Film

The Way He Looks

A Brazilian coming-of-age romance about a blind teenager navigating independence, friendship, and first love. Tender and unsentimental, it finds genuine comedy and heartbreak in the small decisions that shape who we become. For anyone who's felt caught between who others expect you to be and who you're becoming.

TMDb rating4.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like quiet coming-of-age romances that stay close to a single teenager's point of view and find tenderness in small, awkward moments between two boys.

Skip it if you need plot momentum, because this is slow and mostly conversation-driven, and its handling of first attraction can feel gentle to the point of thin.

What it asks of you: Ninety-six minutes at an unhurried pace, with long quiet stretches and few big moments, so it rewards patience more than attention spent in bursts.

If you liked this

Love, Simon2018

A smart, funny teen romance that trusts its characters' intelligence and doesn't condescend to either love or identity. Warm without being saccharine, it earns its emotional beats.

But If you want grit or darkness, this is too gentle. It's fundamentally optimistic about love and acceptance in ways that won't satisfy everyone.

Love, Simon poster

Call Me by Your Name2017

Summer, desire, and the ache of connection between two people who don't quite know what's happening to them. Gorgeously shot and genuinely sensual without exploitation.

But The pacing is glacial. If you prefer plot momentum to atmosphere, you'll find it frustratingly slow and self-indulgent.

Call Me by Your Name poster

The Half of It2020

A triangle romance that's witty, thoughtful, and refuses easy answers. Character-driven, visually alive, and interested in how we actually talk to each other.

But It's deliberately understated. Some will find it too quiet, lacking the emotional crescendo they came for.

The Half of It poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Way He Looks

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Tomboy2011

Both films center a young person's self-discovery through the eyes of someone learning who they are in real time, without the comfort of external validation or easy answers. Neither explains or judges; both trust the audience to sit with uncertainty.

A French film about a child navigating gender and self-discovery in a new neighborhood over one transformative summer. Quietly radical: it observes without judgment or explanation, trusting you to understand what you're watching.

But It's deliberately ambiguous about its protagonist's identity and future. The lack of resolution will frustrate anyone wanting clarity or confirmation.

Tomboy poster
More like this (6)

My Own Private Idaho1991

A radical, lyrical film about male intimacy and friendship on the margins. Gus Van Sant captures longing and vulnerability with remarkable tenderness.

But It's challenging and formally experimental. The structure doesn't follow conventional storytelling, which will frustrate viewers wanting a straight narrative.

My Own Private Idaho poster

Heartstopper2022

A teen romance series that's genuinely sweet without being naive. It finds real obstacles and real joy, and the performances are disarming.

But The optimism might feel unearned if you're skeptical about acceptance narratives. Also genuinely very pink and pretty, which isn't for everyone.

Heartstopper poster

Geography Club2013

A modest, warm film about LGBTQ teenagers finding community. It's unpretentious and grounded, with real affection for its characters.

But The budget shows. It looks like a TV movie, and the plot is fairly conventional. Don't expect visual sophistication.

Geography Club poster

Beach Rats2017

A more complex, anxious portrait of a young man figuring out his sexuality in an unforgiving environment. Intimate and psychologically convincing.

But It's austere and uncomfortable. There's no catharsis or resolution, just observation of someone in genuine distress.

Beach Rats poster

Moonlight2016

Three chapters of a Black man's life as he discovers desire and identity. Formally beautiful, sensory, and devastating about loneliness and connection.

But It's very formally experimental and requires patience. The plot is minimal; it's more about feeling than happening.

Moonlight poster

Wild Tales2014

Both are intimate character studies from the same year and region, but where The Way He Looks is about tender becoming, Wild Tales is about the moments we explode. Together they map the full emotional temperature of existence.

Six explosive Argentine short stories about rage, desire, and betrayal. Visceral, darkly funny, and utterly alive—a masterclass in controlled chaos and emotional release.

But It's violent and cynical about human nature. If you want affirmation that people are basically good, this is the opposite film.

Wild Tales poster

People

Cast

Directing

Writing

Production

Recommended by