Tackling a highly controversial taboo, this German coming of age drama is bound to divide audiences. While it initially presents as a typical teenage romance set in the countryside—complete with bike rides, swimming, and lush cinematography—it executes a twist that fundamentally alters the film’s genre. Although it utilizes shock value, I found it difficult to stay engaged throughout the entire runtime due to numerous underdeveloped ideas and loose threads left unresolved.
Sebastian leads a fairly standard teenage existence in a small German town, living under the close supervision of his parents and engaging in minor rebellions like sneaking off to drink beers by the lake with friends. He has a girlfriend, though she is clearly more eager to advance the relationship than he is. He is simply a boy attempting to find his place in the world. The status quo is disrupted when his father arrives home with Kolja, a boy who is supposedly the son of an ex-girlfriend from before his marriage and a child Sebastian was meant to be a godfather to. Following an initial period of awkwardness caused by having a stranger in the home, Sebastian begins to experience feelings for Kolja that surpass anything he has felt for anyone else, including his girlfriend. He is unprepared to confront the possibility of being gay, particularly given the treatment of openly gay and trans people in their small town. As their intimacy grows, they discover they are actually biological brothers. This revelation shatters Sebastian’s trust in his parents, and the situation spirals once both boys realize they have found their first true love and a soulmate in one another. Aware of how scandalous this appears to others, they attempt to hide their connection, but their emotions are uncontrollable. Once the secret is exposed, news travels quickly through the town; Seb is physically assaulted, his parents face work-related struggles, and his younger sister becomes a target for bullying at school. To terminate the relationship, child services intervene and take Kolja away. With staying in a town where their secret is public knowledge no longer viable, the family barely survives the school year before deciding to move. The film concludes on a quiet, open ended note as Seb locates Kolja’s new home and visits him on his birthday.
The movie is successful in making the viewer feel deeply uncomfortable. Incest narratives are inherently difficult to watch, and adding a gay element to the premise can either be highly effective or a total failure depending on the execution. The director approaches the subject with sincere curiosity, avoiding judgment of the characters and allowing the story of Sebastian and Kolja to unfold naturally. Yet, the viewing experience remains unsettling because the fundamental wrongness of the situation is impossible to ignore, even when considering that these are two boys experiencing attraction and identity for the first time. They are brothers, regardless of the fact that neither was aware of it when their feelings first emerged. While Sebastian has mostly been a loner with only one close friend and a girlfriend who feels like a mere formality, Kolja is immediately likable and quickly becomes the most popular student at school. Sebastian initially maintains his distance but is eventually drawn into the social circle. As their bond strengthens, it becomes evident that this family is harboring many more secrets than just this one. It feels like a missed opportunity that the film barely explores the queer community living in the house in town that catches fire—the same one Sebastian visits as he begins to question his sexuality. This is more than a coming of age tale; it is a story of two children navigating the world while grappling with misunderstood emotions. Even the parents are revealed to be carrying their own baggage as the narrative progresses.
It is an incredibly uncomfortable experience to watch, particularly for those with a brother, and the film will likely provoke highly polarized responses. I found it to be an average effort, largely because I struggled to view it objectively as merely another teenage gay love story.(6/10)
