Brilliant and disappointing at the same time

Rating: 8/10 (20 November 2018)

I have seldom had such strong, but also mixed feelings about a movie. There were aspects that I disliked, but they were ultimately outweighed by the things that I found absolutely brilliant so I think the rating of 8 is well deserved, especially because movies that handle gay love respectfully are still way too rare.
I think the overall "carpe diem" message of the film was wonderful. I loved and was moved to tears by the monologue by the father in which he tells his son what too many parents would not. I also thought the acting by the boy could not have been better. I have never seen a more impressive and realistic end titles scene than this. I also adore that this movie realistically shows that love is not only beautiful but also true at 17, regardless of age gap. Gay or straight does not really matter.
Where the movie disappointed me is in the way the relationship was built up and how both characters betrayed their own feelings (which rang unreal to me). I understand the struggle of the man to hide his feelings, but very little of that showed. I was also hugely disappointed in the ease by which the man flirted with the girl. I personally find it hard to believe that someone would betray a current love that way. Similarly, I found it unbelievable that the boy would make out with a girl on the very day his dream might come true. And then the way that the man announces his marriage and having had an "on and off" relationship. That ultimately made me feel that the man's love wasn't as sincere as the rest of the story made it out to be. And thus that the relationship might have been manipulative after all.
But then again, perhaps that was the objective... to show that life flashes by and that even this imperfect beauty is worth every moment and too often shut out. In the end, the movie left me feeling deeply sad. Perhaps especially because it touched home with me, having experienced an impossible love at the same age.