Notre Paradis (French) [Our Paradise]

I am not too sure what the point was behind this film. Agreed the film had a lot of nude scenes, a few penis shots, decent looking boys. You could say the film explores or tries to explore the intergenerational relationships between gay men. Men in their twenties, thirties vs men in old age who rely mostly on prostitutes to get off. Also the constant murders and all were not really explained. Was this all for love pro for money?

Vassili is 30 odd something hustler. He meets old men and murders them. The motive is not explained. He meets Angelo, a 19 year old boy, who is beaten up in one such hustling incident. Vassili brings Alex home and they start falling for each other. They together prostate as a couple and sometimes when guys are not into Vassili because he is old, they just go with Angelo. He soon tells Angelo about the murders. Initially shocked, Angelo still stays because he loves Vassili. Once they are out in a club, they see an old man whom he had once attacked and thought that he killed him. To run away from cops, they run from Paris and go to the countryside to Vassili's friend Anna's house. She is a waitress and is bringing up his 10 year old son. Reliving their older years from Paris, Vassili, Anna and Angelo get into a 3some (so odd!!). Not to be a burden on her, they decide to go further in the countryside to a big house, which is owned by one of Vassili's old tricks who was nice to him and whim he did not kill. The old guy's young boyfriend does not take too kind to this uninvited guests and makes his displeasure clear. This makes Vassili angry and he kills them both too so that him and Angelo can take over their house and live in comfort. The film ends with them getting caught by cops.

Vassili's relationship with Angelo is loving, tender and caring. They both truly love each other. Other encounters are mostly about older men exploiting the young hustlers. The film doesn't judge the old for lusting after the young; in fact, it revels in it. There is not much story wise. Sex scenes. few encounters, a couple of murders and then running away. The whole Anna and his son episode seemed like a totally different chapter that could have been totally avoided but then the film could easily have been just a 30 minute short film. Acting by the lead characters is pretty good, not earth shattering but not bad either. It would have made more sense to spend some time in the reasoning behind dark side of Vassili.

Overall the film feels pointless, more of an erotic fantasy and forced characters than a real story. (4.5/10)