Brace (2015) User Reviews

Believable and relatable look at LGBT London

[matt-muir · 8/10 · 22 April 2014]

Slicker than your average short, Brace's depiction of a small corner of London's LGBT scene manages to combine humour, pathos and an unflinching look at the violence and prejudiced still faced by many communities.

Telling the story of scene newcomer Adam's encounter and nascent relationship with Rocky, Brace crams a lot of thoughtful material into its 30 minute runtime. Dealing with acceptance, rejection, prejudice and deception, the short depicts the complex world of queer identity with a sure-footed skill which belies the writer's relative inexperience; produced with cinematography far better than what one would ordinarily expect from a similar-budgeted production, Brace is a hard-hitting piece of cinema which punches well above its weight.

Hard-hitting drama; life is not all happy endings

[tom_whelehan · 9 April 2014]

BRACE is a touch look at the all-too-real world still confronting LBGTs and their extended circle of friends and family. Writer, producer, actor Jake Graf and co-directors Sophy H and Alicya Eyo have tackled the uncomfortable reality that despite legal protection, true acceptance is still a long way off.

Brilliant tech work (shot in 5 days!) and layered characters bring the fear and longing of self-acceptance, new love and the frightening exposure to violence to the screen but (thankfully) does not opt for the happy ending.

This is must-see viewing for every school programme and outreach service.

Not enough for 24 minutes

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 29 July 2016]

This is "Brace", a fairly recent 24.minute live action short film from last year. It is a British production and the directors are Alicia Eyo and Sophie Holland. The writer is Jake Graf and he also plays one of the main characters. It is a story on love between men, but also between fading love between a man and a woman and many other things too. I think it is better than many gay-themed short films I have seen, but this is not because it's a particularly memorable movie, but because the genre is in a pretty bad state overall. I think Graf was probably the best actor here, but I wish he could have been as good on the screen play. I somehow feel that there are too many characters in here for a film under 30 minutes and the result is that almost none of these are properly elaborated on despite getting some screen time. A bit for everybody, not enough for anybody. Other than that, I found the plot and story all in all not too interesting either. I cannot recommend this 2015 film. Thumbs down.

pictures

[Kirpianuscus · 9 June 2018]

A film about a community. surprising for its deep honesty. for the precise portraits. for the way to present ordinary aspects of a life style. seductive for performances. short, one of useful films. for discover, understand, accept. not only a slice of near reality and its people. but a perspective about life. and freedom.

good performances. the right story. and London. different.