This film is really very good. It is beautifully paced and tension builds throughout and I would say that the last act is quite thrilling.I felt I was in for a good film when I saw how the opening scene was shot and constructed so well. This introduces a number of the characters hanging around the Gare du Nord in Paris. The whole film is very well directed.There are different acts which are given titles and each has a unique feel and this variety helps to maintain interest.The character development is impressive. In addition to the main characters we get a very good feel for the nature of the secondary characters in the film even though they don't do a lot of speaking.Overall I think anyone will find this to be rewarding to watch except those unfortunate enough to have hang ups about gay relationships.

This movie lingers so much that it's running time is filled with nothing substantial, which is a great shame as the premise feels like it could have grown to more had the pace been quickened to include more meaningful interaction. Instead we're given a bare bones story, where characters are underdeveloped and there doesn't seem to be any real connection between the two main characters. Other than simple pity I see no reason for the older characters actions. There is no personal drivers to keep the characters interacting. A bit of depth is given during a scene with fireworks, but it's the one time we're given insight into a character's inner mind and emotions. I stuck with the whole movie as reviewers said I'd gain something from the ending, however the journey felt paper thin and there was nothing to be learnt from the movie.I've given it a four as the movie has some moments of promise and it's cinematography is visually nice.

The first thing you must understand about this movie is that there is hardly any back story to the characters. Daniil, the well-off French man, wears a suit, has dinner parties at his house, and desires young men to have sex with. He finds one named Marek, who is part of a large group of (illegal) Eastern European guys, none older than 26, that cruises and hustles, and ultimately looks for ways to get over on people. The arrangement is made between the two and disaster happens the following day when Marek's crew shows up instead and ransacks Daniil's place and takes everything. Lesson learned right? That would be a short, but pretty good movie. What we get is a slow slide down to something less compelling. Marek comes back out of some sense of regret (or maybe just an easy way of getting money) and he and Daniil complete their deal, except that Marek keeps on coming back. All of this makes sense to me because people act differently when by themselves. The hustler acts tough with his guys and when alone, he can be more expressive (not that he is). Marek eventually tells Daniil that he trusts him, and so allows himself to be vulnerable enough to relate his tragic tale. Daniil, in turn, offers up no story of his own but shows a desire to take care of Marek. It still makes sense until Daniil's attraction for Marek, who he is getting to know so much about, changes from carnal to paternal. One can still care and protect someone who he or she loves intimately. I would say it is sort of required. So by the end of the movie, when Daniil is now trying to adopt Marek as his son, I was very confused. It just seemed that the maker of this movie wanted to create a relationship between the older man and the younger guy that would be more palpable to audiences. Getting to know someone's troubled back story should not become a reason to stop loving someone romantically, but I think would make that love stronger. It would just take a braver filmmaker to make that point.

I had no expectations going into this film. And the first few minutes made me doubt my choice. But as the slow narrative starts to develop, it sucked me in and kept me captivated until the very end.A very realistic, raw image of illegal immigrants and a very sensitive story of deception, love and protection. I won't spoil the story, but if you are not homophobic and if you like movies such as Stephen Frears's "Dirty Pretty Things", this is a great cinematic experience. Hopefully this movie will get a wide enough audience and recognition.Go watch it with an open mind.