A deliciously simple story of one night of romance, Ducastel and Martineau’s Théo et Hugo Dans le Même Bateau uncovers the ins and outs of gay love.
You And The Night
by Mark WilshinThéo et Hugo Dans le Même Bateau
[rating=4]
CAUTION: Here be spoilers
Following one man down into the basement of gay sex club L’Impact and confronted with a plenitude of naked men observing, having sex and masturbating, Théo Et Hugo Dans Le Même Bateau circles round its two heroes, fully exposed but still undisclosed. It’s not until we cut to a stage-lit bed, which sees the rest of the world pushed away, that it becomes clear this is something special – it’s love at first sight. Leaving together by vélibre, Théo (Geoffrey Couët) and Hugo (François Nambot) soon find their evening ruined by an HIV emergency and a trip to hospital before spending the rest of the night together on the boulevards and canals of Paris. A distillation of French cinema, from New French Extremity to Cléo de 5 à 7 or Eric Rohmer’s Parisian love stories, Théo Et Hugo Dans Le Même Bateau is an unexpected treat. While the performances are both strong, they don’t always hit the mark and the chemistry between the two men is sometimes lacking. However, with a beautiful script and naturalistic dialogue, Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau’s film negotiates its highs and lows with grace and charm. And revealing the intricacies of gay love with its erotic charge and restless sprinting, Théo et Hugo Dans le Même Bateau makes for a fine romance.
Théo et Hugo Dans le Même Bateau is now showing at the Berlin Film Festival
