Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Teens like Phil" is an American 20-minute short movie from 3 years ago. Dominic Haxton and David Newman wrote and directed this film and the 2 lead actors are Adam Donovan and Jake Robbins. I cannot see much talent in any of the 4 judging from their work here and unless they really manage to step up their game, I cannot see great careers for them in commanding positions for any crew or cast. Gay-themed short films are really a matter of quantity over quality these days. It's hard to find an actually good work in this mass of what is offered. And this one here is actually another bad example. Sucks to see it is somewhat famous as it includes basically everything that is wrong with the genre of gay-themed short films these days. The action is unrealistic, the story is over the top dramatic and lacks authenticity and realism. It's all about shocking the audience (or making them feel good) without offering anything of real cinematic value, especially in story telling. Sadly, the acting in this one here is pretty bad too. That last monologue was downright cringeworthy. All in all, not a good film by any means. Thumbs down.

Elena Litvinova Frankly speaking, to write about the US legalizing gay-marriage in the states one by one while people try suicide being sexually not-traditionally oriented and at the same time living in the Russian Federation of 2015 is kind of strange at least.Whatever the law says, the non-traditional representatives of anything will always be less numerable, will be a minority, and this very idea is sufficient for oppressing anyway.The material filmed by the USA gives a wide panorama of bullying at school and suicide among homosexual (and other sub-groups of) teens. There is a wide range of: musicals, docu-drama, mixed with hints of poetry, and mind-blowing art-house sketches. The highest amount is concentrated in toneless short-films, in the flow of plot line of which the tension becomes so high till the denouement frame with the dangling feet in the air. Oozing out sarcasm talking about death is quite a bad idea. The ground problem of those films is that the viewers feel relieved watching the credits: the story is finished, though very tragic, we terribly sorry main character, the world is unfair and yet it is fortune it all happened to someone else. Catharsis of the viewer is counted in directors' ups, but the primary goal of the socially oriented films - the action – is hardly accomplished. Passive sympathizing never inspired anybody on acting more sincere and helps for the closest ones.The film by Dominik Hukstone stands out many things on the given background. On the one hand, the film shows sufficiently the edge and the intensity of the problem, that is likely to have a solving, but the statistics is worsening only. On the other, we see not the kind of topical social film only, but the sufficient holistic picture, that doesn't lose its artistic merit even when this topic will die down.Naturally all the aspects and "actors" of the problem showed off in "Teens Like Phil". The experience of first love and attraction; conflict with the agemates; the role of school depicted in the empathic teacher and in the principal having much more important things to do; the example of "unsuccessful" life in the representation of Phill's homosexual uncle; psychological support centers; prevailing prejudice made by Adam's brother, that all homosexual men are femmy and they apply some female trait anyway, which makes Adam to run further and faster, to flip the jumping rope and to hit Phill more violently. We can face two examples of homosexuality acceptance at the end of the film: the boy, who accepts his identity, but doesn't want to pain his parents and the whole world at once (Phil), and the boy, who cannot afford to accept him owing his own reputation among the agemates (Adam). Phil's suicide attempt that failed appeared not so giant price just to live free. Adam has to pay dear for his errors to the grave.Reverse chronology of the plot line is tickling your nerves from the very first seconds: "Has he died or not?.." This is the ideal state for sensation of beauty of any kind and the director is skillful in applying it. You'll sure remember this film thanks to Egon Schiele and Francis Bacon pieces of art, thanks to really impressive solid off-screen words and Alan Wates' voice, thanks to Adam's perfect body; lips detail shot that were on the edge to kiss; beautiful and unaffected nature or the motion to have a long thinking about the past or the future with roman god Janus. Something is likely to touch your insides. It doesn't matter what it will be: deep psychological thoughts or light sexual excitement. It is stronger than sympathizing anyway. One day you'll be more emphatic and caring. Someone will change his mind to hang his head at the end of the rope one lovely Saturday morning only because of this.Blindfolded eyes are the semiotics of the whole film. This "blinded" society doesn't see and doesn't want to see (accept) the problem. People are blinded and made cruel by stereotypes. This symbol, at the same time, the idea that till our eyes are closed, till we are young and didn't have the opportunity to face the unfairness of the world around us – we feel much more better, understand everything better and believe in ourselves. Let's face the real world. Let's have a look in each other's eyes. Let us not have a fear to look in our own soul.

Irishchatter I found it hard to watch when Adam beat up poor Phil because he really took the side of being evil really. I think it was totally wrong like the kid had a lot on his plate. His uncle is homeless and living in a forest with no shelter. All he had left were photos of his lover and family pictures. The guy probably felt ashamed of his sexuality and just ran away as if he didn't exist and just rot away which is so tragically heartbreaking. I swear I was near to tears when Phil found out he passed away from starvation and nearly took his own life. I'm glad Phil found help and told the rest of the other people about experience of himself being bullied that someone he loved but brutally abused him in school. This really doesn't have to be in films like this, it's everywhere you go basically! Bullying is damaging so stand up to a person you trust and stop it! There will be a light at the end of the tunnel waiting for you :)

bob the moo The title of this short is a good one because, although this specific short is about a character called Phil, really the story is bigger than him and he is just one example of Teens Like Phil. If this sounds like a worthy aim for a short film, then you are right, because it is a rather "important" subject and the weight of it does at times sit heavily on the shoulders of the film as a whole. However it mostly deals with this well because it not only merits the weight in the subject, but it also delivers it in a way that is fragmented but still complements the material.In some ways the structure belies the longer running time, because it has a rather awkward narrative style that made me think that it belonged in a much shorter film – or that it would probably not be able to keep it up for the whole 20 minutes. It does though, and it is effective in the fragmented approach because of what it delivers in those fragments. The exploratory awkwardness is tangible, but so is the fallout from it, as well as the reasons for Adam's violent reaction towards Phil. I appreciated the film being this way, because it looks at both sides – not just to say the bullied are who they are, but also to reach out to the other side and see that often there is a background to why people feel/act a certain way – as there is with Adam and his family. This varied view works well with the approach and structure, and I was engaged throughout.Technically well made, the film does struggle with some of the performances. Luckily the main actors of Donovan and Robbins are very good, but some supporting adult roles such as Shatto, Bartholomew, and Galati have clunkier moments – perhaps not all their fault. The use of a lecture from Alex Watts as a form of narration had the potential to be really obvious and preachy, but actually it fits very well indeed with the tone, content and structure of the film. All told it is very emotive, engaging, and natural; the broad view is informed by small details, which are picked out well by the structure of the film, and the longer running time is busy and well paced. It is a hard watch in many ways – but mainly because the film delivers a challenging story that is all too real and common.