The Man With The Answers
One would think this first entry is some claim for this new endeavor. I can’t claim to have all the answers. Just my own opinions about gay films that are worthwhile and others that are not so much. I am endeavoring to put my thoughts on the Queer cinema I see. I’ve always been a cinephile, but I’ve seen more in the last few years of quarantine than in a long while. My focus is on Queer cinema. I want to be blunt and honest in my assessments. I have a special interest in International Queer cinema as I believe it’s underrepresented in the United States. It is more available to us than ever. And there’s a lot of great work to be celebrated.
This first entry’s title comes from the most recent QFilm we’ve seen. The Man With The Answers is a road trip film written and directed by Stelios Kammitsis set in Greece, Italy, and Germany. The first part of the movie gives some back story about the two leads, Victoras (Vasilis Magouliotis) and Mathias (Anton Weil) before having them meet on an Italian-bound ferry boat as it’s left Greece. It’s a slow build of a movie set in beautiful countryside. The two argue, the Greek character cool and aloof and wary of the passenger he’s found himself letting into his car. I was on the fence about the film at first, but it does have a lovely pay off as the two get to know one another. I wish we’d have known more about the German character, who is the more outgoing of the two, but the backstory and main focus seems to be on Victoras, the former competitive diver, who’s dreading having to reconnect with the mother who abandoned him as a child (her home in Germany is the reason for this road trip). Victoras doesn’t speak the language, and takes on the more traveled and assured Matias as his guide. I don’t like spoiling the plot here — there’s not much to it except very realistic getting to know one another. I will say I felt the ending kind of rushed up. Then again I always think a good film should sadden you when it ends and this one kind of does because frankly I would’ve liked a little bit more of these two. I’d be nice to see what becomes of them as the ending which, while beautiful and prosaic, is a bit open-ended. It didn’t leave me dissatisfied, just wishing for a bit more.
The film is definitely worth your time. It’s polished. Well filmed and the countryside is pretty spectacular as it makes it way up the length of pretty stunning Italian countryside, into the Alps and into Germany. There is a pretty believable sex scene. Nothing feels forced or unexpected. And compared to so much of the independent Queer cinema, this achievement feels gargantuan. The characters are believable and sympathetic and the two actors carry the whole thing grandly.
The Man With The Answers is (as of this writing) available online through most streaming platforms (Amazon Prime & Youtube)
