The Way He Looks

Name: The Way He Looks
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: November 7, 2014
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 71

2014

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 84 Ratings

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 84 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Strand Releasing | Release Date: November 7, 2014 | Not Rated

Summary: Leo is a blind teenager who’s fed up with his overprotective mother and the bullies at school. Looking to assert his independence, he decides to study abroad to the dismay of his best friend, Giovana. When Gabriel, the new kid in town, teams with Leo on a school project, new feelings blossom in him that make him reconsider his plans.Leo is a blind teenager who’s fed up with his overprotective mother and the bullies at school. Looking to assert his independence, he decides to study abroad to the dismay of his best friend, Giovana. When Gabriel, the new kid in town, teams with Leo on a school project, new feelings blossom in him that make him reconsider his plans. Meanwhile, Giovana, grows jealous of this new found companionship as tensions mount between her and Leo. [Strand Releasing]
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Director: Daniel Ribeiro

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 96 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Randy Cordova

Nov 13, 2014

This is a wonderful movie. Read full review

Andy Webster

Nov 6, 2014

This winning movie — directed by Daniel Ribeiro, making his feature debut — dexterously weaves the social challenges of adolescence into a story of broader self-discovery. Read full review

Simon Kinnear

Dec 10, 2014

With the characters rarely verbalising their attraction, Ribeiro impresses by conveying Leonardo’s awakening through elegant long takes and the actors’ endearing chemistry. Read full review

Inkoo Kang

Nov 7, 2014

Admirable throughout is the balance that Ribeiro strikes between dewy eroticism and the contextualization of sexuality as just a single aspect of one's identity, albeit an essential one. Read full review

Keith Uhlich

Nov 6, 2014

Ribeiro captures the experiential awkwardness of young love pitch-perfectly. Read full review

Jay Weissberg

Nov 7, 2014

The pic has genuine appeal, though in truth the script and direction are little more than average. Read full review

Violet Lucca

Oct 28, 2014

The shuffling of who's an important/close friend transcends the specificity of being gay and disabled, and that experience is rarely depicted as realistically as this. But the film crosses into self-parody. Read full review

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User Reviews

ruanhardt

Apr 18, 2022

The film brings to the table lots of originality and a captivating story, it's really exciting to watch the main character developing his independence from his mother's leashes an becoming someone empowered.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Markosvini

Dec 25, 2014

Melhor filmes brasileiro de 2014, uma pena não ter sido selecionado para melhor filme estrangeiro no Oscar, mostra a realidade da comunidade gay jovem, e o final e tão adorável. Quero continuação

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

sebastianglz

Nov 15, 2014

"The Way He Looks" has a simple and common argument like love; but the way Daniel Ribeiro handle this argument to tell the story about Leo, a blind boy who has never been kissed, is just amazing. The acting of the three principal characters is amazing too, even the dialogue seems to be so"The Way He Looks" has a simple and common argument like love; but the way Daniel Ribeiro handle this argument to tell the story about Leo, a blind boy who has never been kissed, is just amazing. The acting of the three principal characters is amazing too, even the dialogue seems to be so simple. The themes showed in this movie, like love, first kiss and friendship makes this movie unforgettable, accompanied of Belle and Sebastian's "There's Too Much Love".
Ribeiro knew how to handle Leo's homosexuality, because he's not totally gay, he's just in love with Gabriel. Amazing story, hard to forget.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

pasbp

May 18, 2015

‘“Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”’ ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Much like ‘The Little Prince’, you will not find the film ‘The Way He Looks’ featuring‘“Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”’ ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Much like ‘The Little Prince’, you will not find the film ‘The Way He Looks’ featuring anytime soon in any Top 10 lists of the year or of all time.

It is not a critics’ darling. It doesn’t capture the zeitgeist and it certainly does not provide any groundbreaking insight about the times we live in. It is not a ‘Catcher in the rye’ nor a ‘In Search of Lost Time’. But it is a ‘The Little Prince’, concocted with the same deceptive simplicity and irresistible understated charm. And just as likely a target for the same misanthropic, highbrow bile as the latter is.

Its plot, an age-old story of teenage girl/boy/otherwise meets teenage girl/boy/otherwise. Its magic, telling it with inescapable charm and simplicity.

Seemingly reducing the complexity of the human condition to its most clichéd, over-simplistic denominator, what in reality this film does is finding the common humanity in all of us and bridging the gap by conveying it in a universally accessible language, that of emotions, sensations and of fewer words as possible; blasphemy for the supposedly more sophisticated masses.

