My Best Friend

Lorenzo (Angelo Mutti Spinetta) is a�shy teenager who much prefers to keep his nose buried in a book rather than to be out playing sports with his classmates. He lives with his younger sibling in their family home in a remote part of Patagonia, where they had moved some years ago from Buenos Aires. His father still remains in touch with his old friends back in the city, and when one of them asks if he would take in his son for a while, he doesn't�hesitate. The vague reason is that he has been involved in an accident, which we later discover is a euphemism for a much scarier scenario.

Caito (Lautaro Rodr�guez) is only one year older than Lorenzo, but the two couldn't�be more different. He's a tough kid used to the fast pace of city street life and all the drama that comes with having a drug dealer for a father.�Lorenzo is cold towards him at first, but also very intrigued; when his father asks him to keep an eye on the newcomer, he takes the request very seriously.

As the two young men gradually start to bond, Caito finally opens up and confesses to Lorenzo as to why he was really sent away from the city.�It's a secret that he agrees not share with anyone, and which instinctively�makes him more protective of Caito, to the point that he defends Caito when his parents�chastise him for independently going his own way.

At the same time, Lorenzo is fighting a growing awareness of his own sexuality. He takes advantage of the fact that one of his female classmates has the hots for him in order to lose his virginity. It simply confirms that this is not for him and that he must come to terms with the fact that his feelings for his new best friend are sexual, too. The problem is that he cannot gauge whether they are at all reciprocated.

"My Best Friend" is the impressive feature film debut of Argentinean writer/director�Mart�n Deus, who has managed a wonderfully fresh look at the whole coming-of-age scenario. The two leads are well-rounded, intriguing characters that somehow do not fit into the stereotypical roles of a young gay unrequited love story. Deus' film gives�his two very talented actors, and in particular Spinetta, a perfect canvas on which to give some beautifully nuanced performances.

Argentina�increasingly is becoming an important resource for excellent LGBT movies, and Deus' film is another one to add to the list.

"My Best Friend"
DVD
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