Stick with Holding The Man; what starts as an awkward school-day skit (Corr and Stott are as convincing teenagers as Hill and Tatum are in Jump Street) becomes a touching story with superb lead and supporting actors.

It’s a 70s and onward set drama about homosexual men – that AIDS rears its ugly head is no surprise, but it is testament to plot and performances that this still delivers a crushing kick in the balls.

Everyone in the film fills their role and finds the worth of every character, but Stott’s John in particular needs praise – his unravelling transformation is exemplary.

A true team effort, co-captained by Coor and Stott and expertly directed by Armfield. Holding The Man tackles a big issue in a delicate yet unflinching manner.

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Ryan Coor, Craig Stott, Sarah Snook, Guy Pearce, Anthony LaPaglia

DIRECTOR: Neil Armfield

WRITERS: Tommy Murphy (screenplay), Timothy Conigrave (book)

SYNOPSIS: Teenagers fall in love at their all-boys high school. Their romance endured in the face of everything life threw at them, until the only problem that love can’t solve tried to destroy them.