Highly Overrated But Still Good

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

If you're looking for 90 minutes or so of mindless entertainment, you could do worse than The Curiosity of Chance. As others have mentioned, it is not original in any way. The gay stereotype as creative outsider is old. The jock as thick-headed homophobe is tired. And the supporting characters are nothing more than stock creatures from any coming-of-age, coming-out-of-the-closet story set in high school.Set in "the 1980's", TCOC seems to repel some viewers because they do not understand the setting (an American high school in Flemish-speaking Belgium). While this is not explained anywhere in the film, there are a lot of clues. The houses are not typically suburban America, the license plates are clearly foreign, the big sport is soccer, people have accents, etc. I'm not clear why the writer/director did not make this clear, as it might have added some interest. Instead, it seems like he tried to keep it country-neutral, as in, this could have been anywhere. But that simply leaves a viewer scratching his head wondering why all these "American" high school kids and their teachers speak English with a Flemish accent.Set that aside. Just pretend that you know that this is set in Europe, in an American-style, English-immersion high school. Ex pats send their kids there, so there are some Americans. Then you can enjoy the flick.Think part Edge of Seventeen, Get Real, Rock Haven, and Grande École mushed together. There are worse ways to spend an hour and a half.

The story is about the obviously homosexual but even-more smart, charming and eloquent youngster Chance Maquise crossing the ocean to attend an International Highschool. As obligatory for a film set in a highschool scenario, he had to fight bullying, teachers and parents and his own weaknesses. But Chance Maquise way to discovering his own personality is therefore funny and more interesting than in a usual growing-up-movie.Unfortunately no one beside a few freaks can understand or even handle this extroverted guy. But Chance - starting as a lonely wolf – takes his chance and converts strangers into friends and convinces, at last, everybody that a certain touch of curiosity is a benefit for everybody. Though some aspects make CoC appear more than the usual teenage-entertainment, it is definitely not. That it's situated in the 80's has no further intention than showing fancy clothes and place some acceptable jokes about accent differences. Any attempt to recapitulate the upcoming gay-movement in the 80's or at least a slightly different atmosphere poured into the superficial highschool-scenario could have changed this a lot. That said, for pure entertainment value you won't be disappointed with COC.

I have yet to see another gay film that is as bad as this one...completely predictable, lamely written, poorly acted, and nary a decent line in the entire film... Even more dismally disappointing is the fact that some people on IMDb actually liked it. To these people I would simply say that you need to set your sights higher, preferably by going and renting some of the good stuff. Examples: Whole New Thing; C.R.A.Z.Y; Just A Question of Love; Ma Vie en Rose; Shelter; The Bubble: Whispering Moon... or even Another Gay Movie - the original, NOT the sequel! There is no excuse for this piece of crap... there are lots of indie films that have been good, original and well acted. Shame!

.......gratuitous (although it is a good lip-lock).While this film doesn't merit a lot of comment, here're just a few observations---It's cute, it's innocuous and it's in no way innovative. What it does do is reinforce---in a fun way---the principles of standing up for oneself, appreciating the friends one does have and, most importantly, keeping hope (re: that last 2-person scene in this movie).This definitely will appeal to the high school crowd (what's really going' on here---is this just a little different take on the "High School Musical" theme?).Just a thought or two about our leads---Hilgenbrink: a little "one-note" in his come-across (but at only age 23 or so when shooting, and with not much in past filmed performances, he has the greater potential of the two male leads) // Chuckerman: just because you're cute doesn't mean you can act (gonna get in trouble for that one---from the girls, maybe the boys) and gave a rather wooden performance (he was much better at "dragging us into the picture" with his performance in the year 2000 Short: "Crush"). Do have to allow him this, though---the facial expression he gives us, while walking away after "the kiss," was a priceless moment // Aldevina Da Silva's work here was tippy-top above the rest. If there's an award for this sort of thing, it belongs to her.***If you want something better in the gay teenager mode, try one of these: "C.R.A.Z.Y" // "Summer Storm" // "The Mudge Boy" // "The Last Day"****