistic representation of a lot of Gay people's experience and I applaud them for that. The movie has it's great comedy moments, Heartwarming tears of joy, and then of course sorrow and maybe tears of sadness. Highly recommend as the actors are amazing and the production quality is top notch. I love the single camera feel of the movie.