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Product Description
Ari is 19, a little confused and p****d off with everything around him. He looks for something - anything - to take him away from his aimless existence. He doesn't believe in anyone or anything. Family, politics, work meant nothing. Caught between the traditional Greek world of his parents and friends and the alluring, destructive worlds of clubs and chemicals, all he can do is ease the pain the only way he knows how
Review
A bold, assured debut feature by cutting edge director Ana Kokkinos, produced by Jane Scot (Shine), adapted from a novel loaded by christos tsiolkas and featuring a tour de force performance by Alex Dimitriades as Ari, HEAD ON is an invigorating film, blazing with raw passion --Time Out
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 33 people found the following review helpful
By H. Trivass
Format:DVD
This is a fantastic film which follows one day in the life of a Gay Greek Australian who is having a tough time deciding what he wants in life!
On this one day, fuelled by drungs, alcohol and sex, he goes out on a destructive bing, hurting the one man who has told him he loves him, gets arrested and nearly losese the only friends he has. He tells himself that he is living but wants to remain invisable and never remembered.
It is a wonderful tale, that is sexually explicit, and shows how within a family and community, hatred still exists. The scene at the police station filled me with anger and pain as it is a harrowing event.
All in all this is a gripping tale, wonderfully acted and brilliantly brought to the screen!
Well done!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film is absolutely fantastic. Not only is it poinient and clever it also captures everything you could want from a film that could be laced with cliché. A really coming out of age film. Ari is a young Greek man who is depended on by his father to carry on the family name. However Ari is gay and incredibly confused. The film touches on points that Queer as Folk merely glossed over.
As a young gay male, I absolutely loved it. As usual of Austrailian films the movie is littered with amusing one-liners and coembacks. As in the spirit of Pricilla and Muriel's Wedding this film shines with the greats.
The personality of Ari is depicted clearly through the performance of Delimitri. You will probably recognise the star from 'Neighbours' of old. He has a fantastic performance and makes the most of his material.
Anyone who has thought about coming out, has come out or even knows someone who has come out, I would recommend this film to them. It will make you laugh and cry at the same time. "Give it a go, you may just like it."
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
The story of a first generation young guy, Ari,of Greek parentage living in Melbourne Australia, who is trying to come to terms with his homosexual tendencies, and his general rebellion against the expectations of his parents and the community he lives in. Acted by Alex Dimitriades, the films deals with a brief period in which Ari, engages in gay sex for money, uses drugs and is arrested with his best friend who just happens to be a drag queen. In other words an action packed 48 hours or so, in a young man's life. While a very dark movie it is an entertaining and thought provoking one.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
This was my first forray into Australian film. If all the rest are as good at this one I'll be coming back for more for a long time to come!
The acting was first class. I had only ever seen Dimitriades in 'teen' soap dramas before which clearly never gave him the opportunity to show his full potential. As Ari he was simply brilliant.
Ari was an interesting character. One never really got the full picture of him but this is probably what makes the film a great watch from start to finish. He seemed to be lost and confused one minute and brutish and self-assured the next.
Backed up by an excellent cast and superb direction 'Head On' must surely become something of an Australian classic. Although the subject matter may not to be to everyone's liking (it is pretty graphic) the story is unique which in turn makes the film itself 100% original.
Gay/straight/bi/confused/whatever, this is a must see!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
Head On is very aptly named for both the pace of the film and its graphic portrayal of the life of Ari a young homosexual greek immigrant.
Compulsive viewing, highly recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Caspar Aremi
Format:DVD
I bought this as it was listed under the "GLBT" listings. Don't buy it if you're looking purely for a 'gay' story though, it's very much about a guy trapped between his greek family lifestyle and his gay lifestyle. I did enjoy watching it, though felt some of the camera work has dated considerably. Also, I really didn't understand the ending and can't say I could tell someone what conclusions the film reaches. Still, it is well worth seeing. I'm surprised the lead actor hasn't appeared in more movies.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
What a change to get a really good story in a film essentially targeted a gay audience, but which will also appeal to a wider-straight audience. Good characterisation, subtle messages and very reflective of the gay scheme, revealing, but perhaps could have been a bit more revealing at times.... Altogether brilliant!
I would also recommend "To die for" less serious, but pretty good. This is not the Hollywood film of this title, but the British one with Tony Slattery as the "straight" social worker.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By giovanni
Format:DVD
I saw this film for the first time on a vhs tape when i was twenty years old . I didn't identify myself as gay at the time and couldn't make sense of Ari's journey . The erotic scenes seemed to dark for me , the scene at the police station way too excessive and everyone surrounding the central character of the movie too narrow minded .
