The Way He Looks

This is a really fine film that is unusual in several gratifying ways. It is actually a story about the blossoming of a good and growing friendship into a physical as well as emotional love affair and is, in a sense, only gay because the two people involved are both late teenaged boys - fortunately for the viewer one aspect of gayness is attended to in that they are two quite handsome and adorable boys. However, the film, as the director says in a section of the bonus features, is about love and not lust, so the boys are beautiful but not fashion models. The relationship is not bracketed and set off as unique because the two people falling in love are both boys hence queer, hence troubled, hence afflicted and miserable through stress and fears of ostracism.. Rather, and in this it parallels the also excellent film Silent Youth, it is an exploration of how two unusual people fall in love, but is a tale told with the underlying assumption that there are fundamental, human similarities between this story and a lot of other types of love stories as well as. of course, also some interesting and unique aspects to the events recounted in the film. In this it perhaps reflects the growing realization by non-gay people (thank you 40 years of gay film makers, activists, etc.) that the preference for same sex plumbing doesn't make the characters freakish, doomed, or self destructive. The homosexual and gay dimensions of Leo and Gabriel's friendship aren't really an issue for anybody in the film but the poor, oafish chief bully from their school who picks on Leo and Gabriel throughout the film. Finding love is a quest for the characters, and that is symbolized by the search for an appropriate first kiss. But to add crispness and focus to the plot one boy is unusual because he is blind and blind from birth. Hence the question of what is involved by two boys falling in love and of what it means if one of them has absolutely no idea what anything, let alone a drop dead gorgeous best friend, looks like is important. Leonardo falls for Gabriel because Gabriel is a loving, attentive, and nurturing friend who helps Leonardo cope with his increasing frustration at the limitations his doting but overprotective parents place on him and the conflicts he has with the school bullies, etc. And, Gabriel is also a friend who clearly likes just hanging out with Leo. There some quite fine scenes where the camera observes Gabriel staring happily at Leonardo, who, as he is blind, has no idea that Gabriel is doing this. There is real pleasure in the eloquence and humor of the scene where one of Gabriel's earliest attempts to help his friend involves teaching him the rudiments of dancing. There are many other things to like, admire, and enjoy about this film; one of them is that, unlike many coming out films, the burgeoning relationship between the two boys is extensively depicted by scenes of their interaction that don't include a great deal of drama about the sociopolitical, personal, and psychological difficulties of coming out as gay. Mostly Leonardo and Gabriel are just two teenagers sometimes awkwardly, but always persistently, trying to get to know each other. And they spend a fair bit of time being happy together. While there is a set of oafish bullies they are annoying and humiliating school bullies, but not homicidal maniacs. Further,,a life of being gay suggested to me, and may suggest to others that the chief bully wouldn't mind having his way with Leonardo, but is too confused. repressed and dimwitted to even realize what his motivations are about. The film seems to me to be carefully crafted. In the bonus feature of the really fine original short film there is a scene where the blind Leonardo thinks he is talking to one character but is actually talking to another. The fact that Leonardo is falling for Gabriel is revealed by the fact that when he thinks he is alone he inhales deeply the odors of Gabriel's sweatshirt. So, when Leonardo is approached by the person who very much isn't who Leonardo thinks he is talking with, one could have wondered why he didn't recognize that the smell of the person before him wasn't the smell of the person who he thought he was talking to - but Ribiero had included a brief and immediately previous scene indicating that poor Leonardo has allergies that day so probably couldn't smell anything at all. The bonus features are quite pleasing. Ribiero crafts his scenes carefully hence the short film is as well put together as a good short story and every element contributes to the unfolding of the story and the final scene. The longer film is more like a novella and equally well crafted. All three of the central characters are played by quite gifted actors who clearly have acting chemistry and who create characters that aren't merely likeable, but are fully three dimensional believable human beings. An example might be the shower scene where Gabriel finally sees Leo totally naked and is made biologically aware that he finds Leo very much to his tastes. Fabio Audi makes the character Gabriel's distressing realization that he is in a public shower displaying clear evidence of strongly and definitely liking Leonardo in a lot of ways both touching, funny, and refreshingly free of any twee overtones that with a less committed actor, could have crept in. Perhaps unfortunately, a really pleasing prefiguration of this shower scene occurs earlier in the film when Leonardo asks his grandmother what Gabriel looks like and she says that he is so pale that he is almost transparent. This scene had been cut, according to the director, for reasons of pacing.. However, here Gabriel's activities make his inner life "transparent" or visible to the audience. But, as Ribiero points out in a bonus feature, he decided to remove it for reasons of pacing. Fun to see, in all events. Ghileherme Lobo is quite amazing as Leonardo. He is so convincingly "blind" that almost everyone that I know thought he was a blind guy who was a great actor. But he is a sighted guy who is a fine actor. The level of skills demonstrated by the three main characters and by most of the supporting characters is quite high. I liked the film so much that I bought the DVD, and probably many people will make the same choice.

