The Way He Looks (2014)
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The Way He Looks Movie Review
The Way He Looks is a 2014 Brazilian teen drama film directed by Daniel Ribeiro and starring Ghilherme Lobo and Fabio Audi. It’s a wonderful film.
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“We need to share how we feel.
There’s no point in keeping it all bottled up“
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Leonardo is a blind teenager searching for independence. His everyday life, the relationship with his best friend, Giovana, and the way he sees the world change completely with the arrival of Gabriel. This story is very different of course by having a blind character at the center of it and that is its biggest strength.
Yes, the film very honestly, accurately, but still sensitively portrays what it is like being blind in this world. Especially his confrontations with his parents are phenomenally handled in some very dramatic scenes. He wants to be left on his own and not cared for constantly as a child, and that was heartbreaking in a way.
So yes, Leonardo or Leo is a terrific main character. He’s superbly painted, very well developed and well-acted by Ghilherme Lobo. His every struggle is well showcased, and both his issue with his parents as well as his closeted homosexuality are beautifully handled.
Fabio Audi is also very strong as Gabriel, though obviously much older than Lobo, but still his performance is very good, and the character is incredibly likable. He’s just the right mix of cool and mysterious.
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As for Giovana, I’ve got some very mixed feelings about her. On the one hand, I really find it super annoying and tiresome to always have this plot and character in a gay movie. She’s in love with Leo, but he only sees her as a friend, and eventually upon realization that he is gay, she is heartbroken.
I find such women in real life super annoying so this plot bothered me, but still the actress did the best she could with such a role and the friendship between the two is so wonderful that overall I gave it a pass, though it’s obviously the film’s only evident issue.
The Way He Looks is at its best when showcasing a lot of details in the protagonist’s life. It’s meticulously detailed: shaving is shown, an eclipse is described to him by his crush, walking, classical music, school life, some bulling and so on. Everything here is filled with immediate, real details that you would only find in foreign indie cinema, and I loved every second of it.
Yes, it’s a slow build, but it’s not boring in any way. It’s slower paced, but every plot point counts, everything is important, even the most minute of details. The performances are strong, the direction is very good and the dialogue is terrific.
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The film isn’t the most unpredictable as you see what will happen for the most time, but it’s such a well told story that I did not mind that. The cinematography is also great, and the cinematic touches are terrific as the film relies on showing, not telling masterfully. The score is all over the place, but it worked for the most part.
The Way He Looks has a tiresome plot with the girl, but otherwise it’s superbly crafted on every level as it’s filled with such abundant, accurate, real details that make the film honest and rich. It deals with blindness in such a grounded manner while also developing a sweet, great romance. The cinematic touches to it are masterful and the characterization is excellent. It’s a wonderful movie.
