Posted: 03/24/2006

Summer Storm

(2006)

by Karen Petruska

Summer Storm premiered in 2004 in Germany, but due to the bizarre distribution procedures for foreign films, it finally arrived in Chicago in 2006. Aside from its refreshingly open depiction of (homo)sexuality and that fact that the characters speak German throughout, this film is quintessential Hollywood fare: conventional structure, predictable plotting, and a kicking soundtrack. That said, it is delightful and touching.

Directed by 28-year-old Marco Kreuzpaintner, Summer Storm features Tobi (played with poignancy by Robert Stadlober) struggling to come to terms with his desire for his straight best friend, Achim (Kostja Ulmann, almost too pretty to be straight). When two friends travel to summer camp to train for a rowing competition, they are joined by the female crew team and the Queerstrokes, an openly gay team from Berlin. Unavoidable conflict and heartache ensues.

Obviously, this film caters to a certain audience: gay men who enjoy a film (a la Brokeback Mountain) that features a view of the world from their perspective and also teases them with many shots of taught and glowing young men. From the opening credits that follow Tobi and Achim as they exercise, sweat, and bend over, through the several scenes depicting tentative lovemaking, Summer Storm provides many tantalizing views of adolescent love.

Yet both genders and all orientations can enjoy the view here. Tobi tries to hide his feelings for Achim by attempting to date Anke (Alicja Backleda-Curus), a teenager at once angelic and hypersexualized. Tobi’s reluctance to have sex with the sweetly aggressive Anke almost proves his homosexuality, for Anke’s radiant natural beauty is matched only by her devastating eroticism. Shirtless teenage boys, topless girls and women, the gentle fumblings of the sexually uninitiated, and passionate kisses: they are all here.

The film’s setting reinforces this obsession with sexuality through its lush greenery and seductive lakes. Yet Kreuzpaintner, who helped write the screenplay, works hard to keep the film from taking itself too seriously. The soundtrack, featuring a song called “Blonde on Blonde” and a remixed version of “Go West,” provides a bouncy and hip underscoring for Tobi’s struggles. The Queerstrokes, especially ripped Georg (Tristano Casanova), deliver comedic relief as they taunt a homophobic camper and otherwise celebrate their fabulous gayness. Yet the Queerstrokes also support and care for each other, and as they realize Tobi’s proclivity, they welcome him with kindness and without question.

The film falters in its depiction of the friendship that lies at the center of the movie. Achim is the least developed character in the film, almost disappearing once Tobi acts on his feelings. Kreuzpaintner wastes an opportunity here to delve into the depths (and darkness) or male friendship once homosexuality interferes. Instead, Anke acts as the voice of reason, warning Tobi that he can’t hide from himself forever. The feeble reunion of the Achim and Tobi in the final moments of the film feels tacked on and disingenuous.

Stadlober shines as Tobi, playing the humor, fear, and desire with equal aplomb. His silent longing drives the film forward, and his first homosexual encounter ripples with electricity. Bachleda-Curus demonstrates potential as an actress, but the script relegates her to the background, exploiting her lustiness more than her talent. Similarly underused is Coach Hansi (Jürgen Tonkel). As the only adult at camp, Leo could act as a mentor for the teens, especially for his favorite, Tobi. Instead, he merely shouts a lot when Tobi blows off practice rather than attempt to discover the source of Tobi’s indifference.

With a topic as complicated as this, Summer Storm introduces more subplots than it can handle. But when it focuses upon Tobi, the film achieves a moving honesty and subtle poignancy. When Tobi asks another boy, “What was it like for you,” his vague question about the difficulty of accepting oneself echoes with pain and creates a powerful intimacy with the audience. Though not perfect, Summer Storm provides solid entertainment and a sincere depiction of a boy’s journey to adulthood.

Karen Petruska is a film critic in Chicago.

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