Drown (2015) Online

Drown may be set in a world/community that I'm not very familiar with but it's almost impossible not to relate to the tight knit brotherhood based on sports and drinking that is showcased in this film. It captured so seamlessly the dynamic between young men bonded over a common passion or a sport. A dynamic in which your bros and your masculinity is all that counts, no place for weakness, tenderness or affection.

Len is the typical and yet quite the unconventional bully, his obsession with Phil is unnerving, and the same could be said for his relationship to his best friend/lackey "Meat." But what makes Drown interesting is the feeling that regardless of Phil's sexual orientation, there is no doubt that Len would have bullied and harass Phil. Yes Phil's sexual orientation enraged Len but the insight into Len's upbringing only cemented his reaction to Phil's addition to the team. Meat is not just the unsuspecting guy who can't stand up to his friend and finds himself at the wrong place and time. He shines a new light on Len, while giving a few layers to Meat. Phil (Jack Matthews) is also very interesting, he may not exactly be in the forefronts of this story but his willingness to put up with everything just so he could belong to the group is sad and impressive at the same time.

The cast did a marvelous job Matt Levett's Len was captivating and intriguing, his inner turmoils is palpable and great to watch. Harry Cook's performance as Meat was quite and powerful, and Jack Matthews' Phil is relatable and very real.

Much like Len is confronted with his inner demons, Drown confronts the audience to what we've all seen happened at some point in our lives, bullying. The film is honest, intense, brutal and raw, a clash of worlds that make for an amazing emotionally charged climax. @wornoutspines

I won't rehash the plot of this, many other reviews covering what happens. What I will say is that I have seen a LOT of movies in my 70 years and can say this performance is right up there with anything ever done on the screen. It's hard to watch this and not think of Heath Ledger, particularly in Brokeback Mountain, "going there." This young actor not only shows the full depth of the character but all the facets of "manhood" in western culture, from the worshipped sports star and stud, to the deepest depths of human anguish. Not only is he physically beautiful and worth watching for that alone, but there is not one second when the camera is on his face when he isn't communicating some of the deepest passions we can ever know in life's journey. I know the subject matter isn't for everyone but if you are a connoisseur of acting performances, give this guy an hour and a half of your time. Harry Cook as "Meat" isn't far behind either.

So completely knocked out by the direction, acting, filming, editing, music, the whole package. I'm 73 years old, worked in the film industry and have to say it's in the top ten Aussie films I have ever seen. I mean that. It's quintessentially Aussie. I know all the characters, worked with them, trained with them, been close to them, have known them, have seen their doubts, their tears, their unrequited love. So much pain has been thrown at us in this film. It's a testament to how hard it is for Aussie males to admit to themselves what their mates truly mean to them. I quietly showed this film to two lifeguards who both ended up in tears when we talked about it. They thought that the theme would relate to any sport, job, workplace or school in Australia. It may become a sleeper, it may become a cult but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. This film is worthy of more than one Aussie award.

One of the worst films I've seen in a long time, gay themed or otherwise. There isn't one minute of this film that doesn't ring false. The relationships between the three characters is so far fetch that you spend every minute thinking that there is no way in hell these three would spend time together. If any one thinks this is an important gay film they must suffer from the same low self esteem and self loathing that the main character does. Are we really supposed to believe that someone who has a loving relationship with a seemingly very nice guy would give his antagonist the chance to repeatedly, and I mean repeatedly, torment and physically abuse him? Where is the logic in that? Any self respecting gay man would have had his tormentor throw in jail after the first scene and he could have saved us the torture that repeatedly followed. A total waste of time that is painful to watch.

This is a very important film as it puts the the ugliness of homophobia firmly under the microscope. Fantastic performances by Matt Levett (in particular), Jack Matthews and Harry Cook keep this piece moving along, aided by razor sharp direction by Dean Francis (who also DoP'd the film). It's hard to define this film - it's original. Shot on a mini budget around the beaches of Sydney and the seedy night spots of Kings Cross, the film is edited (also by Francis) is a montage style which works well, and suits the subject matter and feel of the film. The best way to describe it is as 'a ride'. As an audience, one is challenged, terrified, ashamed, enlightened and enthralled - but best of all, one comes out of the screening changed, and thinking deeply about what you have just seen. Seek it out. Highly recommended.

