Search - Out of Hand on DVD

Coming of Age Brutally

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 04/29/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Out of Hand"

Coming of Age Brutally

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

Picture This Entertainment sent me the screener to the film that they will release on DVD on May 29. "Out of hand" is not your usual gay-themed movie. It is a homoerotic thriller about two boys coming of age and has been racking up awards at various film festivals. Stranger than all else is the fact that the movie is directed by a female, Eva Urhthaler and she has the homo erotic elements down pat.
Paul and Sebastian, two teenagers with a knack for getting into all sorts of trouble use their time stealing, drinking and beating people. They want to see how far they can go and each depends on the other for validation. In this symbiotic relationship, there is some kid of deep nature that attracts the boys to each other. Sebastien is the dominant one of the two--he is always willing to go one step farther and he is the one that calls the shots. They hang out in an abandoned factory and one day they abduct Sonja, a thirty-year old convenience store clerk. They bring her to their hideout but then cannot decide what to do with her. Paul seems to be attracted to Sonja and moves a bit away from his friend, Sebastien and he tries to help her. Sebastien does not realize that he has fallen in love with Paul at first but as the movie progresses, he acknowledges to himself that their s feeling there. Because he is hurt by Paul, he also becomes capable of things he had never done before. In the two boys we see the very thin line between being adult and adolescent. The desire for power on Sebastien's side manifests itself in sexuality and things take a turn.
The three leads give haunting performances--Elisabetta Rocchetti asSonja, Ludwig Trepte as Paul and Sergej as Sebastien and all three have won awards for their acting.
"Out of Hand" is a powerful film and is haunting in theme. It is sure to be one of the hits of the summer and it is a valuable look at the early signs of a Sadomasochistic relationship and unrequited love.
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Disturbing

Rolando A. Perez | Los Angeles, CA USA | 12/07/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"All directors and actors should get recognition for their work and performance in any gig no matter how deplorable or sick the project turns out to be. Eva Urthaler debuts as an eager female German director and writer for this disturbing, twisted story.

Georg Friedich plays Paul, a rich mentally unstable gay kid. Sergej Moja plays Sebastian, a quiet poor boy whose mother is also mentally ill (again no father around). These two boys meet in a train going home after school. Both boys being intelligent and outcasts click in. They start doing things together like stealing bottles of booze from stores and getting drunk in an abandoned building which belongs to Paul's family.

As the friendship blossoms, Paul becomes physically attracted to Sebastian, but Sebastian can not reciprocate as he is straight. The movie continues by the boys getting caught in a liquor store stealing a bottle of booze. The female clerk, Sonja (Elisabetta Rochetti), does not report them, but Paul's sick mind thinks revenge. They capture her and tie her up and take her into the empty building. The rest of the movie is the dealing of these two boys with their captive (Paul has a gun, as for the picture in the cover of the movie box.)

The movie ends with Sonja's boyfriend and their dog being shot to death by Paul. Sebastian loosing his virginity to Sonja when he helps to escape her. And Paul totally falling apart when he realizes that Sebastian has no feelings for him and he is no longer interested in playing his twisted games.

This movie is provocative, erotic, and seducing to some, if you like violence. A famous Italian director Carlo Ponti oversees the filming but not even him can save the day. I realize that there are violent gays as there are straights. But I think we have gone too far on this one."

Enjoyed it..

Derrick Jenkins | Hampton VA USA | 09/27/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"it was different than a lot of the gay themed movies we see. you see are two young teens that meet at first glance and then again later on after their meeting on the train. they decide to head and hang with each other all the while getting into all kinds of trouble. For one its something he hasnt done before or experienced. The other boy its because he has everything already and is bored so he needs this things, stealing, shooting guns and kidnapping to keep him excited and interested in life.

They also have other issues back at home one lives with his mom in the lower parts of the city. While the rich kid that has it all stays far away from there and parents are seldom around to provide any kind of structure. They keep uping the stakes until one day after following a woman home. They (one of them) decides to kidnap her and thats really where the story starts to heat up. The rich kid (also interested in his friend but doesnt speak on it) and isnt interested in her in anyway other than something thats fun and funny. The other is more inclined to sympathize with her and starts to fall for her.

I thought it was pretty interesting how its touched on but not put out there too much. His longing and fascination with his friend, he doesnt really press it on him. He treats him well and gives him time and attention. All and all i found Out of Hand to be something that is watching worthy if only to see that all gay films don't have guys running in drag, speaking in a girlish tone or just fitting every label. They put on gays in general Out of Hand...kept the story in hand,acted nicely and directed also in a way that allowed the actor/actresses to do their thing and add something to their character."