Review of Weekend (2011) by Alex M — 23 Jul 2017

Weekend is a film I've come back to repeatedly, perhaps more than any other Indie drama I've watched. My first viewing of Weekend was around my freshman year of college, a time when I was navigating my own sexuality and the process of coming out.

I found Russell and Glen to be very likable souls, and their reflections on queerness, dating culture, sex, and art piqued my interest. I think I gave it 5 stars because I resonated with it, yet didn't quite know how yet - I loved every minute and I did not know why.

Having picked up the film a couple years later, I have a remarkable appreciation for what Andrew Haigh has created here. When I think about film as an art form, I think of its ability to create bridges of empathy between who is on screen and who is on the audience.

Russell and Glen were two of the first queer characters I saw in a film. The characters are wildly different. Russell is more of an introvert, a young man still coming to terms with his sexuality and how he navigates those conversations in his every day life.

Glen is the opposite -- his queerness is something he flaunts, daring to fight anyone who taunts him with microaggressions. Yet they are both very well-thought out characters, excellently portrayed by Tom Cullen and Chris New.

The chemistry is there, and each scene radiates with energy. The conversations they share are simple, yet profound. The first scene in which they interact in Russell's bedroom is perhaps one of my favorite.

They are still, in a way, strangers to each other, yet Glen is hellbent on getting Russell to open up to him about their night. Their conversation is breathtaking because it is so engaging, so fresh, so new -- it's the conversations that people typically don't have, yet reveal so many traits about each character.

The film itself is a really interesting commentary on dating and hookup culture, and how meaning can be derived from what a lot of people describe as just "dirty" acts. By the end of the film, it is hard to say goodbye to these characters.

They are authentic and charming, and I've found a great deal of solace in listening to their experiences. Haigh's script is engaging, well-thought out, and nigh perfect. The camera work is intimate, with long takes allowing for Cullen and New to stretch their acting muscles.

The music is subtle, but a nice touch. Weekend is such a beautiful, intimate film. It is a story that is at times emotionally draining, but also demands empathy for a community that is often so misunderstood.

It's one of my favorite films as a result.