Don't Tell Anyone

A Spanish-language flick based on the autobiography by Jaime Bailey. Originally titled No Se Lo Digas A Nadie.

I actually saw this in Peru, in it's native language, when it came out in theaters, it was recieved with enthusiastic reviews though widely considered taboo because of the subject (as society there is deeply religious and not as liberal as in the States).

It follows the life struggles of Joaquin, an upper-class boy with an ignorant, religious mom and a very macho no-nonsense father. He discovers early in his youth that he is attracted to other boys though he doesn't really understand why and thinks harshly of himself because of it (even praying to God, asking him to make him "normal"). As an adult he further tries to repress his nature by dating a fellow student in law school, named Alejandra. Unfortunately, Joaquin can no longer go on with his farce when he meets Gonzalo, a secretly gay man engaged to Alejandra's best friend. From there begins Joaquin's rebirth as he delves into sex, drugs, lies and double-lives.

This movie was beautiful in it's drama and angst. Joaquin goes through so many emotions, from a repressed childhood, to a liberating yet dangerously manic adulthood. The part that gets me the most is that this guy really REALLY wants to destroy the part of himself that is gay, he tries everything, even confiding in his girlfriend with his secret. When he finally does accept that he is gay and prefers men, he is thrown into a chaotic life of violence and drugs, where he finds an odd freedom in expressing his love, but at the same time is treated like an ignorant child as all his partners rebuke him for being "stupid and falling in love." Joaquin believes that it is his right to love freely and desperately searches for someone who will love him unconditionally while all his partners either tire of him, or marry; leaving him behind. Still, just as Joaquin resigns to living a double-life like everyone else in his society, you get a sense of hope at the end that the man just hasn't learned his lesson after everything.

This movie explores many views on homosexuality. From religious views that homosexuality is a sin, to Peruvian society norm where men should be macho, to a desparate woman in love who thinks it's a curable illness. Even within Joaquin's partners there is a great pressure to appeal to society and therefore they usually tell him to marry a woman and keep his gay side as a sort of hobby. Then there is Joaquin himself who cannot accept anything but an openly gay life... or does he finally give in to everyone's warnings and settle down?

I haven't read the novel so I don't know how much it differs from the original, but I would highly recommend it. It's a wild ride from beginning to end and actually pretty tasteful in it's sexual content though nudity is not shyed away from at all. If you love drama, twisting plots and not-so-happy endings this movie is a definite must see.