Because of a Boy
Because of a Boy
| 13 March 2002 (USA)
Because of a Boy Trailers

When Vincent finds himself a victim of outing in his high school, he must accept to live with the drastic changes it provokes, and redefine his relationships with his friends and family.

Reviews
2hotFeature one of my absolute favorites!
Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!
SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.
Frances Chung Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
NJMoon YOU'LL GET OVER IT is yet another in a wave of French coming out films to hit the American video market. They all seem to cover familiar territory - even overlapping in specifics at times - but each has a unique point of view. This is another teleplay for French TV, coming two years after JUST A QUESTION OF LOVE, which set a pretty high mark for the genre. Here, a high school swim team champ named Vincent is 'outed' (somewhat inadvertently) by a guy who seems infatuated with him, but unable to get a proper handle on his own feeling (conveniently, for the script). The story may or may not be autobiographical because both the lead character and the script writer share the same name (even surname). While the parents in JUST A QUESTION OF LOVE reacted as if their son had murdered babies, Vincent's parents shrug their shoulders and 'get over it' in just a few frames. This leaves the storyline to Vincent's own 'coming to terms' with his sexuality, which (turns out) isn't all that novel or (sadly) dramatic.The film also seems to have no problem with showing Vincent's carnal relations with his 'girlfriend' Naomie, but shies away from any overt sexual contact between Vincent and boys. Pandering to a hetero audience? Absolutely. The author conveniently relies upon the 'swim team' setting for it's share of male titillation, a tact much more successful employed in THE MAN I LOVE (1997). The closest kin of this film seems to be the English GET REAL, which was far more skillful in relating to it's central figure than OVER IT. Vincent's true personality remains a bit unexplored and the script doesn't do much to help. Worth seeing - especially in context with the other films mentioned - but don't expect too much. If you do, well -- you'll get over it (you'll see).
Cineastin I expected a lot of this movie, that is why I was terriblydisappointed. The German title "Alles wegen Benjamin" made methink that Benjamin was one of the main characters, but in fact, hedidn't appear in most of the film. I didn't even understand why heshould have been the reason for that suddenly everybody thoughtVincent was gay. I read a lot of plot summaries before watchingthis movie, and it always seemed to me as if there would be a kindof relationship between Vincent and Benjamin. At least, Vincenthad a sort-of-boyfriend, Bruno, but he was a very weak characterand not so important for the story. It was not a bad movie after all, quite realistic and sensitive. Iprobably would have liked it a lot if I hadn't expected more tohappen between the two boys. "À Cause D'un Garçon" was one ofthe better kind of coming-out movies, although there were stillmany things that could have been better. But only because it didn'tfulfill my imaginations, this doesn't have to mean that nobody willlike it!
thomasdosborneii This is a beautiful film about a seventeen-year-old swimming champion who is sexually outed in high school, and rather than deny his gayness, admits it and then gets to work dealing with it. I saw this at a gay film festival under the name of "You'll Get Over It," but I gather it was originally shown on prime time television in France, where I hope it reached a broad audience. Bravo to the French, who seem to be the masters of all things regarding love and sensuality.The lead character's name, Vincent Molina, is the also the name of the writer of the screenplay. I wonder how autobiographical this story is? Generally, I wouldn't recommend that a young gay guy come out until he is free and on his own in the world, not living under the roof of his parents or still in repressive, dangerous high school. But then again, to follow such a recommendation would be to waste so many precious, significant years when the hormones are screaming and the participants are at the peak of their physical beauty. How many of us would love to have the chance to go back to those days and this time do them right? Sure, as this movie so well shows, coming out at such an early age is extremely difficult emotionally, socially, and physically, and to do so is definitely beyond the abilities of most. But to do so is also phenomenally empowering to those who manage it. The huge set-back and loss in status that seems to accompanying coming out is later revealed to be merely pulled backward in a SLINGSHOT, after which there is a letting go and a powerful projection forward that puts one far, far ahead in the game.Vincent, the swimmer, has a lot to lose. He's a beloved athletic champion with adoring fans, he has a luscious girlfriend who loves him and with whom he is having sex, he has respectful teammates and a best friend, and parents for whom he is the apple of their eye. He also has a male sex partner on the sly, but even though Vincent's true nature is better known by the sex partner, that's about all that the sex partner knows or cares about, so the relationships that truly matter are with the others in Vicent's life who did not know about his true sexual orientation.Despite the beauty and sensitivity of the film, and the story of the hero being a gay student instead of it being a misfit, what really keeps this from being a typical teenage coming out story is the masterful ability of the lead actor to express the complexity of the emotions via his use of the interplay of subtle facial expressions. A lot of the time he seems to be in a state of blank questioning, as if he were not sure what to do next, and that if he were going to proceed, it would have to be very cautiously. And yet, it is clear that from now on, he will only proceed genuinely--he was aware that previously he had been using a mask (and it was his only shame), but now he isn't sure how to dispense with the mask or what will compose his face now that the mask is gone, he only knows that he won't be able to use a mask any more. His every step would take him into unknown territory, and the actor genuinely expresses the reality of those insecurities and the feelings of hopes, fears, wishes, disappointments, hurts, promises, comfort-seeking, sexual interest, and more, all playing out a fascinating symphony across his face.The movie is clear that the burden of self-identity rests clearly on the shoulders of the individual, but it also underscores the principle that helpmates will come out of the woodwork to support a genuine individual who is willing to be real. The losses are painful, but the gains bring an overriding joy that is beyond measure.
TomHobbes It definitely was very risky to shoot a movie for prime-time Network television with such a sensitive subject. The director, Fabrice Cazeneuve, and all those who contributed deserve congratulations for that. But the most important is that they did not only tried, they succeeded, and made a *good* movie. Vincent is a 17 year old guy like most 17 year old guys. Everybody would think his primary distinction is to be the best swimmer of his high school team. But the hidden truth is that Vincent is gay, a truth that is suddenly revealed to everybody in the high school, which will change his life... This could have been a terrible movie. Its makers could have been too shy and erase all controversy. They could have only achieved to provoke. But, thanks to a marvelously, sensibly written script, they managed to walk the thin line in the middle. Most of what happens on the screen seems true, the characters definitely look like the people you live with every day. Congrats also have to go to the actors. Julien Baumgartner, Julia Maraval, Jérémy Elkaïm, François Comar and the rest of the cast are perfect, delivering a very touching and subtle performance."A cause d'un garçon" reaches the goal its authors probably set for themselves. The movie can both help straight people to understand and accept the gay people around them, and allow gay people to think to their own stories, maybe even incite them to make their coming out.If only TV could produce more movies like this!