Cousins

Lucas is a young(?) man living with his religiously devout aunt. He lives a quiet and simple life playing music for his aunt’s meetings and chatting with the lovely neighbor girl. His life is turned upside down, however, with the arrival of his distant cousin Mario. Mario is outgoing, brash, free with his body, and everything Lucas is not. Their aunt is called away for a special religious retreat leaving the two young(?) men alone to explore their burgeoning sexual attraction

Occasionally charming but mildly amateurish, Cousins veers more towards an adorable coming-of-age flick rather than steamy homoerotic sleaze. The chemistry between the two leads is apparent, though slightly odd.  Odd in that writer/director/star Thaigo Cazado is clearly so much older than his co-star Paulo Sousa.

“His life is turned upside down, however, with the arrival of his distant cousin Mario.”

At first, you might think he made this whole film as an excuse to canoodle with a younger man. But, you’d be wrong. Despite its subject matter and a healthy dose of nudity, Cousins is remarkably light on sexual shenanigans. It might actually be the chastest gay romance in recent memory—a gay romance that is more about atmosphere and longing looks than sweaty grunting and bedroom acrobatics. More about holding hands and late-night talks than hot throbbing men crashing together like sexual gladiators with oiled pecs and glistening washboard abs and…sorry, I um…I just…I’ll be right back.

(Ok, what was I talking about?)