A sweet, touching and insightful gay coming of age story. Set in Sao Paulo, this beautifully made Portuguese-language film not only examines Leo's newly discovered sexuality but also the complications caused by his blindness and a typical teenager's desire for independence. Director-writer Daniel Ribeiro has adapted his own short film "I Don't Want To Go Back Alone" (featuring the same three leads) into an excellent feature film. Light hearted but also honest and realistic and never treating the subject of Leo's disability flippantly, this flawlessly acted movie is a major achievement for all involved. Lead actor Ghilherme Lobo is extraordinary natural and poignant as the blind teenager and his performance is richly complimented by the fine portrayals by Fabio Audi as new pal (and now boyfriend) Gabriel and Tess Amorim as Giovanna, the best friend who suffers angst over the change in relationships. What also works so brilliantly, is the director's keen observation of Leo's interaction with his school activities (including being the butt of many a cruel prank), the sensitive relationship he has with his protective parents and the intimacy he shares with his more sympathetic grandmother. Certainly a feel good movie, inspirational and funny without being cloy and a film that should be seen and enjoyed by audiences of all persuasions. There are some excellent extra features on the disc --- the original 17 minute short which inspired the feature. --- many deleted scenes, all good and a few of which (especially the scenes between Leo and his grandmother) could have remained in the final cut. Director Ribiero gives potent reasons why they were deleted. --- a comprehensive interview session featuring the director, the two male leads and producer Diana Almeida. --- some fun and entertaining "behind the scenes" with the young cast.

There aren't yet many first-love gay movies with happy endings, but "The Way He Looks" has one, and it's great — really uplifting without being saccharine (for which I have a very low tolerance). Other reviews cover the plot, but I wanted to add my 5-star recommendation. All of the main characters are perfectly cast and very relatable. In addition to the engaging story, the soundtrack is great, especially the catchy theme song. The special features are also great, including well-chosen and well-narrated deleted scenes, and a short version of the film made 4 years earlier; both of these extras contribute significantly to the storyline and really enrich the experience. (The extras have English subtitles, and the feature film has optional subtitles in English and Spanish plus an optional English audio descriptive track.) "The Way He Looks" and "Beautiful Thing" are my 2 favorite movies in this genre, and both are among my Top 10 favorite films of all time in any genre.

𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆 The Way He Looks is a 2014 Brazilian coming-of-age romantic drama film written and directed by Daniel Ribeiro, based on his 2010 short film I Don't Want to Go Back Alone. Leonardo, a blind teenager, is seeking independence from his overprotective parents; His life changes when a new student named Gabriel arrives, sparking new feelings and complicating his friendship with his best friend, Giovana. Spoiler alerts: Here, there is an actually a happy ending. For director Ribeiro, this kind of representation has not always been commonplace; while he has never identified openly as ‘gay’, Ribeiro has noted the formative nature of “figuring out his sexuality” while still a juvenile, with the heinous nature of hate crimes disaproportionally directed towards the LGBTQ community often taking the front seat when relative stories are being told. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚 𝑯𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔, while it can’t escape some of the cliches of a captivating love story (Such as #IndifferenceatFirstSight, pun intended), borrows from its creators’ own experiences more often than offensive tropes; what results is a story that to be called simply a formulaic romance would be a disservice, as it leads’ difficulty in navigating relationship is intersectional. Of course, some of what complicates 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚 𝑯𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 is the fact that Leonardo is blind; . Ultimately, this lends largely to the vulnerable (And sometimes opportunistically exploitive) situations that he finds himself being a part of, and in spite of this, this impairment isn't highlighted as a point of contention, barring chances for independence that he desires that his parents feel are coming too soon; In some respects their concerns mirror other parents sending children off into the adult world where being differently abled is not a factor, though I digress. It is arguable that some of the “jokes” directed to or pranks pulled on Leonardo /only/ work /because/ he is blind, but even these small acts of cruelty don't accentuate this factor as particularly burdensome, if not something that he has obviously spent time adjusting to. Played by Ghilherme Lobo, who in turn is romantically paired with Fábio Audo, their palpable chemistry is integral to how things unfold throughout, which results in a sequence of events that is appreciatingly optimistic. (I tried to find an interview with Lobo going in to detail as to how he prepared for this role; the best I could find was one completed in 2015 with Ribeiro, who noted that most of his mannerisms are the result of visiting Blind Institutes and the Braille Library so as to learn how blind people perform certain tasks) I need not reiterate the progressive nature of 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚 𝑯𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 given Brazil’s reputation for featuring some of the most vibrant cultural visibility amongst LGBTQ+ individuals; this story is grounded by a universal essence, particularly in terms of questions about what attracts two individuals to one another so as to result in a healthy relationship. Obviously, for lack of sight, Leonardo’s interest in Gabriel goes beyond visual allure in favor of a general sense of safety or comfort. There is also little telling what the relationship between these protagonist could turn into, but one can value how much 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚 𝑯𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 both stays in the moment and invites its audience to do so as well. Some stories are special because they depict a real person or chain of events that are deemed remarkable, whereas others are special due to how well they handle sensical idealism. A feather should be put in Ribeiro’s cap for what is achieved here, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚 𝑯𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 being warm in its approach and little mixture of both these attributes; charming, but very self-aware in terms of its limitations, this narrative is a no-brained as investible material for supportive viewers and allies. Its conclusion is the icing on the cake, and not because of who Leonardo and Gabriel are as simply individuals, but because of what they potentially can bring out of each other. If beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒚 𝑯𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔 has its sights on something tender that can’t otherwise be put into words.

This is true gem, slightly obscured because the actors don't speak English and you need to read subtitles. There is an English sound track but the parts are all spoken by a woman with a man explaining scene setups and changes. I found the English soundtrack to be annoying, if not worthless. The best way to experience this film is to watch the movie and read the subtitles. Once you understand what is happening in the various scenes and scenarios, then watch the movie again to get the real depth of the acting. This movie was inspired by the short film titled "I don't want to go back alone." The story line stays close to the short film but expands on the experiences of the main character, Leonardo, and his being a blind teenager, coming of age and falling in love, and the interactions with his closest friends and his family. The film is situated in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the actors speak Portuguese. The HD transfer seems decent and played flawlessly, I would guess the film was done with all digital equipment as I see very little noise. The main sound track is clear and has plenty of volume.

"The Way He Looks" is an understated Portuguese-language teen drama from Brazil that explores the sexual awakening and coming-of-age of Leo (Ghilherme Lobo), a blind high school student living in an affluent section of Sao Paulo. Based on a short film featuring the same cast (a few years younger), this film will be presented to audiences as a LGBT-interest indie film, but the heart of the story is actually about Leo's struggle for independence and acceptance as a blind teenage. The film opens with Leo and his best friend Giovanna (Tess Amorim) lounging by the pool hoping that something exciting will happen to them during the next school year. That excitement arrives in the form of Gabriel (Fabio Audi), a handsome, quiet new student at Leo's school who befriends Leo and Giovanna and becomes a member of their group. What follows is a subtle, well paced story about teenage friendship, yearning for independence, and first romance. The film's success rides on the truly wonderful performances by the young cast. Lobo's portrayal of Leo stands out; his performance as a blind individual is entirely natural, to the point where I was surprised to learn the actor himself was not blind. Equally good is Audi, who does an excellent job of filling out Gabrielle as a character and infusing him with charm and longing in unexpected ways. Amorin is well cast as the plucky, but long-suffering Giovanna, adding drama and humor to carry the plot along at pivotal moments. All three actors have great chemistry, which comes across most clearly in the physicality of their roles - as Giovanna and Gabrielle take turns guiding Leo and being close to him. There is an undeniable sensuality that builds throughout the movie. The cinematography, editing, and direction of the film create a beautiful, sunny green suburban environment, and highlight the beauty of the actors, while also helping illuminate the sensory ways in which Leo's character experiences the world. The script for the full-length film helped fill out the characters and create a larger story for Leo to inhabit, which includes relationships with his parents and grandmother which did not appear in the original short film All in all I highly recommend this film - it was charming and cute, the sort of coming-of-age film you rarely see made well.

