tlashop.com

Bevo wrote on 04/08/2012:

One of the best movies...gay or not...made. If only US gay movies could be as good.

Skiri wrote on 09/24/2011:

This movie is one of three that are the most outstanding gay films during the past year. The other two are Plan B and Undertow. From Beginning to End and Plan B are Brazilian productions, Undertow is Peruvian. That’s interesting: my three favorites are all made in South America and none in the U.S. Each of these is extremely well written and thoughtful?cerebral and visceral, you might say? and not the usual silly American fare: first love, coming out, or comedy. I am immense impressed by the movies and think that anyone who likes a serious movie about life with both humor and sex and the problems and possibilities of being gay and forming happiness will find them more than satisfying.

From Beginning to End is hyped as “controversial” because the relationship that is portrayed is between two males who are half-brothers, the suggestion being, of course, that their relationship is incestuous. How silly. The incest taboo in Western society and elsewhere was established to prevent a male and female who are closely related from having sexual intercourse and giving birth to a child who often is born retarded or suffers from other physical defects. That taboo makes sense in a human society. BUT sexual relations between two males results in no offspring. Intercourse produces no human beings. Therefore to compare sexual relations between two related males to that of a related male and female makes no biological or logical sense.

What is beautiful about this movie is the love between these two half-brothers from the time when they were growing up through their life as young, sexual adults. The earlier relationship was, of course, not sexual but one of tender closeness, protectiveness, and love. Later, after they were older the relationship evolved into a natural sexual relationship that was an expression of both tender love and protectiveness but that was also characterized as otherwise a normal social and professional life. What, I ask, could be more satisfying for two people?

The movie moves in several directions, especially when one brother, Tom-Tom, goes to Russia for a three-year stint to train as a championship swimmer and the relationship becomes strained. But that is overcome. I cannot recommend the movie highly enough. And the other two, which are different but have many of the same qualities. It seems that American writers and directors can learn from the Brazilians.

Chris wrote on 09/14/2011:

a touching and moving love story with the deepest of bonds. while the subject matter may push limits for those with braces on their brains, this movie is a must see. one of the best gay themed movies i've seen in several years.

M wrote on 07/24/2011:

I think the movie is one of the best i have seen in years. The beauty they have when they touch each other as grown ups is breath taking. they are obviously beautiful men, and two brothers touching each other would make people think of porn.
But the way they take each others cloths off or just sit next to each other shows you that as dangerous or as "outside" as there love it. Its still beautiful.

Green Giant wrote on 07/01/2011:

This film, while on a touchy subject, is one of
the most gorgeously filmed and scored gay
love stories EVER. granted you have to take
Any lush romantic film with a grain salt and
this one is no different.

The director treats the subject with intelligence
and the depiction of the sexual aspect of their
relationship is shown frankly without being
gratuitous or graphic.

Actors Rafael Cardoso and Joao Gabriel
Vasconcellos are impossibly good looking
but who's going to complain?

As stated the acting, writing and directing are
all first rate. the only thing I don't understand
is how the behavior Tomas and Francisco
exhibit as children raises a few adult's
eyebrows. What was so outlandish about it?

All in all if you love lushly romantic films most
especially lush gay love stories you will LOVE
this film.