Mario

They said very good with great acting, but sad take in the end

I'm not a spectator sports fan (too many d*** people), so I usually don't even take the time to preview such a film - but I'm so glad I did. Excellent acting, cinematography, plot, setting, dialogue, etc., it's all there. A bittersweet movie...Matthew 26:73–75:(After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.)Trust me, worth watching………….......

I was very impressed with this film. I liked it a lot. I will watch it again at some point, as I see different things that I didn't see before when I watch movies over again. Subtitled films I like to watch again because the second time I know what they're saying, so I can concentrate on the actual film instead of reading the subtitles to know what's going on.I suppose what I want to say is - although I disagree with how the team treated them, I do think that Leon should have put his career first. I'm in the arts, and the professional sports world and the professional arts are similar in the sense that with some arts one has to do them while one is young. Just like some sports. I'd go as far as to say most sports one has to do in one's youth. Leon wanted love and a relationship, and to me personally it seemed like he was ready to settle down. Mario ... I felt he wanted that too ... but he also wanted a career as a professional footballer ... because he was clearly good enough to do it. On one hand, yes, it's sad, Mario picked a career. Leon moved on, new city, new life, new love. Leon clearly stated that he didn't want to "go back to that again". But on the other hand, in my personal opinion, and I hate to say this, but - I believe Mario made the right decision. In my opinion, there is time for love and romance. But there isn't time for love and romance (and those kinds of distractions) in a profession that demands that it be treated like a religion and has a time limit on it. Having been in a field like that ... I understand it ... because I've ... "been there done that".

How many out gay professional athletes can you name? The few that existed quit playing after a few years. Pressure from teammates, the fans, the sponsors. It becomes too much. Looking at the movie through this lens there is almost no other way it could have turned out. The movie spends the first 45 minutes showing the developing deep love between the two, how they push each other, challenge and inspire each other to be better. While Mario is new to this it is refreshing that unlike most cliche films he accepts his sexuality and his love for Leon. The two actors have incredible chemistry and Max Hubacher's performance is Oscar worthy. What most other reviewers are missing is that Leon makes a huge sacrifice, and the sacrifice isn't Mario. He explains that he too had the same dreams of athletic stardom and fan adulation, but he could not live his dream if it meant being dishonest about who he was. At the end Leon has moved on, but even if he had been alone he would not have gone back to Mario under the circumstances. Conversely, if Mario were willing to risk everything to live his truth nothing would have kept Leon away from him, even his new boyfriend. So the film is not really about sad gay endings, but the fact that even in this day and age, in this context, gay men must make unfair choices (if it were a male and female soccer player they'd be a celebrity power couple). The ending is tragic and upset me for days, but it made its point. Brilliant movie.

Mario and Leon are soccer players in love. They are also at different places in their gay identity, and even in their budding soccer careers. Leon is free of the closet and he can be at times uncompromising and militant. Leon seems to struggle with the concept of soccer as a team sport and has to be reminded repeatedly of this by the team. Mario remains mostly closeted because he wants a career as a professional soccer player, but this is not possible as a gay player who is out of the closet, as he is reminded by team executives and his manager. Of the two, Mario is disciplined and takes his soccer career more seriously. Leon abandons and completely shuts Mario out of his life after Mario chooses to remain in the closet to fulfill his dream of being a pro level player. Leon's abandonment of Mario is harsh and this results in soul crushing agony to Mario. This behavior though is typical of Leon's tendency to insist on things being on his terms. The movie reminds us life does not offer answers to all our questions nor guarantees tidy endings. Yet, Mario still manages to work due largely to its pacing and Max Hubacher's sublime performance, and that’s saying a lot b/c all the actors were flawless. Mario is far superior to Call Me By Your Name and may even be as good if not better than Brokeback Mountain.

So, I'm going to make a film with a homosexual theme. Firstly, I need two 18-20+ year old male actors who are reasonably good looking, have super bodies so we can do lots of shirtless scenes, and also (just in case) have good backsides so we can shoot the ubiquitous male nudity scenes where only backsides are allowed. Acting ability is of no great importance as the audience will spend most of the time ogling the two main male characters in the vain hope that there may be some frontal nudity or rampant sexual scenes or preferably both.We will also need a female character who acts as a 'beard' for one of the boys and is totally understanding supportive even though she knows she is only being used.Secondly? Storyline We have our two characters. One is openly gay and the other is so far back in the closet it would take him an eternity to come out. The homosexual character is attracted to the 'straight' character and makes a pass at him. The latter is completely taken aback by the offrontary but at the same time strangely attracted. The two eventually get together, the 'closet' homosexual having finally admitted to himself that this is what he has always wanted.Thirdly. Everything goes along really well and then??? Their relationship is discovered. They have to part. One will be beaten up/ die of aids/ be publicly humiliated/disappear into the mists of time/ or be the victim of some tragedy. The audience will be left with a feeling of great sorrow at the failure of what could have been a beautiful relationship.Isn't this is what always happens in films with a homosexual theme? No two homosexual men will get together and have a beautiful relationship, live their lives just as they should be able. It just never happens.I could write a script in 15 minutes. "It's the Same Old Song and with the Same Old Ending Since You've Been Gone" (Four Tops with a few alterations to lyrics!)Boring, boring, boring.I could cut and paste this review and add it as a review of most of the homosexually themed films I've ever watched. For goodness sake, isn't there anyone out there who can come up with a different ending? I think this is why God's Own Country impressed me so much. It ended with a message of redemption and hope for both characters. PLEASE don't make GOC 2. It will wreck the story.

