North Sea Texas

Name: North Sea Texas
Genre: Drama
Released: November 2, 2012
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 63

2012

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Strand Releasing | Release Date: November 2, 2012 | Not Rated

Summary: Pim lives with his ex-beauty queen, single mother in a small town on the Belgian coast. Introverted, he spends his childhood drawing and dreaming up fantasy lives while keeping his emerging desires a secret. As a teenager, he grows infatuated with his older neighbor and motorcycling hero, Gino. But his first love seems likely to end inPim lives with his ex-beauty queen, single mother in a small town on the Belgian coast. Introverted, he spends his childhood drawing and dreaming up fantasy lives while keeping his emerging desires a secret. As a teenager, he grows infatuated with his older neighbor and motorcycling hero, Gino. But his first love seems likely to end in disappointment. Meanwhile, his mother Yvette longs to leave everything behind and see the world. Their two dreams collide when a handsome man arrives in town and becomes their new lodger. (Strand Releasing)… Expand

Director: Bavo Defurne

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 94 min

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Critic Reviews

Sam Wigley

Nov 1, 2012

Drawing affecting performances from a fledgling cast, Defurne's film is a poignant snapshot of square-peg adolescent desire, vibrantly set against a colourful backdrop. Read full review

David Lewis

Dec 6, 2012

A pleasure to watch - a spot-on story about the agony and ecstasy of adolescent first love. Read full review

Chris Packham

Nov 1, 2012

Director Bavo Defurne fills the frame with warm, bright color and the lovely austerity of the Belgian seaside, angling for a soulful, slightly hyperreal comedy rather than the pursuit of a political agenda or a boring awareness-raising endeavor. Read full review

Robert Abele

Nov 2, 2012

Though not without its mini-heartbreaks and melancholic turns, North Sea Texas explores emergent sexuality and first love with a refreshing optimism. Read full review

Caroline McKenzie

Oct 31, 2012

While the film succeeds in creating a beautiful setting and portends of things to come from Defurne, it ultimately fails to give life to its main character - and no tale of pent-up teenage frustration should be as subdued and pretty as this. Read full review

Empire David Parkinson

Nov 1, 2012

Tender and touching, this gay coming-of-ages story is underpinned by a terrific, subtle turn from newcomer Florizoone. Read full review

David Fear

Oct 31, 2012

There are a million coming-out stories in various naked cities, and filmmaker Bavo Defume's contribution to the genre initially differentiates itself with a vibrant, creatively campy color scheme. Once the visual touches fade away, however, there's nothing to stop the parade of clichés. Read full review

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User Reviews

REPUTATION13

May 20, 2020

An iconic movie, perfect and necessary. Pim is simple but intense, his kindness is just EVERYTHING

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

cspencere

Nov 15, 2012

This wonderful rugged coming-of-age drama plays out like a beautiful, yet sometimes tragic, fairytale with plenty of depth and emotion. The end result is touching and will leave you lovesick.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

aslanmane

May 20, 2014

This is one of those films where you think, that was a story. And after a while you are still asking yourself whether it was a good one.

I watched this in several installments, particularly because most of what is shown on screen is Pim being awkward and not doing much about it, making meThis is one of those films where you think, that was a story. And after a while you are still asking yourself whether it was a good one.

I watched this in several installments, particularly because most of what is shown on screen is Pim being awkward and not doing much about it, making me bored. While I am glad that I finished the film, I am still asking myself was it worth it?

Pim is introverted, awkward and passive, a deadly combination that makes him border on boring as a character on screen. But his quirks make him quite relate-able and I guess that is his saving grace. He collects mementos from times when he is happy and stalks people he likes, which, makes him a little bit of a creep, but I still liked him because he was cute. Were this role given to someone less attractive, it would not have worked at all. He is also constantly passive except when he has bouts of jealousy, making him the least ideal character to carry the film.

The opening of the movie is filled with such local color, it sucks you in with an alluring parade of characters. And then the story and the actual colors on the screen become more bland as the story progresses. It feels like watching a brilliant kid grow but not live up to his potential.

Yvette was very interesting. She is filled to the brim with personality and yet she is not given the proper time and story to be someone you feel you would want in your life. The mother-son relationship was central to the story, yet it doesn't feel like there was any attachment between them, something precious. It was a week component of the story.

Let's face it, Pim is not the most well-rounded character. It's Sabrina. Her crush on Pim and eventual disdain for him were very realistic and very human. You can imagine that she is someone's little sister and that she could be your next door neighbor. Too bad she was just a side character. The ending where the mother gave them her blessing was all too contrived for my taste and it once again sidelines Sabrina to an inconsequential character whose feelings don't matter.

Gino and Zoltan are the hot, bad boys who are desirable. Fair enough, but they are nothing more than plot devices to externalize Pim's feelings. Which is, well, fair enough.

So, was it worth it? It could have been, if it were 25 minutes shorter. Films need moments to breath, but in this film that time was ironically suffocating. There is enough passiveness from Pim to compensate for the entire film. The different characters are amusing to watch. If you are going to enjoy this, don't focus too much on Pim. There is good character study invested on the secondary characters.… Expand

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