Load of rubbish!!

A Surprisingly Unforgettable Movie!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

An addicted relationship between a minor and a adult is still a controversial topic, and, from time to time, I am intrigued to see how such a "liaison" is depicted. As F. est un salaud includes a gay theme as well, there are "mandatory" topics of prostitution, mental issues and drugs, visible through a 25-y.o. and a 15-y.o. males, while the latter is performed by a 20-y.o. actor not looking younger... There are some brave scenes and good camera-work, but the film is primarily a record of young affection and obedience rather than a versatile depiction of characters evolving. Moreover, it leaves some issues unclear as well: was gay life in the 1970ies Switzerland really as open and easy? What about Beni's family when he began to live with Fögi? The ending was also hasty and without any surprise. As I was referred to this film from a film I really liked I had apparently higher hopes, but I have to recognise that F. est un salaud did not fully conform to my type of nature and values. But those fond of unconditional love and artistic lifestyle might squeeze more out of it.

Yes, Beni gets a target on, mostly, portrayal. Yes, Fogi is not bad either. Yes, we have some realistic scenes, especially the man-slave frustration ones, that means realistic like sentiments ringing true. Yes.Yet, apart from the early scene when and where Beni discovers the heady spin an orgasm offers, which is rarely if at all represented on screen, the film is not memorable, and all those reviewers who profess the film's high value will be caught with the capital crime of idealizing, which is actually another name if you think about it, of frustrated citizenship. Well, no one escapes this predicament unfortunately, but wouldn't it be better to give a try directing these forces to better appreciations? For I cannot but think that judging by the majority of the reviewers' reactions this is one more case of frustrated gay citizenship meets failed artistic endeavor and masquerading both as the film's and the viewers' achieved meeting. Why?Fogi is not a fag.Fogi is not a frog.Fogi is just a fog. -With what frequency can you ask yourself the question of what do you know? Not frequently.

Be warned--I cannot discuss this film without SPOILERS--so, consider this your friendly:****SPOILER ALERT****I picked up the DVD of this film--translated "Fogi is a Bastard"--having never heard of it and knowing nothing about it short of the cover plot description. This is usually a recipe for disaster and confirms my late Grandmother's favorite saying--"A fool and his money soon parted." And after reading some of the previous user comments you would thing that would be the case. But I think some of these people are wrong, wrong, wrong about this one. "Fogi" is one of the most stunning, mesmerizing and sexy, yet profoundly disturbing films I have ever seen about all-encompassing, unrequited love. The fact its main character is a homosexual 16-year-old boy only adds to the power of the picture.Played by the youthful and disarmingly attractive Vincent Branchet, Beni is a young schoolboy who falls under the spell of Fogi (Frederic Andrau), the lead singer of a local Swiss rock band. After he writes Fogi a love/fan letter, Fogi invites Beni to his apartment where they begin a puppy love affair with terrific, mutually satisfying sex. For Fogi, of course, it's just a casual, fun fling with a groupie he knows will do anything for him. For Beni, it's the real thing, a love so strong with sex so powerful you can literally feel the love and devotion for this guy taking over this young boy's soul to the point that nothing else in life matters beyond being with Fogi, whether it's in bed or tending to his every need. Fogi returns the favor by getting the poor kid hooked on drugs, leaving him alone for days on end and abusing him emotionally and mentally. Things begin to spiral out of control in this dangerous relationship when the band's gigs dry up and Fogi leaves town to make money by selling drugs, leaving Beni to mope around the apartment like an abandoned housepet. When Fogi finally returns, Beni is ecstatic--think of a military wife welcoming her husband home from war--but something is terribly wrong with Fogi, who has become hopelessly addicted to heroin and becomes increasingly abusive and cruel to his young lover in an attempt to get him to leave--which Beni refuses to do. Fogi then begins to literally treat Beni like a dog--having him crawl around the apartment naked, wear a dog collar, eat like a dog, sleep curled up on the floor like a dog, being washed like a dog. When this doesn't get rid of the kid, Fogi figures he might as well make money off of him and starts pimping him out to old gay men in the neighborhood, which Beni gladly does since, after all, he's in love.All of this, of course, leads to an appropriately tragic ending for Fogi, but on a hopeful note for Beni. The real power of this film lies in the last bit of dialog, where Beni actually believes he didn't love this jerk enough to save him from the inevitable and literally apologizes for not doing enough to save him! "Fogi is a Bastard" is one of the most truthful and appropriate titles to a film I have ever seen. And I can't say enough about the actors, especially Vincent Branchet who is so brave an actor he puts his young American counterparts to shame. This is a role in which he could easily look foolish yet he pulls it off--you understand what he does because he shows the depth of his irrational love. And Frederic Andrau also shines as Fogi--who really is a bastard. Kudos to director Marcel Gisler, who films all this in an ultrarealistic manner and manages to make a nearly one-set film unclaustrophobic. Ironically, I watched this film the day after watching "Attack of the Clones," which was one of the most joyless and mindless mishmashes I have ever seen. There may not be much joy in "Fogi," but at least it will make you think, and may scare a few teens into thinking twice about getting involved in inappropriate relationships with adults. **** (out of *****)

Gay, straight--whatever, this is the film to see. The heaven and hell of love, and then an ending which stunningly melanges the two--Drugs, sex, and rock and roll. Heard that before? And Beni transcends all. A real stunner...