Good Boys (2005) is an Israelite film by Yair Hochner that tells the story of two young male prostitutes who meet one night and the events that change their lives.  The film is not for the weak hearted and definitely not for anyone under 18. 

 

It is filmed in such a way that there is a stark reality to the feel of the film.  It is like a reality show that is not meant to be entertaining but in the very real sense sobering. Hochner pulls no punches in showing the seediness of the prostitution lifestyle and the challenges these young men face in their daily life.

 

 

There is an overall sense of sadness that drapes itself over the whole movie as you watch the turmoil in the lives of the boys and the exploitation that occurs. The marginalization of people is also a message that comes across vividly in this film. 

 

Yuval Raz plays Tal, is held against his will by a renegade cop and is basically abused and raped all night by different men, in one of the most psychologically harrowing parts of the movie. In a desperate act, he finally fights for himself after being told over and over again that he was worth nothing by his captor. He was told repeatedly it was okay for him to be treated the way he was being treated because he was a gay prostitute.

 

As hard as that scene was to watch, it brought home the filth of our collective souls when we as a society marginalized people and relegate them to less then the human beings. We do this to justify our evil acts so we will not bear the consequences. The truth is, as history has proven, the consequences always follow.

 

 

Daniel Efrat plays Menni, the other male lead, who searches for love but is facing the hardened reality of prostitution.  He seeks parental solace in the tired and worn out, but kind, transgendered mother figure played by Gila Goldstein.  He also has a baby from a tryst he had with a female prostitute in the past, another sad figure, Mika, played Nili Tzerruya.

 

There is a moment in the film where Mika almost abandons her toddler in a public square so she can go trick.  She finally leaves the child with Menni as she descends further into prostitution and drug addiction. In one scene in the whore house, as she is in the middle of servicing a client, the camera focuses on her face, which has gone blank.  At that moment you knew she was lost.

 

 

 

 

The movie ends with the sun rising and maybe with some hope for some of the characters. It left me disturbed by the ugliness I saw but must admit that Hochner was able to portray this story in such a riveting way. His film won several awards in the Independent film circuit.

 

I am not sure if it is a film for everyone. It is a film that does not leave your mind quickly. Frankly, I needed to wash myself down with another viewing of the Sound of Music to remind me there is still good in this world. Thank God for you, Julie Andrews!

 

Good Boys Official Web Site: http://www.goodboysfilm.com/