Queerly Ever After #12: BOYS (Jongens) (2014)

Queerly Ever After is a bi-monthly column where I take a look at LGBT+ films that gave their characters a romantic happily-ever-after. There will be spoilers.

Since the New York City Marathon just happened this past weekend, I’ve decided to write about a movie that centers on runners, the 2014 Dutch TV movie Boys (Jongens).  Originally a made-for-TV movie, Boys ended up making its way to several film festivals across the world and receiving theatrical releases in several European countries and Brazil.

The Meet

Sieger (Gijs Blom) is a 15-year-old athlete training for the national relay team with a new athletics team. He quickly finds himself falling for the more sexually-aware Marc (Ko Zandvliet). While Sieger is quiet and somewhat passive, Marc is outgoing and impulsive, and Sieger finds himself more and more drawn to his fellow runner.

One day, after training, Sieger and Marc go swimming at a nearby lake with their two other teammates, after the other boys have left, Sieger and Marc continue to swim around. As they swim, they grow closer and eventually Marc initiates a kiss, which Sieger enthusiastically reciprocates.

Running Away

If you’ve watched as many LGBT oriented movies as I have, you can probably guess how the plot will now unfold. After the kiss, Sieger, afraid of what has just happened, takes off telling Marc that he is not gay. And yes, he spends the rest of the movie trying to deny his feelings for Marc while continuing to feel drawn to him.

Finally, one night, while a carnival is in town, Sieger gives in to his overwhelming feelings and makes out with Marc. Of course, the next night, when other people are around Sieger cannot be open about his relationship with Marc, which leads to a bit of a breakup. The film reconciles when, after winning the big relay race Sieger realizes he can no longer stay closeted and gets back together with Marc, with the closing shot the two of them riding together on Sieger’s bike.

While the plot for this film is definitely nothing we haven’t seen before, I’m not complaining. Movies have always followed formulas and even huge budget Hollywood rom-coms often follow the exact same pattern as another. There are certain things about this movie that really set it apart from some others.

Boys is deftly directed by Mischa Kamp, who, while under the constraints of a TV-movie budget, managed to create some wonderfully blocked scenes with beautiful camera work. The scene of the two boys in the lake with the bird’s-eye view of them hanging onto the log comes to mind as one that really stands out, as well as a scene of them shot through the mesh of a trampoline. Kamp went out of her way to take a simple story and make it something truly beautiful.

Also notable about this film is how the fear of coming out for Sieger is not caused by some sort of externalized homophobia by other characters around him, but by his own internal fears. This adds to the very internal, self-awakening nature of the film. Sieger, who lives with his widowed dad and older brother, is less afraid of how they will react to his coming out, than he is to living his truth.

In Conclusion

While not the most radical film, due to its wonderful direction and strong performances, it takes a well-worn story of self-acceptance and turns it into a beautiful piece of internal struggle.

Boys aired on TV in the Netherlands on February 9, 2014. For all other release dates see here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn8rVEFurBE