Len is top dog at his surf club; he is the winner of everything and an alpha male with attitude. His 'mates' are al macho grand standing rugger bugger types who tick all the relevant cliché boxes and expect him to do likewise. He is also a top life saver and has a penchant for Budgie smugglers. His best mate is called 'Meat' in reference to him being overly endowed in the trouser department and is a simple soul who does what Len tells him.

Then new kid turns up and saves a life on his first day and then starts to steal Len's thunder. This is Phil – Jack Mathews of 'Neighbours' fame. Phil is also gay and on a drunken night out things come to a head – no pun intended. Len is jealous of and apparently both attracted and repelled by this new man. The problem is the old adage of 'in vino veritas' hangs true – but not everyone can accept their truths.

Now this is just excellent; Matt Levett as Len is exceptional as the troubled sports star and brings a menace to the screen that is tempered by the fear and loathing that make up his complex character. As Quentin Crisp said 'some roughs are pretty queer and some queers are pretty rough' this can certainly be applied to Len. The use of editing is brilliant and adds to the immediacy of the whole piece. There is a constant throb of homo eroticism that intermingles with the ordinariness of what is actually happening and juxtaposes all the emotions that the players are going through.

The cinematography is truly brilliant too and that is by Dean Francis who co-edited; so I hope to see more good stuff from him. Please don't get me wrong, this is a hard watch in places and is painfully visceral when it needs to be; but I really appreciate cinema that pushes the boundaries – can illicit emotion and leaves you feeling that you have seen something special – absolutely recommended.

The movie is primarily about three lifeguards who are members of a swim club. The first lifeguard spends the entire movie consumed by a combination of seething rage, jealousy, lust, and low self worth. The second lifeguard is a co-dependent in drug abuse and is so easily influenced that he participates in the kidnapping, sexual abuse, and torture of the third lifeguard. The third lifeguard so desperately wants to be part of the group that he allows himself to be incrementally abused. At one point the third lifeguard suffers facial mutilation but even that isn't enough for him to distance himself from his abuser. The last half of the movie plays like a horror movie as you don't know who is going to be dead at the end.

One good thing about this movie is that it is a cautionary tale about the effects of untreated mental illness and drug abuse.

If you are into low self esteem, self loathing, masochism, homophobia, alcoholism, hideously mean spirited abusive overly self indulgent psychotic self destructive dudes - then this is your movie!

There is no story! You just follow some real fck'd up dudes around on the beach, bar hopping, getting laid, getting drunk and fighting. That's it! There is NO story!

From the very start you know Len and buddies have no life and should be on anti-psychotic medication! Each one wants to be the macho dude and they about kill each other to prove it.

A waste of time and if you watch the whole thing you will feel sick, stupid, and wish you had NOT watched it. Excuse me while I vomit!

I was fortunate enough to attend an intimate screening of DROWN in Katoomba this weekend, and the experience was intense and thought provoking, offering a different take on the gay culture often portrayed on film.

DROWN is an Australian film directed beautifully by Dean Francis and based on the controversial play written by Stephen Davis.

The story explores the relationship of three guys, Len, 'Meat' and Phil, all of whom are lifesavers, with Phil being the latest addition to the Lifesaver club. Phil's strength and skill as a lifesaver brings out Len's competitive nature. Similarly, Phil's sexuality is the catalyst that exposes Len's dark side, insecurities and his very obvious struggles preventing him from confronting his own sexual identity.

DROWN is unashamedly unafraid to explore the manifestation of homophobia in a world where unflinching mate-ship and machoism come before true acceptance of ones self.

The story will make you uncomfortable, and it has some confronting moments; but, that is why it should be watched, and that is why it is relevant in 2015.

There are some beautiful scenes of tanned bodies, sun and surf that play to some of Sydney's beauty, but the juxtaposition with some of the flashbacks and unfolding moments in the present remind us of the darkness that lingers. These expertly edited flashbacks, in equal part, build suspense and provide insight into the confusing, terrifying and tragic decisions made by the key protagonist, Len. Without these flashbacks it would be easy to dismiss Len as a manic, crazy c**t, and that's not to say he isn't, however, we have an opportunity to empathise with his struggle and consider the ways in which humans are shaped, molded and influenced.

