Kattiera Nana I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

moonspinner55 Culture clash in modern-day Australia, as a 19-year-old Greek named Ari, handsome but feckless--and prone to snorting and shooting drugs--rebels against his hot-tempered papa, a man of values and culture but perhaps stuck in the past. Ari's inner-anger is all-encompassing; he lashes out at his family, at his diverse neighborhood (which appears to be an otherwise peaceful agglomeration of working-class Asians and middle easterners) and at girls who find him attractive. Ari's father is shown as disappointed with his wife and children, but even in the flashbacks there aren't any clues as to what would've made this man happy (he and his wife protested for Greek rights, but does he want his son to continue this fight--and what would the fight be about, the same issues the father fought for?). As Ari, Alex Dimitriades struts and preens like the next John Travolta (in fact, some of the home front squabbles, particularly one around the table, seem lifted from "Saturday Night Fever"). It's a risky role for the actor, who must keep up a perpetually ill-mannered demeanor, complete with lusty, angry homosexual activities which Ari keeps secret (his father hates 'poofters'); yet, Dimitriades, self-enamored and intense, makes the part work for himself and the audience. He's helped a great deal by director Ana Kokkinos, who also co-adapted the screenplay from Christos Tsiolkas's novel "Loaded" with Andrew Bovell and Mira Robertson. Kokkinos keeps the camera busy and free-flowing, although she stumbles when attempting artiness, which in this case is akin to dreariness. Some marvelous moments emerge in what could have been just another coming-of-age melodrama. **1/2 from ****

hifly1231-91-19730 This movie didn't do anybody who is homosexual any favors. It painted us as being promiscuous perverts who follow people out into back alleys, restrooms, etc. and have anonymous sex with anybody and everybody. I was extremely disappointed, and will never watch this movie again. I certainly hope that not many straight people view this, because it confirms what ignorant, closed minded people think about us without even getting to know us. Sure, I'm not stupid. I know that these things go on, even more often than I'd like. But to make a movie confirming the misconceptions of so many people who, instead of learning that there are a lot of us who are just like everyone else, who don't hang out in bathrooms, who don't follow people out into back alleys, who don't just walk up and get into the car with some stranger and have sex, quite frankly, really makes me angry. However, this is ONLY my opinion, and if anyone loves this movie, more power to them.

mezaco In Head On, Alex Dimitriades plays a troubled young gay Greek-Australian man who has LOTS of anonymous sex and takes LOTS of drugs a LOT of the time. Be prepared for lots of explicit gay sex scenes, not to mention violence and drugs. But I really did not enjoy this film on the whole. The character interaction is very over the top. Characters fly into fits of rage without explanation, people break into fights without warning, and the dialogue is completely stilted and unnatural. I can see this film's basic message, of a young man trying to come to grips with his heritage and also find love and happiness in a world of parties, drugs and sex. It's a dreary procedure, however, that portays Greeks as hysterical violent thugs who dance, literally dance, all day in any situation, even while in the middle of a fight! There are many incomprehensible decisions, actions and the film goes absolutely nowhere. Yes, you feel for this young man who just can't find his way. But it's like this filmmaker is trying too hard to make an "oooh-shocking!", "hard-edged" indie film. It just doesn't work.

moviegoer Truly a great little movie! The story moved at a good pace through-out and kept me very interested to see what would happen next. With so many movies these days, I keep checking the time because they are so terribly uneven and my interest is not held. Not with this one--very riveting and moving story. It did an excellent job of "showing" what our young protagonist (someone used the term anti-hero for him--I like that) was going through. Really liked the way the drug highs were portrayed. The voice overs were sparse--this film did not talk me to death or insult my intelligence by explaining everything. How very refreshing! Visually you went with Ari where he was going whether you liked it or not. I also really liked it because it was at times raw and visceral--life is like that sometimes for us, and for others like Ari, it's like that most of the time. Hurray for the male frontal nudity! It's not only women that have beautiful bodies. Johnny only had a couple scenes, but he upstaged Ari in every one. What a remarkable character to throw into the mix! I would be friends with him in a heartbeat. If you like movies about real people trying to figure out their place in the world, do yourself a favor and see this film.