Customer Reviews

The Man I Love

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Perhaps the French do indeed have the market on love stories. THE MAN I LOVE is the improbable tale of a young gay man (Martin) living with AIDS who falls in love with an apparently straight diver and swim coach (Lucas) who comes to work at the Centre Nautique where Martin is the pool boy/janitor. Martin is so comfortable and carefree with his sexuality that he immediately pledges his attraction to the somewhat confused Lucas. Martin follows Lucas home where he lives with an especially lovely young Lise who immediately is infatuated with Martin's ability to use sign language (Lise teaches in a school for the hearing impaired) and encourages the mortified Lucas to include Martin in their social life. Things progress, Martin realizes he is coming to the end of his struggle with AIDS, invites his mother to meet Lucas, and gradually Lucas embraces his bisexuality and falls in love with Martin. All of this story is played (by an exceptional cast) as a simple tale of love and it is because of this honesty that the film succeeds. There is a tendency to push the Act Up movement - Martin's extended family engage in a laying in strike against the hospital for the French government's lack of AIDS research and treatment venues - but even this bit of grandstanding shows passion and compassion in a very real manner. The ending of the film, while edging a bit towards the saccharine, manages to quickly fall back in step and leaves the viewer with a sense of the power of love....as only the French can do! The setting in Marseilles is beautiful, the score is charming, and the mood is warm for a tough subject.

Few gay themed love stories are as touching and moving as this one between Martin, a gay man, and Lucas, a seemingly straight man whom he has fallen in love with.

Maybe it is the fact that Martin is living with AIDS and realizes that time is precious, or just that he goes after what he wants, but he wastes no filling Lucas in on the way he feels, a feeling which at first Lucas doesn't seem to share.

But the two become friends, and as they do we begin to realize, as does Lucas, that something more is developing, something he never thought possible...or did he? Although he has a girlfriend, Lucas wonders, as does the viewer, if there isn't something missing.

Much of the pleasure of this film is in the small touches as the story unfolds, as we see Lucas come to the realization that this new friendship is developing into something more meaningful. From here the movie unfolds to it's very moving and satisfying conclusion.

You may find yourself wanting to watch this movie more than once, especially when you see how it ends. Repeated viewings only seem to make the story more meaningful.

This movie is a story of coming out, of being true to yourself, and the tremendous power of love.

A genuinely moving story, The Man I Love (original title: L'Homme que J'aime) centers on the unlikely but potent romance between a straight diver and a gay pool attendant.
The film, in typical French fashion, invites the viewer to look outside convention and towards the deepest potency of true compassion by focusing on more familiar themes like coming out and AIDS. The film quickly draws you into the secret world created by the two lovers as they confront mainstream social expectations as well as grief, doubt, pain, and their personal demons. In the best possible way, the characters establish themselves as men courageous enough to love unselfishly and care for each other. Truly a subtle and striking film!

I was "forced" to watch this movie against my will, as it looked like nothing that would appeal to me. I was pleasantly surprised. I got caught up with these characters and have difficulty understanding the negative reviews. The negative rant from "Atlanta Native" purports the unbelievability factor. . . and he's gay! It's a movie, everything and anything is within the realm of the possible. I had no difficulty in Lucas's journey as he slowly falls in love with Martin. When we meet Lucas he is icy, bitter and removed. He's accustomed to luxury, having his own way, and used to rules and laws being bent or broken to accommodate him. His introduction to Martin is a bracing, instantaneous jolt of reality, an indication that the real world is not so perfect. Martin may (and does) annoy and repulse him, but Lucas has now been shocked out of an existence of an almost catatonic complacency. Martin annoys and repulses him.

The small ensemble cast are each absolutely perfect and watching their individual journeys is a nice insight into another world. The cinematography and locations in and around Marseilles are absolutely breathtaking.

This is far more than a gay love story, it's a story about hope, perceptions of reality, taking risks and believing in the magic and glory of the human spirit. This movie could never have been made in Hollywood. Thank God for the French, their sensibilities, their language and their movies!

The depiction on the cover of this dvd/video is somewhat misleading as it tends to lead one to believe that this a superficial "softporn and eye candy" type movie. The very opposite is true. While the actors in this film are definitely easy on the eyes they have have a depth of character and emotion that few american gay film characters achieve. I found myself feeling sorrow, attraction, and admiration, all at the same time for the lead character of Martin throughout the movie. The plot is sad and beautiful at the same time with just the right amount of emotion and not too much preachiness given the fact that it is about AIDS and the impending death of one of the characters.
This is a must see if you get the chance.

I have to be frank, I'm quite surprised at how well received this small French film has been by many viewers. In no way do I wish to offend anyone--if you found something of value in this film, I'm pleased. However, having really looked forward to "The Man I Love," I recently sat down with a few friends to check out the DVD. This story of forbidden love and AIDS is supposed to be charming and moving, but unanimously--we found it annoying and preposterous. With a lead character so childish, so selfish, so petulant, so borderline obsessive, so disrespectful--let's just say, it's hard to root for this film as any kind of "love story." Instead, I just wished someone would slap this guy around until he had some sense.