Throughout the film you are fed just enough information to consider, more deeply, why the characters do, or don't do, certain things. This is important because there are some completely frustrating moments where you will question the actions, or inactions, of some characters (you may even want to scream at the screen).

The acting in this film is nothing short of inspired. The three lead men should be so proud. Their performances are brutal and feel painfully raw. It most certainly could not have been an easy experience, even for the most gifted of actors.

I'm not aware of any other film that so deeply explores homophobia and bullying. It is a story that will make you feel.

This film opens up the opportunity to have a conversation about gay culture, bullying, homophobia and the struggles that exist about sexual identity. See this film, and then talk about it.

Congratulations to Dean, Stephen and the entire cast and creative team for delivering an Australian film that has been masterfully crafted.

It will not come as a surprise to hear that "Drown" is a hard movie to watch at times. What you may not anticipate is that this is not entirely due to its themes of warring homophobia and homoeroticism in the ultra-Australian, ultra-masculine context of surf-lifesaving clubs. It's not even due to the sex or nudity, which, for an R18+ movie, is surprisingly tame. It is in fact due to the movie's distracting editing and over-reliance on slow motion and steady cam. Yes, that includes the obligatory night club scene where the character goes crazy on drugs and we see him dancing in slow motion with different music playing on the soundtrack than what everyone else is dancing to. You know, to show how alienated he is? If we hadn't gotten that already.

Some of the other touches work, such as flashbacks to childhood and adolescence, but these are spread on too thin. One gets the impression that "Drown" would have worked better as a short movie. It's the impressionist touches that work, but too much impressionism leaves little room for actual impressions.

You can also tell this movie was based on a play, which is confirmed in the end credits, and I'm not sure that's a good thing. When you see a play you have reached a tacit agreement with the theatre directors that, yes, you can suspend disbelief that the people on stage are wherever they're pretending to be. In a film, I'm not sure it works that way. We can see much farther past where the stage would end. In "Drown", we can even see cars and people. When a scene at the beach features multiple instances of assault, sexual degradation, forced nudity and near murder, you find yourself watching the cars in the background roll by, expecting one to stop and see what's going on. Not so in a play.

let me start by saying i went to the premiere in sydney this week and expected another run of the mill Australian film with a gay theme that interested me. i had no idea that i would be leaving with my heart in pieces and mascara running down my face. this is one of the most raw, honest and brilliant films that has graced the Australian cinema scene in years. the three standouts in this film were len (played by matt levett), meat (played by harry cook) and the beautiful cinematography (by dean francis). matts performance as the brutal repressed len does a great job and you can really sense his inner turmoil. harrys performance is stunning as well as he plays a three dimensional character that really makes you feel for him and his struggle to confront his best friend in a situation that he knows is wrong. i don't want to give too much away but just wanted to say how great it was to see such strong talent in an Australian film both in front and behind the camera. i think it will go on to do very well overseas and here in Australia. the three i mentioned above deserve some kind of award for their work. are logies for films too or is it just TV? who knows. but either way it was a great film.

For the past a few decades, we've seen a lot of positive change in terms of LGBT rights in some part of the world (mostly the Western societies). For lucky some, it is now not an issue at all to be a gay and live as one. But not everybody's that lucky. If your background or social standing does not support it, it still is a struggle to face one's sexuality and the pain is somewhat felt even sharper due to the relative deprivation to those who fly their rainbow flag openly.

Len is from an unprivileged background, where being a traditional man is still the norm. He lives alone with his ill (and homophobic) dad and works at a landfill. His one straw that keeps his head high and proud is being a long standing champion from surf-lifesaving competition, a symbol of his aggressive masculinity. Then comes a newcomer to the lifesaver's club; Meat is younger, handsome, smart, from a middle class background, and dares to live out his gay-self (though still closeted in the masculinity dominated club). Len is jealous of Meat for all what he isn't, and desires him at the same time. The tension between the conflicting emotions finally breaks when Meat beats him at the lifesaving competition and dethrones him from his single proud relic.

