'Summer Storm' , to give it its English translation, is a pretty good coming of age drama; it’s also a tale of coming out too. Marco Kreuzpainter has created a nice feel to his movie, some likeable characters, and a reasonable scenario to play his story against but despite the fact that most of the time the movie is looking at alienation and relationship problems it is hampered by a few gay clichés that seem to undermine his intentions.
Tobi (Robert Stadlober) is a troubled teen, he is one of these outwardly fun characters that everyone likes, constantly goofing off at any given time, but lately the folk around him start to think he is getting a little odd and temperamental. Of most concerned is his best friend Achim (Kostja Ullmann), but that is where the irony is as it is Achim that is causing the concern for Tobi. You see the boys are best mates but Tobi wants more of than that, he is actually in love with Achim. While in the locker rooms jerking off, a scene similar in many ways to the excellent ‘Y Tu Mama Tambien’ , Achim is talking about breasts as his hand moves, Tobi just looks at Achim, the person he so quietly and desperately desires.
Then there is summer camp to think of. He will be sharing a tent with Achim, although Achim is starting to talk about having sex with his girlfriend, Sandra (Miriam Morgenstern) and is expecting the same idle chat of Anke (Alicja Bachleda-Curus), a girl who is fond of the poor confused boy. To keep up pretences Tobi actually tells Achim that he has already had sex with Anke, and you know this will only lead to trouble later.
At summer camp, the main part is the participation of a rowing contest. The teams gather at different parts of the lake and we have all sorts of rather caricatured schools. The boys in Tobi’s and Achim’s team are looking forward to the wayward and straight talking Berliner girls but at the last moment they are replaced by Queerstrokes, a gay team. After some exasperated looks later they say there is always the Catholic girls school to prey upon.
With the sun beating down and flesh being exposed to sun and water there’s more than a few things stirring in Tobi’s mind. He is intrigued and perplexed at this team of gay teens, they seem to be relaxed about their own sexuality and outwardly confident and at ease with the world, which is in direct contrast to the hostility that his own crew members are showing towards them. Also as Achim is getting closer to Sandra, Tobi is feeling scared that the girl will drive a gap between them, he is jealous too of the desires he is craving to be returned are going elsewhere.
Anke is the fall girl, she does really like the guy but time after time the moody Tobi pushes her aside, somewhat abruptly.
Just as emotions are about breaking point the weather breaks too, a storm is here, blowing the tents aside and making the campers head in towards the near by hostel. It’s here that one way or another things will be confronted, emotions will break, but will everyone have a happy ending ?
There are some scenes in the movie that works better than others, mainly thanks to cinematographer Daniel Gottschalk, the music on the whole plays very well indeed and the sequence with VAST’s ‘Flames’ playing over a distraught Tobi is purely beautiful. On the other hand, the cover of The Pet Shops Boys ‘Go West’ , By Nova International at the long awaited rowing competition, is utterly woeful.
What makes this a decent watch is the good solid young cast, they play well and look good on the screen, naturally acted and sensitively handled, and thankfully, it does not hit the preaching soapbox.
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