Coming Out Reviews

1989

50
from 1176 members

A gay teacher who dates a female colleague for appearance sake, falls in love with a man he meets in a gay bar. Read more

Starring	Matthias Freihof
Director	Heiner Carow
Genres	Drama, Gay/Lesbian, World Cinema

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Critic's review of Coming Out
View all (1)
- Hailed as the first East German film to deal with homosexuality, this mixes the romantic yearning, melodrama and... read more on Time Out
- 46355
- - Time Out
  - 04 Nov 2008 at 00:16
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Most helpful member's review of Coming Out
View all members' reviews (17)
- - 8
  - 2
  Interesting in places, but dated
  
  Young (and rather gorgeous) teacher in Germany tries to persuade himself that he's straight by dating and then marrying a female colleague. A chance ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 9571
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - Salisbury, England
  - 07 Jul 2004 at 23:16
Most recent members' reviews of Coming Out
View all members' reviews (17)
- - 1
  - 0
  One of the best gay films ever made.
  
  I recorded this film many years ago when it was shown on television and have watched it many times since whilest showing it to young gay friends just coming out... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 529761
- - a customer
  - Exeter
  - 22 Feb 2008 at 13:03
- - 0
  - 0
  Moving and believable
  
  Good to see a film about relationships (male and female) that is based in the real world without being too grim or too much like a fairy tale. Excellent ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 509326
- - Juno
  - 4 reviews
  - Fareham
  - 05 Jan 2008 at 17:15
- - 0
  - 0
  A blast from the past (60's or 80s?)
  
  The typcal angst of coming out in an exceptional location and time: East Berlin just before the fall of the wall! As the opening titles roll you feel that you ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 493604
- - Gary Denby
  - DAVENTRY, UK
  - 12 Nov 2007 at 09:22
- - 2
  - 3
  A bit of a relic
  
  This has to be taken on its own terms. It comes from East Germany in 1989, as the twilight of Communism approached, even if they didn't know it at the time... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 266721
- - John O'Neill
  - Belfast
  - 22 Jul 2006 at 11:23
- - 3
  - 0
  Not Impressed
  
  Dull, poor quality, german dialogue with subtitles and no english dubbing available, only managed the first half hour before I lost the will to live. Not even ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 130853
- - a customer
  - North East
  - 03 Aug 2005 at 21:53
- - 0
  - 0
  ok
  
  This film was watchable although it got to the end and it felt that it wasn't the ending. Finished quite abrubtly.
  
  Report this review
- 93799
- - Peter Langdon
  - uk
  - 18 Apr 2005 at 17:14
- - 0
  - 0
  Not bad for its time
  
  As foreign films go it kept my interest.Storyline was good if a little slow. Very dated.
  
  Report this review
- 88598
- - michael
  - Manchester
  - 04 Apr 2005 at 23:10
- - 1
  - 4
  Utter Rubbish
  
  Gave the film a chance and watched it all but it just never did it for me, slow and boring. Many other selections on this site that im sure would have been ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 83762
- - a customer
  - London
  - 21 Mar 2005 at 16:59
- - 1
  - 0
  No Gloss
  
  I guess this film ultimately aims to handle real issues with as little gloss, and as much harsh reality as possible. As a result, its is a completely 'un-... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 78969
- - Christian
  - London
  - 07 Mar 2005 at 18:58
- - 1
  - 0
  a film of the time and a first
  
  I wanted to give this more stars as the film was great - the extras were good. i loved the leads and this was one of the first gay movies in east Berlin. This ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 70884
- - jeremy lee
  - cambs England
  - 08 Feb 2005 at 20:28
View all members' reviews (17)

- - 8
  - 2
  Interesting in places, but dated
  
  Young (and rather gorgeous) teacher in Germany tries to persuade himself that he's straight by dating and then marrying a female colleague. A chance ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 9571
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - a customer
  - Salisbury, England
  - 07 Jul 2004 at 23:16
- - 4
  - 1
  Affecting and believable coming out story
  
  The best thing about this movie is the onscreen chemistry Freihof as Philip has with both Tonja his girlfriend and the boy Mathias who shows him who he really ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 58975
- - a customer
  - Glasgow, Scotland
  - 14 Dec 2004 at 02:51
- - 3
  - 0
  Not Impressed
  
  Dull, poor quality, german dialogue with subtitles and no english dubbing available, only managed the first half hour before I lost the will to live. Not even ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 130853
- - a customer
  - North East
  - 03 Aug 2005 at 21:53
- - 2
  - 0
  Coming Out is dated, but a timeless story well told
  
  This film did it for me. It is deliberately stark and uncomfortable and outlines the choice the subject of the film had to make explicitly. I would have liked ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 54177
- - Pete Shuttleworth
  - Hemel Hempstead, Herts.
  - 19 Nov 2004 at 00:57
- - 1
  - 0
  Not as old as it looks!
  
  The story is beautifully acted, shot and told, especially considering its form a (then) Communist country. Many other reviewers have focused on the age of the ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 70307
- - Jake
  - Bristol, UK.
  - 06 Feb 2005 at 19:36
- - 1
  - 0
  a film of the time and a first
  
  I wanted to give this more stars as the film was great - the extras were good. i loved the leads and this was one of the first gay movies in east Berlin. This ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 70884
- - jeremy lee
  - cambs England
  - 08 Feb 2005 at 20:28
- - 1
  - 0
  No Gloss
  
  I guess this film ultimately aims to handle real issues with as little gloss, and as much harsh reality as possible. As a result, its is a completely 'un-... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 78969
- - Christian
  - London
  - 07 Mar 2005 at 18:58
- - 1
  - 0
  One of the best gay films ever made.
  
  I recorded this film many years ago when it was shown on television and have watched it many times since whilest showing it to young gay friends just coming out... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 529761
- - a customer
  - Exeter
  - 22 Feb 2008 at 13:03
- - 1
  - 1
  The lead actor carrys the whole film by himself
  
  Mathias Freihof the lead actor is cute and talented but the other actors don't help much. A bunch of ugly women, drags, old and camp men set in an East ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 65525
- - Thander Easton
  - London, England
  - 19 Jan 2005 at 21:39
- - 0
  - 0
  Not bad for its time
  
  As foreign films go it kept my interest.Storyline was good if a little slow. Very dated.
  
  Report this review
- 88598
- - michael
  - Manchester
  - 04 Apr 2005 at 23:10

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