Mario (2018)

Directed by: Marcel Gisler | 119 minutes | drama, romance, sports | Actors: Max Hubacher, Aaron Altaras, Jessy Moravec, Jürg Plüss, Doro Müggler, Andreas Matti, Joris Gratwohl, Scherwin Amini, Fabrizio Borsani, Julian Koechlin, Gabriel Noah Maurer, Stallone Anderson, Manuel Pereira, Tom Burri

The Swiss Mario is a promising footballer who is about to break through in the professional world. He has a contract hanging over his head to join the first team next season. Then the trainer of the BSC Young Boys introduces a new striker: the German Leon. Leon is also looking for a place in the first division, but if you think ‘Mario’ is about the fierce competition between two talented football players, you are wrong.

Mario and Leon are allocated a house together through the association. Despite their rivalry, the two get along well. When Leon suddenly shows that he is attracted to Mario, Mario is initially reluctant. But after a night’s sleep on it, he also gives in to his feelings. But how should they deal with their crush in the team? They already know in advance that this will not be accepted.

In ‘Mario, director Marcel Gisler addresses a topical theme that has not yet been used much in films (there are examples, such as ‘Männer wie wir’ (2004), ‘Eleven Men Out’ (‘Strákarnir okkar’, 2005) and ‘The Pass’ (2016)). Homosexuality in top sport and certainly a world dominated by tough men like football, why is that so strange? Gisler doesn’t answer, but works realistically to make his point.

The plot is not very surprising and subtle. The romance between Mario and Leon follows the usual movie love path: full of longing looks, misunderstood comments and having to make impossible choices. The side-steps in the love story used specifically for this point of view are also not very original: the father who does not understand why Mario has taken this path, the diametrically opposed understanding mother and (platonic childhood) girlfriend, the feigned heterosexual relationship for the sake of appearances. to the outside world… we’ve seen it before.

What lifts the film above it is the strong acting of both young actors. The supporting roles are also well filled, with a natural acting Jessy Moravec in the role of Mario’s girlfriend Jenny as the shining centerpiece. What also works well is the fact that the emotions that Leon and Mario are dealing with are so real. The reactions of the team members feel real and the way in which both Mario and Leon, who is a bit more extroverted than his lover, deal with this is convincing. The way in which Mario’s private life is viewed from a business perspective also does not seem far from reality. Money has to be earned, but is that possible with a gay football player?

Gisler doesn’t score a satisfactory score on all points with ‘Mario’, but fortunately the film contains, in addition to the obligatory elements, enough authenticity to be moved by.