An authentic portrayal of homosexuality in high school, Get Real is an engaging dramedy that doesn't sermonize its audience nor trivialize its characters.
An authentic portrayal of homosexuality in high school, Get Real is an engaging dramedy that doesn't sermonize its audience nor trivialize its characters.
This gay coming-of-age drama from Britain was screened at many film festivals including Toronto, Edinburgh, and the 1999 Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema section). It tells the story of 16-year-old Steven (Ben Silverstone), a boy who can't tell anyone of his sexual preference except an overweight girl named Linda, who is also unlucky in love. Steven (and most of his school's female student body) have a crush on John, the school hunk, who dates a model. Before long, John and Steven finally
meet and start a private romantic tryst. The lies, secrets, and deceit build to a head at the school's commencement ceremony, where John is to be presented a prize for athletics, while Steven reads his award-winning essay on growing up. All is finally revealed. ~ Arthur Borman, Rovi
The strength of this agreeable comedy, directed by Simon Shore from a screenplay by Patrick Wilde, is that it makes even the tiniest sexual encounters seem emotionally momentous.
Shore and Wilde have done an admirable job in re-imagining Wilde's play as a movie, and they've created a wrenching, thoughtful entertainment that incorporates considerable comic relief.
Simon Shore's feature directing debut displays considerable confidence and aplomb. But his fairly hackneyed sense of storytelling seems to value accessibility above complexity, so don't expect any surprises.
The rather unoriginal script, co-written by Shore and Patrick Wilde (who wrote the stage play upon which the film is based), has roughly an equal number of clever lines and embarrassing clunkers.
Get Real is essentially a conventional tale of forbidden young love that derives its emotional appeal from heartfelt performances by its young cast, particularly the charming Mr. Silverstone.
When the film's poised tone and occasional staginess threaten to intrude on the moving, sincere, recognizably true drama, the fact that the source material comes from a recent work, not some 400-year-old play, keeps it real.
This is a coming of age and coming out story, even though it is set in the U.K., is still close to something I relate to. Well written and acted. There is no drama for drama sake. Very accurate for real life gay teen experience - even down to the chubby friend-girl! I even thing from the point of the parents is
well told. Great movie, a lot of fun and very lovable characters!
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