Rating:  -
Coming out is not an excuse to make poor movies like this one,it is slow nad ok when You are 20, but other then that is not really whort it, if You haven seen it, dont worry!
Rating:  -
Coming out rarely happens when a boy wants it to, nor is it typically on his own terms. It is usually a result of misplaced trust which is then humiliatingly betrayed and subsequently broadcast for all who would torture the boy. This is exactly what happens in You'll Get Over It (which is not what the French title really is).
Vincent is a heck of a swimmer and one of the most popular boys in school. He knows who he is and that he is gay, but he keeps it his own secret to protect himself from the gossip and high school torture that he would endure if it were made public. Unfortunately, he makes a pass at a boy who, later we find out is actually gay, defends himself by outing Vincent to his friends.
The fallout from this is immediate and painful for Vincent.
My only problem with this scenario is that Vincent's friends are only too quick to accept the word of a boy that they would abuse regularly. They have not had any indications to this point that Vincent is gay. Why do they so quickly believe this newly transferred outcast boy?
With that one little issue aside, the way that this film plays out is quite believable. Vincent's brother outs him to his parents in an effort to gain their favor and respect. It backfires, but Vincent is outted all the same.
He loses all his swim team buddies with the exception of his best friend who is a rock of support for him (this was poignantly believable). His girlfriend from whom Vincent took her virginity is believably upset and distraught to learn his news. She vacilates between support and anger - another indication of the believability of the script.
Realizing one's sexuality at a young age, in high school - with all of its cliques, is a terribly painful and confusing time. You'll Get Over It explores most of these with great finesse and reality.
It's the fairy tale ending that doesn't work for my American sensibility. I understand that it is almost a prerequisite for a French film though.
In all, it's a refreshingly nice film that explores a very different avenue in the coming out process. So, when compared to other films of this nature, I'm giving it 4 stars.
Check this one out!
Rating:  -
You'll Get Over It, directed by Fabrice Cazeneuve, details the life of a swimming champ Vincent (Julien Baumgartner) and his circle of friends Noemae (Julia Maraval) and Ste'phane. Everything in life is going smoothly for Vincent with loving parent, good grades and wonderful friends until Benjamin (Jeremie Elkaim) fumbles out the secret that Vincent is gay. What transpires is the hostility Vincent feels from his swim mates, ex-girlfriend and the loss of control over his life.
The acting in this movie is terrific, Julien, Julia and the actor that plays Ste'phane work well together and give convincing and genuine performances of teenagers in a time of change and confusion. The script is well written and delves into the interfaces between Vincent and his friends, school mates, and family; a must for a movie of this caliber. This French film focuses on emotional bonds, character development, and self image/recognition, but doesn't slide into the usual sex, drugs and lunacy that, I hate to say, seems to be so prevalent in American gay movies. You'll Get Over It is a movie that you will want to add to your movie collect and one that you will walk away from just feeling great.
Rating:  -
***1/2
A sensitive film about both "coming out" and "coming of age," "You'll Get Over It" tells of a 17-year-old French boy's efforts to deal with his homosexuality. A championship swimmer, Vincent is a popular, well-liked kid at school and the apple of his parents' eyes at home. The problem is that Vincent is living a lie, keeping his sexuality a secret from his family, his two best friends, and the world at large. When Vincent is seen "consorting" with a suspected gay student, all hell breaks loose and Vincent is forced to deal with not only the reactions of those around him but the roiling emotions taking place deep within himself about what exactly it means to be gay.
Although the film feels a little too pat, contrived and melodramatic at times - kind of like an After School Special with subtitles and occasional flashes of nudity - "You'll Get Over It" wins us over with the delicacy, insight and compassion it brings to its subject. It shows us the myriad and sometimes surprising reactions from the people in Vincent's life - his parents, his "girlfriend," his best friend, his team mates, his swim coach and his teachers. The amount of outright persecution Vincent has to endure from his fellow students shows that even France - so often thought of as being in the forefront of all things sexual - has a long way to go in accepting gays. The movie also deals with Vincent's own conflicting feelings about being gay, as he contemplates a future filled with what he imagines to be loneliness and unhappiness. Like many gay people, Vincent lives in as much of a state of denial at times as the people around him.
The performances are excellent, particularly those by Julien Baumgartner as Vincent and Julia Maravel as Noemie, the girl who loves him and wants to help him, but who finds it hard to let go of him even after she discovers the truth. Baumgartner has a very expressive face that allows us to understand and identify with the external and internal struggles taking place in his character's life.
For the most part, "You'll Get Over It" has a nice, naturalistic feel to it. Director Fabrice Cazeneuve keeps his camera largely handheld and close to the actors, which heightens the sense of realism and intimacy this type of story needs to be effective. Unfortunately, the plot mechanics do intrude a bit from time to time, and the ending, while touching, does feel a little too conveniently upbeat to be entirely convincing. Still, "You'll Get Over It" serves as a valuable plea for understanding and acceptance, and that is a salutary goal for any film.
Rating: -
You'll Get Over It is a clever film that raises some interesting issues, not just about the coming out process, but also about the kind of schoolyard bullying that many young gay men have had to face in their lives. Full of earnestness and emotional integrity, You'll Get Over It focuses on high school champion swimming star Vincent (a terrific Julien Baumgartner), and his journey towards self-discovery.
Vincent is one of the most popular boys at school, he's good academically, and he's also the star of the school swim team. He likes to hang out with his two best friends, Stéphane (Francois Comar) and Noémie (Julia Maraval). Noemie has had a secret crush on Vincent, but Vincent has discovered that he's gay. He's confused and unsure, and worries about coming out to his loving parents, and the loyal Noémie.
Vincent has pretty well decided that he likes boys - he has Bruno, a gay lover that he sneaks across town to see. But when a new student, Benjamin (Jérémie Elkaïm), arrives at school, Vincent becomes instantly attracted to him and tries to share a first kiss. All the lies and secrecy start to get a bit much for Vincent and things are made much worse when Benjamin starts a nasty rumour-mill by inadvertently outing him. With his teammates shunning him, Vincent sinks into deep depression, melancholy, and self-pity.
How Vincent copes with this outing, both at home and at school is the central element of this story. Noémie is of course devastated, but she still consoles and loves him regardless. His parents, confused and naïve, worry about Vincent's bullying and struggle to help him cope with being ostracized. It doesn't help that he has a jealously competitive older brother, who loves to box and is starved for attention. Seeking advice from his swimming coach and also taking advice from his gay literature teacher, Vincent tries to pull together and transcend the stereotypes that his friends, family, and colleagues have associated with being gay.
While watching this movie I was shocked at the prejudice and bigotry that still exists with kids around this age. I would have thought that teenagers, especially in France where the film is set, would be more to tolerant and broadminded. Whatever the case, things work out happily (and perhaps somewhat unrealistically) for Vincent. Stéphane, Noemie, and his parents are all fine and super cool after they get over the initial shock of finding out.
The film belongs to Julien Baumgartner. His striking good looks positively show his range of emotion and allow the audience into his heart. In one scene, he goes to the city to explore the gay scene, but comes home disgusted at its tacky cheapness. There's an innocence, and incorruptibility to Vincent's soul that allows him to eventually find love in all the right places. Mike Leonard February 05.
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