Head On (1998)

So much average

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

...but useful for understand the perception about reality of a young man who use his sexual orientation, the nihilism and the friends as instruments to explore it. a film about frustration. and about freedom. and one of the most impressive roles of Alex Dimitriadis who mix the bitter humor, fury and fear to create a character who gives new perspectives about every day challenges. one of films who use a sensitive subject as way to wake up. and the gray tone becomes a tool for describe long slices of disillusion, fights and need of sense of life. maybe not great. but sensitive trip in heart of forbidden subjects. more actual today than in 1998.

This bold film concentrates on a 24-hour period in the confused muddled world of Ari an engaging nineteen-year-old. He comes from a traditionally Greek background and is having a hard job coming to terms with both his Greek background in an Australia that does not much care for its immigrant population and his own sexuality. Ari, as most guy's his age are is obsessed with sex, he is a bit of a player, having a few rampant sexual encounters during the span of this film, whilst most are gay, he does not limit himself to the male sex, half-heartedly having a sexual liaison with the sister of one of his friends. Ana Kokkinos the director is of Greek-Aussie descent, which automatically gives this tale an authentic guiding hand and some of the lines spoken by fictional characters are not that far removed from the reality of experience. This is a surprisingly gritty film, heavy on the hopeless dissatisfaction of life as a son or daughter of immigrants in a country that is no stranger to racial and economic tensions. Ari is a handsome boy; he has that rough, cheeky, yet handsomely provocative look that can melt hearts at one hundred paces. He uses those looks, along with his aggressive sexual hunger and heat to have random sex with older guys in dark alleyways, grabbing a quick fix before going back to hang with his equally dissatisfied mates. There isn't a clear road ahead for him, he knows that, yet could he be dreaming of a better tomorrow, the way most trouble teens do? It does not look like judging by a lot of the scenes and muddled moments. The film had nine nominations from the Australian film institute and received much acclaim from critics both in Australia and around the world for its harsh realities, passionate performances and authentic script. Read more and find out where this film made it in the Top 50 Most Influential Gay Movies of All Time book, search on Amazon for Top 50 Most Influential Gay Movies of All Time.

Heads up to HEADS ON: this is a story of the agonies of isolation self-induced by a tragically sexually confused young man. Few directors have the courage to write and present the truly dark side of sexuality and Ana Kokkinos deserves a tremendous amount of respect for daring to go where this film takes us.Ari (Alex Dimitriades) is a handsome, sensual young Greek man living with his proud parents and sister in Australia. They are part of a Greek conclave that holds to old country traditions: every male must marry a Greek girl and 'then he can do anything he wants' according to Ari's mother. Ari is gay but cannot fully accept his lifestyle, preferring to have dangerous sexual assignations in the filthy alleys of his city. He pals around with Johnny/Toula (Paul Capsis), his transsexual cousin, but avoids contact with him in public. Ari avoids life's realities (he has no job, he is financially dependent on his parents, he cannot relate to his father's demands for his life, etc) through extensive use of drugs and macho confrontations. His life is in a downhill spiral from which he is unable to escape. He attempts a heterosexual encounter but fails miserably. Even when the possibility of a real gay relationship is offered by handsome and masculine Sean (Julian Garner) he is unable to cope and destroys that blink of salvage. Ari's only devotion seems to be to his sister and his mother, neither of whom can extend a long enough arm to pull him from his quicksand life. Ari simply cannot cope with who he truly is.The acting in this fine film is excellent. The camera work by Jaems Grant is both artistically creative and successful in capturing the atmosphere of the story. Scenes that are edgy are handled with realism but never falter into the sensationalism range. Both Alex Demetriades and Paul Capsis give extraordinary portrayals of very tough roles. This is not a film for the squeamish, but it is a fine portrait of gay life in Australia and especially in the Greek community there. Grady Harp

Truly a great little movie! The story moved at a good pace through-out and kept me very interested to see what would happen next. With so many movies these days, I keep checking the time because they are so terribly uneven and my interest is not held. Not with this one--very riveting and moving story. It did an excellent job of "showing" what our young protagonist (someone used the term anti-hero for him--I like that) was going through. Really liked the way the drug highs were portrayed. The voice overs were sparse--this film did not talk me to death or insult my intelligence by explaining everything. How very refreshing! Visually you went with Ari where he was going whether you liked it or not. I also really liked it because it was at times raw and visceral--life is like that sometimes for us, and for others like Ari, it's like that most of the time. Hurray for the male frontal nudity! It's not only women that have beautiful bodies. Johnny only had a couple scenes, but he upstaged Ari in every one. What a remarkable character to throw into the mix! I would be friends with him in a heartbeat. If you like movies about real people trying to figure out their place in the world, do yourself a favor and see this film.