Es ist einer der schönsten Filme der letzten Jahre. Der gesamte Film und auch die Geschichte um Mario und Leon gehen ans Herz. Diese Geschichte zeigt das unsere Kultur längst noch nicht damit abgefunden hat, dass auch Schwule ganz normale Menschen sind. Wir leben und atmen auf dem selben Planeten... Warum kann es nicht auch in der Welt des Fussballs Schwule geben. Es ist doch ehrlich gesagt nix dabei? Es steht keinen auf der Stirn geschrieben oder es ist auch keine Krankheit. Es sind Gefühle die jeder Mensch hat.Ich würde mir wünschen, wenn dieser Film dazu beträgt. Das mehr schwule Fussballer gibt die endlich dazu stehen was sie wirklich sind und fühlen! Es gibt bestimmt so so viele... nicht nur in der Bundesliga.Schaut Euch dieses Film... und ihr werdet ihn lieben. Ich schwöre es...Ich bin selbst schwul... und stehe dazu!

We all know there are many gay/bisexual footballers in the premiership as well as in foreign leagues and despite the politically correct do-gooders who sprout their usual nonsense that this should not be an issue in the 21st century, this brave film shows us exactly why they won't come out. Leon and Mario are teammates in an ambitious club who fall in love to the consternation of a rival striker who starts to spread deadly rumours about their relationship the consequences of which make up the second half of the film. I won't spoil what happens - although I expect you can guess. What I will say is that the production values are high and the performances and direction first rate. Max Hubacher (Mario) does well as the lad who has to decide between love and furthering his career, while Aaron Altaras (Leon) gives a quietly compelling performance as Mario's other half. As so often in this genre the ending leaves a feeling of melancholy. But then the preceding two hours will show you why. In Swiss German with excellent subtitles. Good extras featuring director and Altaras. Recommended.

This movie started off great and the development of the relationship was depicted really well as well as the prejudice they endured. However the last 45 minutes of the movie really ruined it. Why can't gay movies ever have happy endings for the protagonists? Just one shot of Leon sitting in the stadium would have redeemed the movie yet the last shot is of Mario scoring a goal then looking lost as he realises he has no one close to him to celebrate with. It upset me the movie ended like this but that's my opinion, maybe others would like it?

In my opinion, the best gay films of all time are, in order: 'Brokeback Mountain', 'Juste une question d'amour', 'MARIO', and 'Another Country' (based on my collection of over 200 titles in this genre). I dismiss the criticism by one customer, that this story lacks originality (that person who seems to think that most gay films follow a boring set itinerary). In my experience this film is very true to life, and is certainly the work of someone with insider knowledge of the Football profession. Most gay coming-out experiences share a similarity because of the very nature of one's coming out in a society in which some people are unwilling to accept that homosexuals are perfectly normal people in all other ways, because most people happen to be heterosexual. Quite why the Football profession does not seem to respect current laws and guidelines regarding homosexuality, bullying, and employment rules is beyond me, especially when one considers that the British armed forces have succeeded in bringing themselves fully up to date (a miracle in itself). Yes, Football is a macho profession, but not nearly so much as the army. I can safely say this with experience of both. The idea that gay players in a team may affect ticket sales is absolute nonsense of course, since most people nowadays either respect gay people, or have a family member, relative or friend who is gay, and also because they are bound to a large extent by political correctness, particularly at work. I put it down to the unwillingness of certain club owners and management to change. In this particular case, any story line which didn't follow stereotypical experiences would not work simply because there would be no need to make a film about gay footballers if their lives were as banal as those of their heterosexual peers. We could instead make do with another film about football or footballers. As for the film's ending - I can understand that some might find this one unimaginative, but to me, it reminded me realistically of how I felt when I had to face the future without the person I loved, and contemplating whether it was worth living or not. Such dread was clearly written all over Mario's face, with all the fear and pain that I had to endure. So, full marks to the actor who played the part. The clever thing about this concluding scene is, that it effectively provides the author with the opportunity to write a sequel. Superb acting, well-written, and beautifully shot. The work which went into making this film is very commendable indeed, and the actors had to train with professional footballers to blend in convincingly.