OK, I know this sounds harsh--so let's get down to the facts of the matter. "The Man I Love" centers on an HIV+ man named Martin. Working at a local pool, he meets a new lifeguard named Lucas. Lucas, while attractive, is a monosyllabic jerk in this first meeting--he orders Martin around and barely contains a real indifference and disdain for his odd coworker. Guess what? Martin just eats this up--he pesters Lucas on the way home and proclaims his love (within minutes of the initial meeting) for the straight and horrified man who just wants to escape this creepy stalker. However, Martin ends up meeting Lucas's live-in girlfriend, and she is sweet, inviting, and genuinely fond of Martin--this ends up being the key to how Martin and Lucas start spending more time together. "Irrepressible" Martin starts to employ "charming," "hysterical," and "endearing" tactics to win Lucas's thawing heart--and the two, who have no common ground, start to grow close as Lucas realizes there might be an attraction. Knowing that this is both a "love story" and an AIDS drama, I'll leave the rest of the plot to your imagination.

I have nothing against the storyline of "The Man I Love," but it's not particularly unique. I have nothing against the actors. Lucas, his girlfriend, and Martin's mother all give solid performances--I was especially impressed with the actor who portrays Lucas. Having to perform the most difficult role, he must convince you to believe in some of the most outlandish scenarios. Being stalked, manipulated and molested by Martin--he still tries to sell that this is a "love story." That brings us to Martin. Oh, I get it. We are supposed to love Martin's free spirit, but there's a reason I've used quotes on the adjectives "irrepressible," "charming," and "endearing." That's how the movie expects us to view Martin's juvenile antics. But his complete disregard for everyone, but himself, is an enormous problem. Throwing dead fish in a public pool and terrorizing clients--"hysterically romantic!" (But we're supposed to view his boss as the villain for having a problem with these things.) He disregards Lucas's feelings constantly and is a monster to Lucas's girlfriend, someone who has specifically reached out to him in friendship. Martin is a truly awful human being who claims he doesn't want to be pitied for being ill, but uses it to manipulate everyone when it serves his purpose. It's offensive.

As you can see, I feel passionately about this misguided movie. Negative stereotypes abound, but again--this film has been embraced by many. If someone who is completely selfish and mean-spirited is an ideal romantic partner for you, then check this movie out and enjoy! For myself, however, I'll find love elsewhere. KGHarris, 02/07.

It was a beautiful film. I liked it a lot. I was glad to see a homo oriented themed film that had quality (good, committed actors and really decent writing). The synopsis and cover make this film look like garbage -- but it isn't! It's a good watch.

It seems nobody wrote about the dvd edition, so that's my main point here.
Well, the image is 1.78 non-anamorphic, but it's a very good transfer. The colors are very nice and it's quite sharp, perhaps a little diffuse, but very slightly, or maybe it's just some grain (I'm no expert), but I think it's in the source. But this is a minor thing, I really think it's good image quality. And the subtitles are optional, always a good thing.
About the movie, I'm mixed. I agree with the reviews that indicate the character motivation and other script flaws, but at the same time the actor who plays the main character won me over by the end of the movie. I mean it moved me, and I guess that's the point.

This is a pretty decent heart-warming romance between an out-and-proud guy who has the ba**s to tell a straight guy he works with he's interested in him. What happens after is what this movie is about. How many guys dream they could do that? Well, in this movie you can see what could happen if you did... The French are quite good in producing artsy romance/comedy/dramas with a touch of je-ne-sais-quis that make them so unique. Definitely worth having in your DVD collection.

This is an epic tale of two forbiden lovers caught in a society of bigitry and chaos. The story entales a young Martin whose passion for life is as eminent as his passion for his new love. The incredible Lucas, fit for the part, finds himself in a new state of conscience. Questioning every move he makes. The two meet where they are both employed at a local pool/fitness center. It was attraction from the first for Martin. Lucas however was not as eager. The persistant Martin follows him home where he meets Lucas' live in girlfriend Lise. The three make for the best of friends until the spark between Lucas and Lise dwindles as the kindle between Martin and Lucas is set ablaze. Through hardships and tears, the two find themselves menat to be. Of course, what good is a love story with out the drama. We discover young Martin to have fully evolved AIDS with very little time to spare. To put that twist of irony on the spin, his physician just so happens to be Lucas' father. All seems lost until a lady in pink arrives, Martins mother. Sporting a shabby chic appearance with pink mercedes to match, she bonds the two even closer together until she acualy finds a way to unite the two in marriage. For all the tears and heartfelt emotion, the end draws near as we prepare say good bye to Martin. Lucas and Lise find that although thier love for one another has lost hope, they still have a friendship worth saving. We come to a close. Martin is gone and we all share in Lucas' tremendous loss and grief. Even so, at such a sad time, when we should feel the distraught and mixed emotions, confusion and disaray, we find a simplistic relief as we watch Lucas ride away upon Martins bike with just a hint of Martin still there, riding the handle bars and singing the nation anthem...together at heart - Forever.