What is the dividing line between pornographic and artistic? Asking for a friend. While I saw no explicit engorged members in this film, the only reason for such is human skin isn’t transparent. There were certainly engaged bodies unhindered by props or covers or clothing, and the premise of tenderness or “making love” v. “outright boning” lasted about fifteen seconds; after that, the sexual relations portrayed were not unlike an Olympic contest where the boys were trying to score points for the judges. I thought I had a good read on pornography, but if this ain’t it, well, there’s still a bunch I do not know.
Ocho (Juan Barberini) has an airbnb in Barcelona. I would love to know why Barcelona? What he hoped to accomplish on vacation? The guy I see is clearly bored and looking for some spice. He reminds me of those people who don’t bring anything on airplanes; how did you think you were going to fill this time? The lack of foresight is … disturbing. Ocho eventually does find a hobby; spying an attractive man in a KISS t-shirt, Ocho tracks him until getting the opportunity to invite Javi (Ramon Pujol) up for “something to drink.”
This film totally lost me about half-way through and I’ll tell you how because I think it’s important if you’re actually concerned about plot – Ocho claims Javi looks so familiar and Javi reveals he does because they’ve met before, 20 years ago. Oh? You have my attention, movie. And then the reveal: I cannot give the details without spoiling the film. Suffice to say, I don’t believe Ocho would forget this period in his life. In fact, I find it difficult to believe anyone would forget such a period in their life … which means that the screenplay is either being too cutesy or just pain fudging. And if it’s the former – as the film’s conclusion would suggest– the dialogue needs more clues to help out the viewer.
I’m sorry for crappy writing in the last paragraph, but this film put me the reviewer in a bind: nothing happens in End of the Century until Ocho meets Javi, but describing anything other than their sex pretty much gives the whole film away, which I do not wish to do.
For an LGBTQ film, End of the Century isn’t exactly flattering towards LGBTQ portrayals – take our hero, Ocho, for instance. He’s alone and bored in Barcelona, so he goes trolling for trim. On the beach, he catches Javi’s eye once and immediately advances to “Hey! Notice me!” status. Later, on his balcony, he calls down to a stranger who may or may not be the person he saw on the beach with (paraphrasing here but I’m not wrong): “Want to come up for some sex?” And what is Javi’s response? “Sure!” Javi offers a token five seconds of resistance, “let’s proceed slower,” but gives in to the bedroom before the shot ends. It isn’t until post coital glow an hour later that Ocho wonders aloud, “Do I know you?”
If you’re trying to escape a false and ugly stereotype that gay men are hedonistic, perpetually horny, and not terribly particular, this is not the film for you.
I have a perpetual soft spot for films attempting to rewrite reality; not films that lie to us, per se, but instead films that make us realize what we saw was illusion in some form, like The Sixth Sense or Fight Club. I can’t even tell you if End of the Century belongs in said group; the writing wasn’t clear enough. But I think it could be, which gives me a healthy respect for what the screenwriter was trying to do. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough film here to respect the rest; the scenes are long, the sex is indulgent, and there are more establishing shots than an episode of “Amazing Race.” Mixed bag, but I’m thinking unless you’re really horny and into two men going at it, you can probably give this one a miss.
Ocho, on vacation, would wait
For a manwich to fall on his plate
Capturing his meal
He devoured with zeal
Does this fellow’s name also mean “ate?”
Not Rated [Read: a whole lotta R], 84 Minutes
Director: Lucio Castro
Writer: Lucio Castro
Genre: Relationship examination
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Come for the gay sex, stay for the mind screw
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Mike Pence