Fast forward ten years and after a lot of painful soul-searching and tons of denial received by my family and society , i deceided to watch Kokkino's debut film once more . Needless to say , it was a very different experience alltogether...
The film perfectly captures the hypocrisy of our family-centered , conservative culture concerning gay rights . Like it oftens happens with many groups of immigrants , greeks , in their effort to mantain their identity abroad , end up living locked in their own little bubble . Ari's parents obviously love him yet strangely don't won't him to be indepedent .They keep filling him with guilt and flatly deny the possibility of him being gay. " Why do you hang out with that 'pousti' ( f**got in greek ) " asks the father his son on the family table , refering to an openly gay cousin . The young man is confused and trapped in the stereotypes and roles his greek microcosm has prepared for him .
My mother has actually told me once a line that an aunt of Ari tells him at one point in the movie .." get your self a good girl , get married..then it doesn't matter what you do ..."
The film is not perfect but it's certaintly brave and Dimitriadis is magnetic in the lead role .
I wanna end this review by objecting to a comment another reviewer made in a one-star review of this movie ." The Greeks I have known were all warm, loving and generous. This film is insulting to them " ..... Read more ›
Fast forward ten years and after a lot of painful soul-searching and tons of denial received by my family and society , i deceided to watch Kokkino's debut film once more . Needless to say , it was a very different experience alltogether...
The film perfectly captures the hypocrisy of our family-centered , conservative culture concerning gay rights . Like it oftens happens with many groups of immigrants , greeks , in their effort to mantain their identity abroad , end up living locked in their own little bubble . Ari's parents obviously love him yet strangely don't won't him to be indepedent .They keep filling him with guilt and flatly deny the possibility of him being gay. " Why do you hang out with that 'pousti' ( f**got in greek ) " asks the father his son on the family table , refering to an openly gay cousin . The young man is confused and trapped in the stereotypes and roles his greek microcosm has prepared for him .
My mother has actually told me once a line that an aunt of Ari tells him at one point in the movie .." get your self a good girl , get married..then it doesn't matter what you do ..."
The film is not perfect but it's certaintly brave and Dimitriadis is magnetic in the lead role .
I wanna end this review by objecting to a comment another reviewer made in a one-star review of this movie ." The Greeks I have known were all warm, loving and generous. This film is insulting to them " ..... Read more ›
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3.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
FRUSTRATION
I really enjoyed this movie and the tensions in were palpable. Alex who played Ari gave out all the frustrations of his situation perfectly and by the time it finished i don't know... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mr. Allan Wilson
2.0 out of 5 stars
Rather disappointing
I bought this film because of the almost universal great reviews which it received. However I found the film not only bleak but rather disappointing. Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2010 by Gay Londoner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well tackled!
Alex delivers an amazing performance, good to see him move on from Heartbreak High. Covers alot of ground and does it well. Read more
Published on 21 May 2010 by Jacksragingbileduct
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Gay Film with a bang!
Certainly one of my favourite gay films in a long while and well worth watching if you like sex, drugs and rock n roll, plus a truly beautiful 'main man' who can also act.
Published on 4 Jun 2007 by Carl Patrick
5.0 out of 5 stars
stunning
it's not just a gay drama... well it is, but it goes deeper, strong character backgrounds, both of the lead cast and the supporting actors, each had something to offer, and what... Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2006 by dazza
4.0 out of 5 stars
Thrilling, but Frustrating
Head On is an uncompromisingly blunt view of a young Greek-Australian. Unlike another reviewer, I did not feel the film was aimed at a gay audience. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2006 by Mr. C. C. Barrett
1.0 out of 5 stars
Truly Awful
I have honestly got to say that this is perhaps the worst film I have ever seen. Apart from the good looking lead character, ther is not much else to keep watching it for. Read more
Published on 30 Jan 2006
3.0 out of 5 stars
Some good points but not much new
I thought this was an OK film, taking an interesting look at cultural identity. Clearly 'Ari' doesn't feel completely akin with his greek identity, acutely aware as... Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2006
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEAUTIFUL!!!
Alex Dimitriades SHINES!!! I bought this dvd out of chance, and gladly, it has become one of my favourite films ever! Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2005 by "tonycobb92"
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