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reviews_and_ramblings ([personal profile] reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2012-04-04 12:01 am

Weekend (2011) directed by Andrew Haigh

After a drunken house party with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a gay club. Just before closing time he picks up Glen but what's expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special.

Director: Andrew Haigh

Writer: Andrew Haigh

Stars: Tom Cullen, Chris New and Laura Freeman

Taglines: A (sort of) love story between two guys over a cold weekend in October.

Genres: Drama | Romance

Storyline: On a Friday night after a drunken house party with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a gay club, alone and on the pull. Just before closing time he picks up Glen but what's expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special. That weekend, in bars and in bedrooms, getting drunk and taking drugs, telling stories and having sex, the two men get to know each other. It is a brief encounter that will resonate throughout their lives. Weekend is both an honest and unapologetic love story between two guys and a film about the universal struggle for an authentic life in all its forms. It is about the search for identity and the importance of making a passionate commitment to your life.

Awards: WINNER - Emerging Visions Audience Award at SXSW 2011
WINNER - Grand Jury Award, OutFest 2011
WINNER - Grand Jury Prize / Best Actor, Nashville Film Festival 2011
WINNER - Audience Award, Toronto Inside Out Film Festival

@IMDb
@Amazon: Weekend (2011)



















Cast (in alphabetical order)
Tom Cullen ... Russell
Chris New ... Glen
Kieran Hardcastle ... Sam
Sarah Churm ... Helen
Laura Freeman ... Jill
Jonathan Race ... Jamie
Vauxhall Jermaine ... Damien
Jonathan Wright ... Johnny
Loreto Murray ... Cathy (as Loretto Murray)
Steve Blackman ... Straight Man in Bar
Joe Doherty ... Justin
Julius Metson Scott ... Paul



[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
One of the nicest movie of this last year, very romantic but not funny or stupid. Weekend is to say the less, bittersweet, Glen and Russell met on a Friday night and spend what was supposed to be a one night stand without strings attached. But they seem to be connected and from that Friday on to the Sunday afternoon they will spend more or less all the time together or thinking to each other, knowing that at the end of the weekend, Glen will leave to move far, far away.

I loved both Glen than Russell, they are different, but with their own defined character. Russell is an orphan, brought up in foster homes, and I think he wants a family to call his own; just look at how he collects items from previous life people, like he wanted to gain memories of a non-existint family buying them in a charity shop. Glen had probably an easier life than Russell, but I had the feeling he was sheltered when he was young, and then, coming out and living in the real world got him scared of loving and feeling too much. Glen is not a bad guy, but he is not ready to committ.

I want to think that this weekend is not all they will have, I want to think that Glen will realize how good and sweet and kind and wonderful Russell is, and like in that last time, walking down the path taking him away from Russell's apartment, he will stop and look back, and change route, and coming back.

Definitely reccomended.

[identity profile] bethbetter.livejournal.com 2012-04-03 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I really loved this one. The performances were very real. I agree with you about hoping they will have more than just that weekend.

[identity profile] blake-fraina.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
I was able to see this one last autumn in a local art house cinema that opened not too far from my home.

And I loved it.

I agree with you that both characters are unique and very likeable. Unlike you, I don't believe they will ever get together, but what was important is how they effected one another. How each of them grew as a result of their "brief encounter." Glen realizes he's able to love someone and that wanting to be in a committed relationship isn't the sole province of bourgeois straight people, while Russell abandons his shame/reserve about being gay and kind of "comes out" with that public display of affection in the train station (which just killed me).

This is definitely one I need to own on DVD.

Thanks for the review!

[identity profile] darienmoya (from livejournal.com) 2012-04-04 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
Really liked this one!! Great characters and a good story.

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 06:59 am (UTC)(link)
Im a romantic at heart and i San unito the l'asta second to see in something was happening. But yes the last scene was heartbreaking and in and case IT'S an ending with hope

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 07:01 am (UTC)(link)
Vero great character. I posted the trailer but tien i forgot to search for it. A friend of mine in Nyc told me i had to see it

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 07:57 am (UTC)(link)
We can build the hea we prefer the directory didnt CUT out possibility

[identity profile] innersmile.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 08:40 am (UTC)(link)
I want so much to see this movie, but, hey, no chance of seeing it on the big screen around this parts. maybe I'll try and commit a copyright crime one of this days :)

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
I watched it online on Netflix. with 8 dollars per month plus 5 dollars for the server to give me the IP there are a lot of movie available

[identity profile] cerisaye.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I really enjoyed this film, too. Both characters were very likeable, realistically attractive but not perfect and well played in a nicely naturalistic way that made the whole thing believable. I don't think they will take the relationship any further than a single, special weekend each will remember for the rest of his life, though I liked that they left the ending open to a more optimistic, romantic interpretation for those so inclined.

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2012-04-04 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
> for those so inclined

me? VERY inclined ;-) It's a beautiful movie like this but it's heartbreaking that last scene with him looking out of the window maybe hoping to see Glen on the pathway

[identity profile] chloris01.livejournal.com 2012-06-03 05:29 pm (UTC)(link)
I saw it last week only (!) and it's a very good movie. I loved it especially because the characters seem true, real. It's romantic but not...soppy. The farewell scene at the train station is so well done, and heartbreaking.

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2012-06-03 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I still hope for them to have a second chance ;-)