By Matthew Moorcroft

Solid Recommendation

• Directed by Anthony Schatteman
• Starring Lou Goossens, Marius De Saeger, Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo
• Not Rated

Young Hearts, for better and for worst, is mostly sweet and unassuming. And this is mostly by design; it wants to be cozy, comfort version of these kinds of stories, a Close without much of the same heartbreak or alienation that can come from films of it’s ilk. I would argue it’s very much a rebuttal to those kinds of stories, actually, especially as Young Hearts has very little in the way of external bigotry or rejection on the part of the cast.

Instead, it’s all internal as Elias, played by Lou Goossens in a genuine star making turn here, struggles to accept a queerness that he’s always kind of known but never actually come to terms with. When you are 14, it does sometimes seem like the world is against you and everybody hates you and you are just so different damnit. Elias’ struggles are almost entirely self-created, a first I’ve seen for a film like this, and it’s arguably more relatable as somebody who really fought back against similar emotions back at his age. We want to fit in but we can’t and we just don’t know why until the dam bursts, and suddenly we are angry at the world, ourselves, and everyone else around us.

Anthony Schatteman makes sure to direct the film with a quiet, kind voice that never raises itself much higher then the lead song our protagonist’s dad sings throughout the movie (which will surely haunt the dreams of every single person who watches this). Nothing too fancy in terms of camera movements and placement, no grand scale to it’s imagery. It’s very to the point, almost entirely focused in on the cast and their small glances towards each other. You love a film that basically never cuts away from it’s lead protagonist, and Elias is almost always in center frame here, it’s about his perception and experience.

And yet, it’s possible the film might be a little too nice in the long run? While I appreciated the kind aesthetic here, especially as it nears it’s conclusion, Young Hearts’ entirely internally focused conflict means that there is a lack of urgency to the main story that lets it sit for a bit longer then it otherwise would. At only 97 minutes, it admittedly feels longer then it otherwise, even if it doesn’t ever veer into outright boredom or lack of engagement. It’s just lackadaisical, which is totally fine but it’s also a vibe that you need to be ready for.

By far the best thing about Young Hearts though is that it will likely be an important film to watch for many young queer folk who are afraid their friends and family will reject them. Embracing yourself is the first step to happiness, however, and Elias’ slow acceptance of both himself and his feelings will likely resonate with many young people looking for some kind of understanding of their situation. It helps that Schatteman is very much in tune with how the youth of today talk and respond to each other, with much of the film also told over texts and modern day movie references that feel like these kids live in today’s world. Hell, there is even a clever Romeo+Juliet reference in the film’s second half that is far more clever and thematically interesting then I would have expected.

I don’t think Young Hearts is a particularly incredible film by any stretch of the imagination, but I do think it’s a really pleasant, soft one, and that alone goes miles in making something likable and entertaining. Young queer folk are likely to eat this up and I think that’s great, and the cast is more then strong enough to make it work. Definitely worth a look see, even if it’s overshadowed by other, more interesting LGBTQ+ works out at the moment.