esjara97 This film was Australia's bad attempt to make a gay film similar to Shelter. It was okay, at times, but mostly it was just f*cked up. There was no point at all to the talking pictures and they just seemed out of place in the movie and there was no reason as to why they were talking. The whole relationship between Cass and the geography teacher was just about as f*cked up as they come. At least Midget was a sympathetic character, although it was quite mean of him to always have Cass as a second choice to Alice. There wasn't any real progress through the movie, in the end all the characters were stuck in the same place: Cass had run away again, Midget still lived with his mum and Alice stayed with her Aunt, another f*cked up character that didn't belong in the movie whatsoever. The only progress that was made was that Midget had had sex with a guy.There was one thing though, that I liked very much and that was Midget's mother. I liked how she was portrayed, by always being in bed and that the viewer never gets to see her face.On another note, I'd like to say that I'm a fan of realistic movies about realistic people, but this was like the director was trying to make the movie realistic but yet somehow, come up with such an unrealistic ending that I just wanted to turn the movie off.

jim-314 If you wonder how one might find a fresh perspective on the old issues of coming-of-age and coming out, then check out this smart quirky movie, set in a small-town surfing community. The main characters are a self-questioning protagonist, and two brothers who are his surfing buddies. The older brother is a confident but alienated gay man who returns to his family after being driven away some years before following an affair with his high school teacher. The movie takes a number of surprising turns, and the relationships are complex and ambiguous (especially the relationship between the brothers, and the relationship between the older brother and his teacher). One Net-blurb inaccurately describes this movie as a "charming romp." Parts of it are quite funny, but it's a serious look at the stresses of a gay adolescence. The geeky-charming young protagonist, Midget, learns how to be callous, and to face disappointment, even as he learns about love and sex. Don't expect a romantic fade-out. The next-to-last scene has a brief, silent shot that provides a thought-provoking plot twist. The young cast were largely non-professional actors and they are fresh, fun, believable, sexy, and blessedly un-Hollywood in appearance. If you see this movie and like it, do not miss the terrific director commentary. The director is articulate, very smart about both movies and life, and funny. It's one of the best commentaries I've heard in some time.

sigmund3 A couple of cute boys is about all there is for this film to hang its hat on -- Jack Baxter as Midget being the best of the lot. The movie drags terribly and the audio is lousy. Acting is wretched and there isn't much of an ending, either. Come to think of it, don't waste your time. I hope to see the Baxter kid doing other work because he's the only bright spot in the thing. Gay cinema BEGS for more happy endings like "Regarding Billy," so why aren't there more of them?The storyline regarding the living arrangements of the girl and her aunt were odd. Very strange, indeed. Not at all believable. And Midget's mother never out of the bed so we could see her face is kinda lame. Surprised she even got a credit at the end. Was she a drunk? A drug addict? WHAT? That was never explained. And the part about no one knowing who Midget's father was is also a mystery that's never explained, either.Then, there's the silly thing about the gay teacher having had sex with Cassidy four years earlier: What TRIPE! I'm telling you, the plot in this yawner was terrible! And the director handled this part of the story so badly, it might as well have been left out. It was supposed to have been the part of the story that triggered the behavior of some of the other characters, but it was dealt with quite poorly!Imagine Cassidy having had an affair with his sexy teacher four years back and then running off in disgrace. But after returning and hooking up with Midget, he walks in on the teacher kissing Midget in the showers. Corny. If that's not bad enough, then Cassidy proceeds to "whip up" on the teacher during the shower scene, leaving him with a broken arm.But in the final scene, we see the same teacher and Cassidy sailing off into the sunset on a ferry. The teacher has one arm in a sling and the other around Cassidy and he's kissing Cassidy on the cheek. While poor Midget is left humiliated and alone on the dock where Cassidy has just tossed him over in favor of the teacher.Give me a MAJOR break!Nobody would DO that! Midget's just too cute and irresistible. And after getting mauled like that by Cassidy, the teacher would NEVER go back to the kid that had beaten him up. Just wouldn't happen. Bad storyline.The only socially redeeming part was that Midget finds the only other gay guy his own age in the film and has sex with him in the bathroom. (Hmmm ... kinda thought they might wind up together.) Gets a "3" for the 2 cute guys.

jrcham94 I saw this film at the San Francisco LGBT film festival, which usually has high standards. In this case, though, a bit of young male flesh doesn't overcome a terrible screenplay, lousy acting, moronic plot and just enough artsy posing to give the film a veneer of being "edgy". It's not. It's simply cynical film-making that demonstrates a complete contempt for any audience unfortunate enough to have to sit though it. Here's just one example: the film's teenage anti-hero is paid by a town matron to give oral sex to her niece while having tea. The niece is supposed to maintain ladylike comportment and pretend she's not getting head. Why? Who knows? It bears no relation to any other part of this really, really bad film. Be warned.