ChanBot
i must have seen a different film!!
Bumpy Chip
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Deanna
There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
baxterbhbaxter
The really attractive aspect of this movie is the sympathy for all the characters, not just the two boys who form the mainspring of the action. This covers familiar territory - adolescent growing pains, sexuality, friendships, etc - without once being condescending. I showed to this to a Thai friend and his comment was simply, 'this is a true story. it happens to so many boys in Thailand" Not just in Thailand I might add. The film is fluent, unsensational and quite superbly acted in a very naturalistic style. It is more explicit than the not dissimilar Amice Per la Pelle (Friends for Life) from Italy, but in a similar league. I won't bother with the details of the story since many reviews cover them: but the person who found it offensive and only about sex must have seen another movie. This is a film about growing up, about real relationships boasting super locations, tender moments, a few amusing ones and above all no false emotions. BB
lastliberal
For all intents and purposes, Cesc Gay was a new director when this film came out. He manages to write and direct a film that is sensitive and daring in it's treatment of teenage sexuality. He has since written and director other films that have been recognized for their excellence.This was a first film for Jordi Vilches, who was outstanding as Nico.The basic story is that two friends are spending some time together while Dani's )Fernando Ramallo) parents are away. They explore their sexuality, and they grow apart as they find they have different interests.You would never find a film this touching available to American teens. The ratings board would prefer they concentrate on fart jokes rather then an exploration of sexuality. There are a lot of questions here, and some things are wrong (date rape), but there are also no neat endings like you would expect in an American movie. That is how life is.
terryhall2
This delightful film, which the Spanish seem to excel at making, just looks at a section of life of two teenage boys sharing a summer together. Good friends, they are at an age where their hormones dictate what they are doing and Nico, who thinks he's much more macho and attractive than he is, wants to lose his virginity before he reaches 17. Very cute Dani likes his friend's company and like many teenage boys discovering their sexuality, these two masturbate each other when female company is lacking. However, two girls Elena and Berta turn up at the beautiful little coastal town and Nico's interest is piqued. Dani, who feels a deep attraction for his friend wants to spend more time with Nico and resents the interference of the girls presence. It's a summer of learning and acceptance for him that he is gay. The acting is superb, so natural and human. Many European films capture this humanity that American films find it difficult to do, because the latter are generally ruled by making money, not for the art form. In Nico and Dani no judgments are ever made, no sensitivities hidden or prejudices espoused, just the sincere and objective exploration of the human condition shown as natural as it occurs in life. People are people, not ridiculous super-heroes in contrived situations. There is also a maturity in European films, with excellent acting that draws you to believe these things are really happening, and the audience is expected to be a mature one too. It's a fresh, happy little film, well photographed and the subject matter intelligently handled. I recommend it.
graham clarke
Many reviewers have remarked on the handling of the teenage experience evident here as opposed to countless moronic American movies with teenage heroes. "Nico and Dani" is an intelligent exploration of teenage sexuality and the confusion it often causes. This in itself makes it an unusual film and worthwhile seeking out.But despite the realism on display, with two excellent lead performers, the ultimate effect is curiously lacking. These characters (nor us,the viewers) seem to gain much from it all. Films that rely on understatement have the potential to be extremely powerful. That is not the case here.There are similarities with the French film "Come Undone", both being about young male sexuality emerging during the summer vacation. "Come Undone" is vastly superior in all departments and as such deeply moving. "Nico and Dani" has a mildness about it that makes it fairly forgettable despite its undoubted merits.
