On the one hand, many scenes are soft and serene, on the other brisk and agitated. There is a fine drama lurking somewhere in between. The actors are all well cast and very skillful, as is the production department.
What seems to be lacking for me is a clear focus on the main theme. The physical look of the two leads unfortunately get mixed up with many of the supporting players. Only a quarter way through the film was I able to distinguish the leads from the rest.
When races were run, there didn't seem to be a clear picture of who was the main team, who were the challengers, and exactly who was winning. The same can be said for characters' objectives--the leads vs. the supports. (Also the American title, Boys, seems too generic to make a distinctive impression.)
The problem apparently is in the basic design and execution of the script. Otherwise, the film is well shot and the entire cast quite accomplished.
What seems to be lacking for me is a clear focus on the main theme. The physical look of the two leads unfortunately get mixed up with many of the supporting players. Only a quarter way through the film was I able to distinguish the leads from the rest.
When races were run, there didn't seem to be a clear picture of who was the main team, who were the challengers, and exactly who was winning. The same can be said for characters' objectives--the leads vs. the supports. (Also the American title, Boys, seems too generic to make a distinctive impression.)
The problem apparently is in the basic design and execution of the script. Otherwise, the film is well shot and the entire cast quite accomplished.