In Young Hearts, a 14-year-old boy’s world turns upside down when he falls in love.
Every queer man who discovered their queerness early has a story they can tell you with such clarity and fondness.
It’s a story of the first boy who caught their eye — the first boy they fell in love with before they could communicate what love was.
For some, it’s a wound that healed long ago, but the scar is still there to keep the memory alive.
However, there is no such wound for young Dutch teenager Elias (Lou Goossens).
Young Hearts feels almost like a dream about what could have been for some queer people if they were able to confess their love for their first boy crush.
It feels like what could have happened if they had the support they needed.
Yet, it also feels real and current, a reminder of how far the world has come and the remaining distance that must be travelled.
Events in the film directed by Anthony Schatteman seem like a manual for society on how to deal with and support queer kids as they discover themselves.
Opposite Sides of the Same Coin
Elias is the protagonist, but his story is largely connected to Alexander’s (Marius De Saeger).
See, Alex is Elias’ new neighbour. He has just moved from the big city to a rural village.
From the moment Elias lays eyes on Alex, he is intrigued.
Despite being close in age, Alex seems more mature than Elias. He communicates like an adult and dresses like one, too.
Alex is effortlessly cool.
It’s not a mystery why Elias is immediately love-struck.
As the boys settle into their routine in the small village, Elias falls deeper in love with every passing moment.
Young Hearts explores two sides of queer existence through Elias and Alex.
There is the side of someone just coming into their sexuality without any support system.
The little village has few people and inexistent queer people. Elias has been surrounded by a heteronormative world his entire life, and falling in love with a boy takes him for a loop.
Alex, on the other hand, has been living his life authentically his entire life.
He’s open about his queerness, and to him it’s as normal as anything else.
This is in stark contrast to Elias, and through both of them, Young Hearts paint a full picture of what is and what should be in a single stroke.
It is genius to have these boys who live in entirely different worlds come together to find how they fit in the real world.
The viewer can experience both of these extremes within an hour and a half.
‘Young Hearts’ Is a Masterpiece In Movie-Making
Coming in at approximately one hundred minutes, the film fits every message it wants to communicate without feeling rushed.
It finds the sweet spot many films miss, where it’s not too long or too short.
The final product is an engaging piece of art that entertains, teaches, breaks hearts, and puts them back together.
It touches on coming of age while queer, falling in love, queer culture, family and relationships, dreams, and more with impeccable balance.
Young Hearts would not be what it is without great performances by its young cast.
The skills shown by Goossens and De Saeger had me questioning whether I was watching forty-year-olds in teenage costumes.
Goossens’ portrayal of Elias is one of the best performances I’ve seen all year. The emotions he communicates with just one look are a masterclass in acting.
Those scenes where Elias is uncertain or scared and takes a step back to think are some of my favorites.
When he decides to come out to his mother, I forgot to breathe.
The rural setting also elevates the film by providing great locations to match its vibe.
While many movies focus on the pomp of huge cities, Young Hearts finds the charm in rural living, including farming, animal husbandry, nature, and history.
Everything is punctuated by good music and scoring that pulls the viewer in.
Verdict
It’s hard to find anything negative to say about Young Hearts because there is not. It’s a ten out of ten film that will leave you thinking about how many times you’ll watch it again.