Solo (2013)

Simply A Masterpiece

Fantastic!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I liked the chemistry between the two leads, and I think the dialog helps to make them both relatable characters. I thought it was a little unrealistic how open and forward they were with each other immediately. The plot was also a little thin, but it went in unexpected directions. The twist ending was very surprising, probably because I was a little distracted. Unfortunately it conforms to the cliché that gay romances can't have happy endings.I would recommend watching this movie if you like long romance scenes between two very handsome guys, or if you like low-budget, low-key foreign indie thrillers where 60% of the characters are gay men brutally murdered with hammers.

This film was great at first. You've got your handsome buff tatuado stud on the one hand, and the Rex Reed blended with Liza Minelli guy on the other hand (not that there's anything wrong with that), and they go on and on about this and that, about love, sex, strangers, hooking up. It's all going on swimmingly, until it enters into the ten-hour abyss of nothingness that is the middle of this film. And then the end. "Viewers who have been paying attention will not be surprised" say some, but after watching a movie in which both actors make "significant" expressions left and right, I must admit I let some of those clues go. Instead, I felt myself wondering how many movies are going to wrap up with a simple "homosexuals = freakish murderers just cuz" meme. Yes, the Liza Minelli mixed with Red Reed guy is a psycho bitch! Just like Amy in Gone Girl, but without the parents-being- authors backstory!Yes, the ending ruined it for me. To think, that I watched these actors swap spit for this long, just for this ending. It's like the horror films that titillate with sexuality and then immediately follow it with a moral-palette-cleansing burst of death for the evil sex-having miscreants. Viewers walk away saying, "Goodness, thank God I would never have sex or hook up with someone!" and even the sadistic torture- porn glee of the filmmaker suddenly has an aura of godliness and saintliness, as he can tell himself "I brought the audience to orgasm with a hammer to the skull slaying, but I never exploited their prurient interest" and still respect himself.

(see upbeat UPDATE at end after second viewing)I loved the first part of this movie because it was very well written and acted, but the sexual attraction between Julio and Miguel was completely unconvincing. Weekend is much better in that regard (and in every other way too - there are too many superficial similarities to avoid comparing the two movies).Julio and Miguel were naked a lot, and the two actors are very, very attractive as individuals, but I never believed in them as a couple. The dialog was sexy, but the physical interaction between them was so tightly choreographed that it was more like ballet than sex. I found myself wishing for more talk and less sex, which is a first. Their conversations were fascinating; their sex was cold and phony.The story was pretty stupid, especially when it turned psycho at the end, but no more so than classic psycho thrillers like Psycho - realism is not a hallmark of the genre.For acting and intelligent dialog, Solo is a definite winner. I'm amazed that this is the only feature-length film either actor has made so far; they're both extraordinarily good looking and talented. But the story is overwrought, the sex unbelievable, and the ending tiresome and very predictable.UPDATE: I watched it again and liked it much more the second time. Knowing the ending makes me appreciate the writing even more than I already did. It is very intelligent and cleverly constructed. The sex is still unbelievable and cold, but everything else is really good. I'm adding four more stars.

From all the gay movies I have seen, the Argentineans are taking the top prizes. This movie has excellent performances by Patricio Ramos and Mario Verón. I would say that my rating is because of the performance and not the actual movie.The plot is very predictable. You could say that some of the emotions and actions are "justifiable", but the overall plot doesn't make much sense. Saying this, I have to say that the movie compared to the cheesy American gay theme movies, it is worth watching. Applause to both Verón and Ramos. Very proud of them. You guys are very talented. I hope we can see more of your work in the coming years.