A very good movie. First of all, it avoids the ludicrous pitfall of thirty-somethings or twenty-somethings trying to play teenagers a la Olivia Newton John and John Travolta in "Grease". That kind of inauthentic casting has ruined the verisimilitude and integrity of far too many movies about young people. Roger Ebert once said only half jokingly that there should be a law that actors playing young adults or children must be the age of their characters; and judging from some of the untenable performances turned in by older actors in movies of this genre, I'm inclined to agree with him. All the actors playing teenagers in this movie are believable as teenagers, and this authenticity is a decided asset. I found this movie poignant, touching and aptly awkward in places. It reminded me of high school life. The director and actors achieve just the right mix of erotic longing, real-world constraints, uncertainty and the tension of trying to build a self in a complicated world. Not quite as superb as its close cousin, "Beautiful Thing," but very good nonetheless. Highly recommended to anyone fair-minded enough to appreciate a movie featuring gay characters.
Review of Get Real