The whole film basically evolves around the intense psychology of Len - his deep rooted insecurity and aggression to hide it, his homosexual desire and self hatred for it. As much as he tries to go on top of the macho world he lives in, he becomes in the end his own victim, and this irony kills him. The film as a whole may occasionally fails to make every detail convincing, but delivers Len's emotional intensity effectively if not anything else.

I think it's a worthy addition to the list gay themed films from recent years for addressing the pain of people living in the marginal world. After all we still have professional footballer committing suicide under the pressure of the world around him forcing in the closet.

Drown is set in one of the most arguably regressive "Western" societies on the planet, Australia. While it's 'parent", the UK has become the opposite extreme of being ultra-liberal to the point of intolerance for anyone with an opinion contrary to the status quo, Australia continues to lag behind in attitudes and tolerance towards homosexual men. This is evidenced in the dynamics between the two protagonists; one a gay man, Phillip and another what seems to be a type-A closeted gay man, Len. While it appears Len has some repressed sexual attraction to Phillip, the fact that Phillip is younger, better looking and ultimately better athletically causes Len to resent and eventually take out his aggressions on him. The plot eventually devolves into a story-line as old as "Billy Budd", also played out in the French film Beau Travail. Although unlike those examples, there really doesn't seem to be any logical reason for Phillip to continuously tolerate and accept the increasing abuses from Len (i.e. he is not a subordinate), other than for us to surmise Phillip is secretly a hard-core masochist. And the revelation that Len is in fact homosexual is not at all a revelation since it is alluded to throughout the film, which makes it anti-climactic. Mildly entertaining, but certainly anachronistic to any Western standards.

This is a front runner for one of the best films I've seen this year. The story is quite intense and the telling of the three main characters through non chronological order just adds more depth, suspense and intensity. I can't say enough about two dynamics that really make the film. The characters and actors have great chemistry with each other and make the story very believable. Secondly, the cinematography and film editing really are something to behold. Matt Levett plays one of the most intense characters I have seen this year with great believe- ability. But rest assured, he doesn't steal scenes from Jack Matthews or Harry Cook. All three play off each other brilliantly.

The most cinematic looking Australian film I've seen, considering it was dirt cheap to make that just shows the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the filmmakers to keep us engaged and not get wound up on the little things. The film is shot in an unconventional, hypnotic style similar to (good) Terence Malick films and contains moments of nightmarish surrealism. The audience is successfully implanted into Len's mind state, with his nihilistic viewpoints burrowing under our skin and confronting us with the messy, confusing playground that is life. The absurdness and harmful elements of the idea of masculinity (bullying, peer pressure, risk taking behaviour) are hurtled towards us like asteroids, like all the memorable films, it doesn't cutely slip in its message with smugness but delivers it with sledgehammer force. The film is ugly, unpleasant, and unflinching, but that is exactly the point of it so those really can't be used as complaints. If it made you sick, it has done it's job. Homophobia is not a cute issue and should never be treated as such. There are sprinkles of dark humour in it too for those who need a bit of relief, but you won't have much time to breathe, it will pull you back in before you can. If you want to challenge yourself and your viewpoints, give it a watch, make sure it's on a big screen too.

This was an emotionally dark film that is very difficult to watch due to it's provocative and confronting nature. Nonetheless, Drown is rich, compelling and very relevant in addressing an important issue in our current society.

The cinematography was beautifully executed, with strategically laid out jumps to different areas in time that keeps the viewer engaged. Many of the low scores seen on this page are due to the confusing nature of the movie itself. I have to admit watching the film a second time made all the difference. Only on my second watch did I really learn to appreciate how brilliantly strategic the time line jumps were placed.

A bit of background knowledge in human body language and psychology is required to fully understand and appreciate this wonderful film. Any individual who are used to overstimulated and simple movie plots would otherwise find this flick very disturbing and distasteful.

The movie follows three lifeguards. The main character, Lenny, is a closeted gay man who was raised by a physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive father. His father taught him to suppress his sexuality at a young age and the only way to survive is through rage and abuse. As a result, Lenny grew up to be a bloke with low self worth. He became a raging alcoholic who is afraid of his own feelings and sexuality. Externally, he puts on a persona of a bully and an alpha male that overachieves to cover up and compensate for the void he feels within.

