End of the Century review – ‘touching queer portrait of sex and love through time’

End of the Century review
End of the Century is out on DVD and On-Demand from 23rd March.

End of the Century review ★★★★☆ by Ifan Llewelyn

The culture of hooking up with strangers is pervasive among men looking to sleep with me. Even before the apps we were meeting up with strangers we met online, or through the personal ads, or through phone lines, or cruising on the street, hooking up only then to never see each other again. It’s this world of lost connections that Lucio Castro explores in End of the Century, a touching queer portrait of sex and love through time.

We meet Otto, an Argentinian man holidaying in Barcelona on his own but who’s eager to find some company for the evening. In typical romantic fashion, he keeps bumping into the same attractive stranger. Having unpacked at his AirBnb, wondering about town, he spots Javi wandering around too, and later sees him taking a dip in the ocean. Later that day, Otto spots Javi from his bedroom window and invites him up to share a drink. The two seem to have an instant connection, though how ‘instant’ it is, soon comes into question. After hooking up, they chat about their lives over a drink and realise that this is not the first time they’ve met. They’d previously hung out years before, at the End of the Century. Queue flashback.

This is a touching film that gestures at the complexities of modern relationships. How ready to move on and forget we are as people and the slippages that take place when sleeping around casually. As Ocho, Juan Barberini gives a relatable performance as the listless holidayer who’s torn between his home life and this sudden romance. In contrast, Ramon Pujol’s portrayal of Javi is passionate though a little detached, very much like that anonymous hook-up who’s into his kissing. 

Though a lovely watch, you are left scratching your head a little since there’s very little to indicate the film’s central a shift in time. Though years apart, these two men’s interactions look very similar, with very minimal changes made to their performances and appearances. Perhaps it was a conscious decision on Castro’s part, but why that would be is unclear. If you are familiar with the film’s synopsis before viewing, it makes for a much more enjoyable watch. Dusty summer evenings spent looking out at a powder pink Barcelona sunset with a glass of wine in one hand and a cigarette in the other. It makes for a delectable slice of summer romance.

End of the Century is out on DVD and On-Demand from 23rd March.

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