Far West (2003) User Reviews

It runs in the family?

[Havan_IronOak · 7/10 · 11 June 2004]

Eric (though he prefers Ricky) is unhappy that he has to leave Paris for a week to visit his grandfather on the farm. He'd much rather practice his dance routines with the boys he hangs out with.

His grandfather is a rough no-nonsense farmer who's got little patience for a spoiled boy from the city. Plus Ricky is gay and has never come out to his grandfather and doesn't like the idea of having to be closeted for the week.

However Ricky is intrigued by the new farmhand Jean-Didier who is features prominently in Ricky's cowboy oriented fantasies.

When Ricky's two friends show up from the city, the irrepressibly gay boys shake things up and amid several discoveries; Ricky and his Grandfather connect on a new level.

This light hearted short is polished and well made and the boys are easy on the eye and while there are some spots that ring untrue, I look forward to seeing more of this director's work.

Well-made, with great touches...but predictable

[tevanson · 18 October 2004]

This is a predictable little French film whose main redeeming feature is that it features four gorgeous French boys.

Ricky (gorgeous French television star Julien Gauthier) is a high-maintenance Parisian queer-boy who loves nothing more than to spend his time practicing dance-moves for music video auditions. His two lovers -- the darkly handsome French lad, Mika, and the flamboyantly blond Asian, Koko -- stick right by his side. But Ricky has promised his mother that he'll spend two weeks with his grandfather at the family farm near Chartres.

Ricky is on civil terms with his granpere, but cannot relate to the rough old farmer. When Ricky realizes that Papy has a hunky, muscular, handsome farm-hand (French TV star Alexis Michalik), he has a sudden desire to stay on the farm... Ricky soon combs down his outlandish hair-do, starts learning how to do chores, and spends his free time repairing an old bicycle. The sudden and surprising arrival of the loud Mika and Koko put a big crimp in Ricky's plans to seduce Jean-Didier, the farmer's helper.

The film has a central twist (grandpa and the farm-hand are lovers! oh no!) that can be seen coming a mile off. The reconciliation of grandfather and grandson isn't far behind, along with a little lesson about being yourself and overcoming your fears.

The main problem with "Far West" is that it's just too pat, too formulaic, too predictable. The acting is solid, no doubt about that. The comic timing of Gilles Gullain (Mika) and Tony Granger (Koko) is wonderful. There are wonderful touches in the film -- like the wheeling stars behind Ricky's head as he sits in the barn at night, thinking. But the plot just isn't there.

A hand on the farm.

[adamjohns-42575 · 3/10 · 19 June 2021]

It could have done without the comic relief and there's a lot going on without anything really happening.

It's another one that could have made a good feature length film. I'd like to explore their histories and what lead them to this point and what the results are following these discoveries. I don't know why you would make this a short film when there is obviously so much more to it than what fits in to 20 minutes.

I do wonder if Jean-Didier could come and help me with my garden though, what a great bottom!?

Also, I wouldn't give any of them work as dancers!

Style over substance

[Horst_In_Translation · 2/10 · 30 July 2016]

"Far West" is a 17-minute short film from 2003, so this one will already have its 15th anniversary soon. It is the story of a bunch of gays who spend some time at a farm. It is a French-language film and you may need subtitles for it. The director and one of the writers is Pascal-Alex Vincent. I personally did not enjoy the watch at all. In included so many stereotypes and during all this, it did not even come close to making a convincing story or film. It is a loud film, a colorful film and a boastful film you could almost say. It is a prime example of a pretentious movie that is very much style over substance. The way the characters were depicted was so in your face, but if you look closely, then you will realize quickly that they really did not manage at all to give them memorable characteristics. Of course, you need to look beyond the surface for that. But not too much, as it will be obvious to every cinephile with some at least decent taste I am sure. This was a bad film and you should not see it. Major thumbs-down.