SOFT LAD
UK, 2015, 87 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Labey, Laura Ainsworth, Daniel Brocklebank, Suzanne Collins, Mya Collins, Craig Stern.
Directed by Leon Lopez.
Soft Lad is a small budget British film, the first for writer Leon Lopez, set in Liverpool and utilising actors who have appeared in popular British television series.
The film has a gay theme, its central character, David, Jonny Labey, a young man who is an aspiring dancer who wins a scholarship to dance school. He has been in a relationship with his sister’s husband, secretly, for two years. The husband, played by Daniel Brocklebank, is not overjoyed which makes David react badly, clash with his lover, go to a gay club where he encounters Sam, Craig Stern, and begins a relationship with him.
The film sketches in the difficult home life of the husband and wife, the wife devoted, the husband also devoted but deceptive. The climax of the film involves HIV which David discovers he has contracted and blames his lover, visiting the house and demanding that he confess everything to his wife, whom he has put in danger along with his daughter.
The husband moves out of the house, the sister is angry with her brother, David’s new partner is a forgiving man, allowing people to make mistakes.
In many ways, the style of the film is soap opera, but it does surface contemporary issues and concerns.
1. is a smallA small-budget independent English film? With television soap opera actors? How effective?
2. The Liverpool settings, homes, streets, clubs, dance studio? Musical score?
3. The introduction to David, dancing, pensive, the offer of the scholarship, his excitement, going to tell Jules? Before his parents?
4. Jules, married to David’s sister, expressions of love, his daughter? His cool reaction to David’s news? Having to cover when his wife comes in? The revelation of the relationship, the kiss, yet the deception? David and his being upset?
5. David, his friendship with Steph, confiding in her, her advice?
6. His parents, the news, happy? Their hopes?
7. David, the relationship with Jules, the meetings, the discussions? David asserting crassly that he was used only for sex? Two years and the relationship? The deception about a weekend in Paris? Jules and his double life, not wanting to leave his wife? David and his upset? Moving away?
8. David going to the club, the encounter with Sam, the night with him, keeping company, Sam and his character, benign, David falling in love? The background of Jules and his being upset?
9. Sam, the caution, the test for health, HIV? David, the news, going into the doctor? His being upset, the planned dinner, going to see his sister, Jules? The confrontation with Jules, blaming him for HIV, making Jules confess to other relationships, the danger for his wife and daughter?
10. His wife, love, Jules and his abrupt manner with her, quoting work pressures, the weeks passing, the attempts at making love? David in the confrontation, making Jules confess everything? His wife’s reaction, horror? And towards David?
11. Sam, his arrival, hearing the truth? His reaction?
12. David, despair, the scholarship, his future? His confession to Sam? Sam, an attitude of forgiveness, for a future?
