The Way He Looks

When it was on the LGBT Film Festival circuit last year The Way He Looks was often compared to an afterschool special, which was pity because Daniel Ribeiro's terrific feature (from Brazil) was much more than that. Though it is easy to understand why it's categorized that way: set amongst well-to-do high school students, it is a coming-out-story far more subtle than sensational.

What makes "The Way He Looks" unusual is at its center is Leonardo (Ghilherme Lobo), a blind high school student. That his blindness is never made an issue of is part of the reason why the film works so well. Ribeiro never hammers home his disability. A classical music student, Leo has ambitions, such as leaving Brazil to study in America, which concerns his overprotective Mom. He's also never been kissed - a situation he shares with his best friend Giovana (Tess Amorhim).

What may be an obstacle in their friendship is their growing fondness of a new classmate - the hunky Gabriel (Fabio Audi). Gabriel opens up new worlds for Leonardo, taking him to the movies (where he describes what is on the screen), even taking him on a bicycle ride. Naturally, Leonardo falls for him. How the romance resolves itself makes for a charming, naturalistic story, buoyed by the three excellent young actors, most notably Lobo who convincingly plays Leonardo's emotional journey.

The DVD release features deleted scenes; behind the scenes footage; interviews with cast and crew and the short film, "I Don't Want To Go Back Alone," which Ribeiro expanded into this feature-length film.