'Summer Storm' captures awkward confusion of first-time lovers

There's a blustery night of rain and wind in "Summer Storm." But the emotional thunderclaps in this warm-hearted German coming-of-age-and-out drama erupt from the pent-up sexual urges of teens camping by a lake.

Regent Releasing 'Summer Storm' C+ The verdict: A coming-out drama that preaches to the choir, but gets the messy emotions right. Director: Marco Kreuzpaintner Starring: Marlon Kittel, Miriam Morgenstern, Robert Stadlober, Kostja Ullmann, Alicja Bachleda-Curus Run time: 98 minutes Release date: March 17, 2006 Rating: R for sexuality, language and drug content. Language: German with English subtitles. On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Summer Storm'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

They're training for a rowing competition for young teams from around the nation. For Tobi (Robert Stadlober), it's a good excuse to hang with his best friend Achim (Kostja Ullmann), though Achim is increasingly occupied with his girlfriend. Meanwhile fellow classmate Anke (Alicja Bachleda-Curus) is showing her interest in Tobi.

The problem? Tobi is in love with Achim. But for much of the film's running time he can't admit it, especially to himself. The arrival at the lake of a gay rowing team (the self-named Queerstrokes) opens the door to both Tobi's sexual awakening and to some painful moments caused by his stumbling first steps out of the closet.

"Summer Storm" nicely captures the awkward confusion of first-time sexual encounters (gay or straight) and the collateral wounds caused by deceiving others and oneself.

While it has little in it that hasn't been covered by other coming-out movies, it's pleasant enough. The filmmakers wisely let the gay characters have as many flaws as the straight kids; we see that cruelty and prejudice travel a two-way street.

While Tobi is the movie's hero, you often want to smack him as he repeatedly gets between Achim and Achim's girlfriend. (The movie makes explicit, though more simplistic, the subtext driving Alfonso Cuarón's frisky masterpiece "Y Tu Mamá También.")

Both Stadlober as the confused Tobi and Bachleda-Curus as the more confused Anke are strong. And young director and co-screenwriter Marco Kreuzpaintner (born in 1977) shows promise. Here's hoping that in future films he'll avoid using so many clichˇd montages featuring shots of nature underscored with "sensitive" piano music or alt-rock ballads.

Truth is, if you cut out those montages, "Summer Storm" would be a lot shorter. Say, the length of an After School Special which — except for the sex and the subtitles — it sometimes resembles.