The Young Kieslowski (Film) Review
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
We liked?
Not so much?
“Hook Up (Drunk), Fall in Love (Maybe), Get Pregnant (Twins)” Brian Kieslowski is a bright young man with his whole future spreading out before him. He’s a smart young physics major, thoroughly enjoying the college lifestyle – though he does tend to be the stereotypical physics major, with all the social awkwardness that entails. Still, […]
“Hook Up (Drunk), Fall in Love (Maybe), Get Pregnant (Twins)”
Brian Kieslowski is a bright young man with his whole future spreading out before him. He’s a smart young physics major, thoroughly enjoying the college lifestyle – though he does tend to be the stereotypical physics major, with all the social awkwardness that entails. Still, Brian holds out hope that finally he will achieve his goal of losing his virginity. Stereotypical college film plot it may be, but that stereotype is there for a reason, and Brian is a kid many boys of that age will relate to.
All of that may sound just like dozens of films you’ve seen before, but The Young Kieslowski is no typical film, and you’ll find the plot going in ways you wouldn’t expect quite often, the first being the issue of Brian’s mother. As the film begins, you’re treated to a delightfully awkward scene as Brian’s mom tries to give his college-aged son “The Talk” – complete with the advice to be “generous” with his partners (a.k.a. oral sex). It’s funny, and you’ll laugh as you cringe – and then be shocked to find out that the reason Brian’s mom is going through her checklist of things to discuss is because she is dying of cancer, and soon won’t be around to offer a kind word or a shoulder to cry on.
Brian, teenaged boy that he is, doesn’t really grasp the seriousness of his mom’s condition, and even makes a few cringe-worthy jokes about using it to pick up girls. In fact, watching Brian work through his feelings about his mom’s illness is a rather heartwarming part of the film. Believe it or not, though, that is merely a side plot. The real meat of the film is the relationship – and sometimes lack thereof – between Brian and Leslie. Leslie first appears as the drunk girl at a party. After a silent argument with his roommate, Brian sits down with her as she pours out her greatest secret – she, too, is a virgin.
What follows is a blend of what you’d expect – the two hooking up – and what surprises you – a twin pregnancy. As the two try to figure out how and what life will look like for them, Brian shows a really good look at what a lot of young men that age think like. This isn’t a fairy tale, and these two have a lot of problems to work through to get to their happy ending. Though Leslie seems to know exactly what she wants, Brian struggles with the shackles of sudden fatherhood – and he rebels.
The Young Kieslowski is a film that has you cheering for them and cringing in equal amounts, and the whole thing comes across as completely believable. Though it may start off that way, it is not your stereotypical college film, and it’s all the better for the realism that shines through. It’s an excellent watch that will surprise you often, and make you laugh too. And through it all, the realistic characters will keep you guessing straight till the end.