Meat, the second lifeguard, is Lenny's emotional co-dependent best mate. Their self worth are heavily depended on the action of the other. Meat was made fun of for his oversize "member" by the other boys when he was young and Lenny was the one friend that stood up for him and told him he should be proud not ashamed. In many way, Meat was Lenny's shadow doing everything Lenny told him to do. He's there for Lenny's emotional support and to inflate Len's ego whenever it is needed.

Along came Phil - a new member of the lifesaver club - who saved a little boy on his first day on duty and became an instant threat to Lenny. Phil became more and more a threat to Len's masculinity as he gradually takes over his spotlight. Not only that, Len is physically attracted to Phil, making his feelings toward Phil a mix of both admiration and hate.

Although Phil has a boyfriend, you would be blind not to see that he was becoming a moth to the flame that is Lenny. He would lie to protect Len despite being bullied by him. He would turn down a romantic dinner with his boyfriend to go out with Len. There's more than enough steamy sexual tension and homo-eroticism between these two throughout the film to start a sauna. Unfortunately, despite his hot for Phil and the fact that Phil was slowly falling for him too, Lenny was unable to reconnect to his long disconnected feelings and instead his inner shame was intensified by what's going on. Lenny's shame was turned up a notch after he finds himself receiving oral from a feminine guy at the gay bar and got caught by Meat. This led to a series of unfortunate events at the beach where Len humiliates and buries Phil alive the same way his father humiliated him and how he has been burying his feelings all these years. In the midst of all the nonsense, Meat confronted Len on how he has been secretly fancying Phil and has a disturbing way of showing it. Len challenged Meat to a swim off to prove his manliness. Huge symbol here: Phil is buried in the sand on shore to be drowned by rising tide and here you have Lenny swimming towards the ocean, far far away from him. Lenny's low self worth. The threat to his image and reputation of a champion. His feelings and sexuality. These are the things Phil was a symbol of. Lenny would rather drown than face his own demons and face who he really is within. This was result of the huge impact that his upbringing and hyper-masculine environment has on him.

If this film isn't rich, I don't know what is. You can call it distasteful, a disgrace, and a perverted way to depict homosexuality, etc.. In reality, Drown is a one of a kind film that makes people think. Not necessarily with our own sexuality per se, but maybe with feelings that we have long abandoned; shames and dramas in childhood that we sometimes would rather "drown" than to face. I don't know. Just a sincere thought.

All in all, a lovely film it was. There's something crazy alluring about a sexy tough guy that is emotionally messed up. Maybe I can see what's in the core of people that they themselves can't see? Matt Levett not only did an incredibly convincing job as Lenny, but he's oozing sexiness which was such a treat. This is a rare gem and easily one of the best Aussie films out there, especially if you are a fan of dark visceral materials. Highly, HIGHLY recommended.

I really enjoyed this film; If "enjoyed" is the right word.... I think it must have been really hard to play for the actor who played Len, when it all comes down to it, he is a VERY, VERY, SAD man. In the scene when len is sitting on phil's bed and he says "it's like a metaphor" if I was phil I would have continued the convo by saying "you know, I think that's the most intelligent thing you have EVER said......." I also think more could have been made of len's feelings about his dad, it was briefly touched on near the end but not really dealt with, also when len is about to be abandoned by meat, meat doesn't really help him by re-assuring him that it will be OK, he just continues to act really dumb, but I suppose that's in meat's character, he knows how to be a best friend but he can't do anything else! but apart from those things I think it was a cool film and very disturbing.

I assume the low average score for this title is due to the difficult and realistically portrayed subject of sexual confusion stemming from paternal abuse. Matt Levett, as Smithy, does an impressive job conveying the internal turmoil of a conflicted young man. The editing of some key scenes was awkwardly done, adding confusion about time lines. But Levett's acting maintained my interest. He carries the film.

I appreciate the film's ability to make sexy Smithy's dysfunctional sexuality stand out against the upbeat backdrop of a bustling gay entertainment district. This was an intelligent element. Less intelligent was the overly prolonged beach scene toward the end of the film. After a while, it had the flavor of bad soft pornography, while too subtly touching upon Smithy's victimization (presumably by his brutal father) which he appears to be acting out with Phil. Phil's passivity hints at his own possible history of sexual abuse. The use of the Meat character as more neutral observer wasn't really effective.