The film is awkward, silly at times, and it revels in it. It comes to life when depicting with disarming sincerity and earnestness such moments of embarrassing unease. And embarrassing unease is the ultimate definition of being a teenager, if there has ever been any.

Sex hasn’t happened yet. Life hasn’t happened yet. You are discovering who you are, how your body responds to stimulus, which stimulus it prefers and how. You have never chartered these waters before, you have no clue what to expect and feel completely out of your depth. You are clumsy, all that you do and say is pathetic and all that surrounds and happens to you is silly and painfully awkward. And yet, you have never felt so alive.

A few babyish kisses in a foggy shower mirror. One fully clothed masturbation scene, angle wide focused on the eyes, the lips, the face, the touch and the thrill of discovering fantasy and pleasure. One lips-only hushed kiss. One fleeting glance at your loved one’s line of beauty. One climatic final embrace. The thrilling delight of speeding away down your street in your bike, holding the one you love tight, with a joyful abandonment that only youth and inexperience allows.

Let’s face it: Disney nowadays manages to squeeze in more action than this. And yet, ‘The Way He Looks’ stands tall as one of the most sensual pictures ever made. Nothing you see will arouse you. Nothing is overt, crass or vulgar. Its sensuality derives not from what you see but from what you experience. With its disarming sincerity and earnestness, the film pulls you in; you don’t observe as much as you experience.

Some films will provide you with the comic relief needed to manage the drudgeries of daily life and prevent you from falling down the perilous pitfalls you find along the way. Other films will provide you with a safe haven to let it all out, anger and sadness alike, by serving as a metaphor and ultimate validation of all the sorrows in your life.

But then there are films that by virtue of their artistry will fill you with a pervasive sense that irrespective of the reality that you are facing, you will ultimately prevail in some form or the other and will still be able to somehow take a small measure of joy from what surrounds you. Such films will not necessarily give you profound insights about life and your existence, nor will they open your eyes to new ways of being and doing, nor will they invariably make you cry or laugh out loud. Instead, they will fill you with an unbridled, understated elation and an inescapable sensation of being at peace with life passing mercilessly by and you somehow still managing to take some pleasurable bits of it for your enjoyment. They will make it OK to be OK with life as is and its imperfections.

Nothing in this film feels false or formulaic, owing much to one of the most naturalistic and sincere pieces of acting to ever grace the screen, curtsy of its 3 main leads, Ghilherme Lobo, Fabio Audi and Tess Amorim. You will find it silly and unsophisticated. You will find it unremarkable and understated. And you also will feel hijacked by expectancy, as you see sincere love unfolding before your eyes. You will end up elated and uplifted. You will want to clap at the end and will be left feeling giddy for weeks to come. You will be a willing prisoner of its charm.

Just don’t forget to leave your misanthropic self behind when entering the screening room; you can always get back to it later. Give it a break.

That fox was on to something after all...

Oh and I lie. ‘The Way He Looks’ did indeed feature in Top 10 films of 2014’s lists. Joshua Bote, Terence Johnson, you legends.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

foxgrove

Nov 7, 2014

An upbeat and engaging gay coming of age story from Brazil that makes for an extremely entertaining 95 minutes. The unhurried style makes the developing romance between Blind Leo and new boy at school, Gabriel, very believable and absorbing. The story in no way feels contrived and the moreAn upbeat and engaging gay coming of age story from Brazil that makes for an extremely entertaining 95 minutes. The unhurried style makes the developing romance between Blind Leo and new boy at school, Gabriel, very believable and absorbing. The story in no way feels contrived and the more intimate scenes are very sensitively handled. Only the depiction of the bullies comes over as somewhat cartoonish, but this in no way spoils a rather tender little film. The ending is lovely.… Expand

7 of 7 users found this helpful70

NRNSW

May 2, 2015

Cute and engaging coming of age story from Brazil - great performances from the 3 lead actors. The approximately 90 minutes of film is quite enjoyable to watch.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LowbrowCinema

Nov 11, 2014

I love films too much to be writing such a poor review for this first film but THE WAY HE LOOKS is like watching paint dry. Actually, I painted my home recently and it was more exciting. THE WAY HE LOOKS is like an after school special without the insights.

1 of 15 users found this helpful114

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