Hidden Kisses (2016)

Hidden Kisses

• Look, when you have a made-for-TV foreign film about the gay experience that’s streaming on Tubi and doesn’t have enough reviews to even have a Rotten Tomatoes score, then you know you’re gonna be in for something heartbreaking and stressful. And that’s exactly what this is. I don’t want to go too deep into it, just because it weighs a lot on my mind and it’s honestly hard to think back on. It’s deeply uncomfortable and hard to sit through, solely because of the homophobia that’s present all throughout the film. There’s an overabundance of it, and I can understand the complaint that it’s over exaggerated and used for dramatic effect. While this can be true, it helps deliver the punch that this film holds, and I think it was used for a positive message (though it makes you feel negative). If your one takeaway is that it’s too homophobic or it’s too uncomfortable, then you’re missing the entire point. I do agree that the writing is a bit weak, and there’s a couple things here and there that I would’ve changed. Nothing too substantial, but just some character decisions. However, if you look through everything, it’s (unfortunately) a bit relatable, in more ways than one. The performances were all better than what I was expecting for a made-for-TV film (and I’m not trying to knock the actors or anyone who’s been in something made-for-TV). The two boys really draw you in to their characters, and I thought their chemistry was pretty solid. It’s nothing super memorable, but it’ll stick with me for a while. Overall, it’s certainly a made-for-TV film, though one of the more enjoyable ones I’ve seen. It has some very powerful messaging, and it captures the queer experience very well, especially on the side of parents and school. I would definitely recommend this to all drama fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!