Two young men experience the pain of separation and broken hearts after an unexpected breakup during a restless Chicago summer.
In Bloom (2013)
Gay Drama of a Relationship that is dying
Author: t-dooley-69-386916 from London, IMDB
This indie, gay based drama has been compared to Brit, indie hit ‘Weekend’. I can see the comparisons but actually found this to be a better story. It is about two men Paul and Kurt, the film starts out with them meeting at a party and it is clear that they are somewhat ‘estranged’; we then go back seven months to when their love was clearly ‘in bloom’ and find out how they got to this stage.
Whilst Paul worked in a supermarket to pay the bills, Kurt was a drug dealer and got to meet a lot of laid back people – some might say too laid back. A chance encounter then starts the clock ticking on the road to separation. We also have a back story of a serial killer who is targeting lone men. What we then have is the painful deterioration of the two lovers relationship and I have to sat it was done completely convincingly. Things never just end and this was like watching nails being hammered into the coffin of their shared love.
Two young men find their seemingly great relationship threatened when temptations and unease begin to pull them apart. A knowing, powerful look at modern gay love.
I
found this completely absorbing even though it was far from being a ‘feel good’ movie. Quite the contrary; it dealt with an aspect of relationships that is all too often ignored and that is the breakdown. Director Chris Michael-Birkmeier has made a very good film and has also got two excellent performances from his leading men Kyle Wigent as Kurt and Tanner Rittenhouse as Paul – both of them virtual unknowns but both showing great ability. Not a bedroom fest more a study of a relationship past its best and if you are up for a challenging, intelligent and very human story then you could do a lot worse than giving this one a chance – recommended.