I remember seeing this film a long time ago netflix. What an amazing film. Not to sound cheesy, but love is never blind. Also, this film raises an excellent point subconsciously, can a blind person be considered gay if they have never seen what either sex looks like? That is why I don't consider this film to be a "gay" film...it is a love film.

I just watched this on Blu-Ray tonight and while I really enjoyed the film I found the menus for the audio confusing. All I could get was a silent version or a version with a descriptive track in English where it sounded like one women does all the dialog and describes the scenes. In addition I could turn the subtitles on or off. After poking around for the first several minutes of the film getting no where and missing what was going on I just gave up and watched the descriptive version. The bonus features, including the short film I Don't Want to go Back Alone, played in the original Portuguese with English subtitles, which is exactly what I wanted. I'll poke around some more and re-watch it once I figure out how to do it properly. The film itself was great and the actor playing Leo, the blind kid, was wonderful. I was convinced that they had found an actual blind actor to play the role until I watched the Behind the Scenes section in the bonus features.

Es lo máximo estás película. La calidad excelente. La verdad la recomiendo abiertamente a todos lo que tengan dudas. Gracias

Es una hermosa película, la recomiendo ampliamente, muy conmovedora historia de amor.

An amazing story of a young man. The title is a good play on words because he is blind. He has a wonderful girl as his friend and she looks after him but when a new young man arrives at school she doesn't like that she takes second place. The frustrations of the featured young man come from his mother and her wanting to protect him instead of letting him grow up and be himself. It is a film from South America and it is a heartwarming story.

'The Way He Looks' is a cute Brazilian coming-of-age tale from director Daniel Ribeiro. The story focuses on main character Leonardo, a young man with a love of classical music who has been blind since birth. His best friend Giovanna also features as they both navigate through the drama of high school romance, finding their independence and making new friends. It's not long before a handsome new boy named Gabriel joins their class and becomes friends with the pair. Leonardo, struggling with his overprotective parents, is placed with Gabriel for a school assignment and begins to hang out with him a lot more, going to the movies and sneaking out at night to watch an eclipse, despite not being able to see it. Gabriel also begins to see Leo safely home every day, a job previously reserved for Giovanna. Unfortunately 3 becomes a crowd and Giovanna starts to resent the boys spending so much time away from her, especially as it's hinted that she likes them both as candidates for her summer romance. Tensions reach breaking point at a classmate's party when Leo and Gi fall out over a misunderstanding. Leo also takes his frustrations out on Gabriel and tells him off, but the other boy shuts him up by kissing Leo briefly on the lips before riding off on his bicycle. Later on, Gabriel claims not to remember the party, but it seems as though something is developing between him and Leo. The rest of the film then deepens the relationships and resolves the conflicts between the triangle of Leonardo, Giovanna and Gabriel, bringing the story to it's sweet conclusion. The three main actors are superb and realistic, especially the actor who plays Leo as he isn't blind in real life, but manages to do the role justice. The story itself is often humourous but also genuinely touching without being too cliche, and some of the songs used fit the mood of the film perfectly. It's easy to see why this feature is so highly regarded and has won awards at international film festivals. The DVD includes some interesting deleted scenes and an interview with the director, along with the short film 'I Don't Want to Go Back Alone'. The short came first and was the source that this feature-length drama was based on, so it's also worth a watch. In summary: get this film, you won't regret it!

I've allways been fond of theis movie as a coming of age movie. Easy going and yet another coming of age story, but still cachy.