Film Review: "Beyond the Walls"

“Beyond the Walls”

Directed by: David Lambert

Starring: Matila Malliarakis, Guillaume Gouix, David Salles, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin

Plot Synopsis: “Beyond the Walls” tells the emotional story of two men, Paulo (Malliarakis) and Ilir (Gouix), who unexpectedly hookup and become lovers. Paulo’s girlfriend Anka (Désormeaux-Poulin) finds out about the affair and kicks him out of their apartment, leaving him with nowhere to go but to the home of his new lover, Ilir. Paulo is reluctantly taken in by Ilir and the two’s relationship begins to blossom into something more than casual sex. Before Ilir leaves town for a brief vacation, Paulo promises that Ilir is the only man for him and the two temporarily part ways. When Ilir doesn’t return home as scheduled due to an unexpected legal matter, the two’s relationships begins to face unexpected challenges.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Let me start off by informing everyone that this film is entirely in French, so if you don’t speak French or you hate reading subtitles, this might not be the movie for you. If you don’t mind however, I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy this dramatic and emotionally engrossing piece of work.

In the beginning of the film, viewers are introduced to main characters Paulo, a pianist, and Ilir, a bartender and bass player. Ilir brings Paulo to his flat after a drunken night out, and their conversation the next morning reveals that while Paulo has a girlfriend, he is still trying to figure things out regarding his sexuality. The two keep in touch and begin to casually go out, which leads to Paulo consistently lying to Anka. After a few times out, Paulo and Ilir become sexual and Anka soon finds out about this, prompting her to kick Paulo out of their apartment.

With nowhere to go, Paulo heads to Ilir’s flat as a last resort and Ilir reluctantly takes him in, making it clear that he doesn’t want a serious romantic relationship with Paulo. Ilir’s attitude soon changes after spending more time with Paulo and this gives viewers a glimpse into the more caring side of Ilir. The two become even closer and Ilir makes Paulo promise that he will be with him forever, and it’s this instance that shows the viewer that while Ilir cares for Paulo, he may be a bit controlling. After this, Ilir takes a trip and doesn’t return home when Paulo expects and to Paulo’s disbelief, it’s because Ilir is in jail.

The mood of the film completely flips after Ilir is arrested due to drug possession and Paulo is left to fend for himself. This is part of the film where the characters’ personalities are put on full display: Paulo is seen as even more fragile and emotionally needy than before, and Ilir shows that while he cares for Paulo, he is somewhat selfish, risking Paulo’s own freedom for his own personal gain. Noticing how much pain the visits cause Paulo, Ilir tells him not to come anymore, but still asks that he wires him money.

Lost and alone, Paulo quickly ventures into a relationship with a sex shop owner (Salles) who has a significant fetish with everything S&M. It’s these scenes that show how desperate for companionship that Paulo is as he fully submits ownership of himself without a second thought. Even as Paulo is in his new relationship,  his feelings for Ilir are still blatantly apparent, but he stays with his new boyfriend as he is getting the emotional and financial support that he’s always desired.

When Ilir is finally released from prison, he goes to see Paulo, and it’s here that we see a major change in the characters’ attitudes. Paulo has become distant and somewhat guarded, similar to the way Ilir was to him in the beginning of their partnership. In return, Ilir has become somewhat desperate to regain Paulo’s love as he tries to mend their broken relationship and get things back to the way they used to be. Ilir’s actions prove pointless as Paulo has become too accustomed to the life that his current boyfriend provides for him, and Ilir is left heartbroken. Both men are visibly upset after they part ways as Ilir is seen crying on the balcony of a hotel and Paulo sheds tears as he walks away from said hotel.

Overall, this film was an excellent piece of work by director and writer David Lambert. The characters in the film have depth and a sense of reliability (depending on your own personality), and it’s interesting to see the dynamic between Paulo and Ilir switch at the end of the film. The acting is superb, the story keeps you interested, and the cinematography is awesome. All in all, I’m glad I took the time to watch this film as it’s become one of my recent favorites.

Rating: Far “Beyond” Average (4 out of 5)

If you need more of a visual before you decide if you want to watch this film, take a look at the trailer below.