North Sea Texas (2011)

North Sea Texas

• Look, we’ve all been in love with our best friends at some point in our lives. Not friendship love, but LOVE love. You’re lying to yourself if you say you haven’t. Especially in the gay experience. It’s a canon event and you better believe I’ve been there more than once. That being said, this film takes that specific feeling/situation and gets everything right about it. The yearning, the want, the lust…..everything. So to get personal, but it’s true. Anyways, the story is all basically that, while throwing some other relationship dynamics in the mix, so you get a (somewhat) troublesome love story. Even though it can be emotionally painful and a bit of a rollercoaster, it’s still very sweet. All the characters and the events surrounding them were written very well and realistic. However, the whole narrative does seem very slow, despite the runtime (which is only a little bit over 90 minutes). The film doesn’t necessarily feel super slow, but it definitely does take its time from start to finish. Which isn’t a bad thing, it might just get a little tedious for some. The performances are all good at best, with no one standing out other than Jelle Florizoone. Some bits of his role are stagnant and emotionless, but deep down, you can see his hurt and yearning beneath his eyes. He’s also physically expressive with the way he moves around certain people, which was fun to watch for. No matter what the scene was, your heart absolutely goes out to him. The cinematography was another highlight. There was an interesting back and forth between a down-to-earth, homey feel, and then a more elevated and surreal feel. It was a wonderful blend, and it almost seemed that each scene was designed to have its own look, depending on the mood. But when you take a step back and look at the film as a whole, it still all blends together and everything clicks like a puzzle. I hope that all makes sense. Lastly, the score was very nice and mellow, not being overbearing but still being prominent when needed. Overall, this is a solid piece of work, and despite it feeling a tad bit slow, it’s an authentic description of being in love with your friend, and navigating those feelings. Even though I just finished it, I already want to watch it again. I can see myself rating it higher next time. Only time will tell. I would recommend this to all drama/romance fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!