Akron (2015)

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Despite the efforts of what seems to be a talented cast, the film just dissolves into one embarrassment after another. After 25 minutes of insanely naive optimism (which has some charming moments), an old domestic tragedy reawakens to ridiculously overblown proportions and turns the movie into an almost unwatchable squawk-fest courtesy of a egregiously awful screen play.I doubted if I could make it through the entire 84 minutes and kept checking how much time was remaining during the endless, last half hour. And then – poof! – one speech of less than a minute and happiness reigns as if years of suppressed angst never happened.This is what I have come to expect from American gay films. There really are so many more gay-oriented films out there geared to intelligent adults (most of which seem to come from Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, and France; even Hungary has at least one excellent gay film!). Explore! Don't fear subtitles!

I've seen and compared them all--Watercolors, Departure, For My Brother, Latter Days, Monster Pies, Brokeback Mountain, Newcastle, A Single Man, Sons, L.I.E., Beautiful Thing, North Sea Texas, Mysterious Skin, Milk, Closet Monster, Hidden Kisses, The Boys, Hidden Away, Holding the Man, The Way He Looks, Dream Boy, The Journey of Jared Price...you name it, and THIS movie, Akron, ranks above them all. In virtually every category imaginable, it shines. It has extremely attractive young actors who understand their trade. It features passion and frequent heart-wrenching emotion. The plot is well-conceived and carries tension throughout. The filming and production are professional. It has everything, really, except a lot of nudity. It doesn't even become tiresome on a second or third viewing, because the acting is so superb and the emotional power so strong.Edmund Donovan and Matthew Frias are brilliant in their portrayal of Chris and Benny, two college freshmen who fall in love at the University of Akron, but who prove to be as star-crossed as Romeo and Juliet, though unwittingly so at first. By the worst luck imaginable, they learn that they are linked by a tragic event involving their mothers that occurred 12 years before they met.Don't be fooled by the rural settings used in the movie. It's not an apple farm yawner like Fair Haven. This film has pace and is supported by powerful chemistry between two young and very talented actors. The supporting cast members, especially Andrea Burns and Amy Da Luz who play the boys' mothers, bring extra power to the script.Akron's IMDb rating of 6.0 (and lower in the recent past) kept me from watching it until recently, and what a huge mistake that was. It's every bit the equal of Departure and Brokeback Mountain and moves at a quicker tempo than either. You'll wonder, as I do, why its IMDb rating isn't closer to 8.0. Clearly, it suffered from under-promotion upon release. It is one truly beautiful film.

Great movie primarily because of the actors, especially the two who play the central characters.The plot is a bit contrived though entirely plausible. I don't think it's necessary to look for any deep meaning in the behavior of those involved. Obviously a tragedy occurred and it was bound to have a profound effect on all involved and it was something that would not have been fully explored between parents and the very young boys at the time. Likewise it would have been a painful jolt to all involved when it suddenly resurfaced again as the two young men fell for each other at school. Forgiveness and rational thinking are easy to expect in theory, but far more difficult to deal with in reality. One thought that never seemed to have arisen was whether blame should have been shared between both mothers ... Christopher's mother who was driving the car that struck Benny's brother and Benny's mother who apparently allowed the child to run out in front of the car.We never know how long the relationship between Benny and Christopher lasted. The shared tragedy might have been overcome by love and forgiveness, but it would always be a burden that would weigh on them both.It was a well done bit of drama and romance, but it was not anything from which profound meaning could be extracted.

Benny is a gay child of Mexican parents and has just started at the University of Akron as a freshman. He gets roped into playing a game of American Football with his 'besty' girlfriend and after he meets, the rather dashing, Christopher. They like each other straightaway and just go for it.The fly in the lovebirds ointment is that deep in the past of their respective mothers there was a tragic incident that will now become a barrier to them being able to stay together.Now that is the synopsis and there are some things that I really liked. There is no homophobia or overly dramatic 'coming out' scene which marks this as 'progressive gay cinema' apparently. I just thought it was dealing with other issues – and it really is – their sexuality is just happenstance to the plot.The issues that the two boys face would just as equally be a problem had they been a boy and a girl. The issue with the film itself is how it is all worked out. You will love or loathe this one. This is not a sexathon either and the bedroom scenes I am being a bit generous with my marking but that is because they all do a more than above average job and I quite liked the whole thing.