Last updated on 10 February 2019
Jess is a bohemian youth with secrets to hide from his shrewd parents. James feels trapped living with his irritable mother. After meeting for a sexual encounter, the two young men set off on a spontaneous road trip across rural Argentina to reunite with Jess’ estranged brother.
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Jess & James (2015)
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I liked this movie a lot. A couple of things I would note first: the music throughout was great and really added to the movie; also, the movie was beautifully shot, with lovely rural scenes and interior spaces made real and interesting.
This movie made me think of older narrative styles, back to Don Quixote. It’s in chapters, and each chapter is it’s own little story. I liked that there wasn’t a plot sense of going from a definite A to a definite B, but that the feeling is that there will be episode after episode in their lives going forward well beyond the end of the movie.
That said, Jess does have a story arc which goes through the film, from refusing to kiss and insisting on being the top when he first meets James, to gradually becoming able to express a little bit of affection, to owning his gayness and acknowledging to his brother that he is “with James.” The lead actors are excellent and make their relationship consistently intriguing and interesting.
The rural setting was fantastic–living in a small town in Illinois, I enjoyed the lack of urban locale.
Gone, But Not Forgotten (2003) – A Tale of Love and Lost Memories
Questions about the identity of an amnesiac (Matthew Montgomery) threaten his romance with the park ranger (Aaron Orr) who rescued him.
Directed by Michael D. Akers
