Jamie: Scared of being called "queer"?
Ste: Are you?
Jamie: Maybe... maybe not.
Ste: And are ya?
Jamie: Queer?
Ste: Gay.
Jamie: Very happy. I'm happy when I'm with you...
This is a 90's movie which beautifully represents the coming accepting of ones sexuality. Jamie and Ste are neighbors and classmates who are at the complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Ste is a star athlete who comes from a home where domestic violence is an everyday occurrence at the hands of his father and older brother.
Whilst Jamie is a sweet intelligent guy who doesn't particularly like sports and often bunks off his physical education lessons much to the displeasure of his mother. He's quite a sensitive young man and is very self conscious about his appearance hence why he never wears his glasses at school but wears them at home when he is reading. Ste has taken on the role of cooking, cleaning and washing after his father and brother which he doesn't seem to mind or he simply was forced into the role being the youngest and easiest to manipulate. However when he accidentally burns dinner when trying to get his neighbor Leah to turn down her music so his father is able to sleep he soon suffers the repercussions and is forced to eat both his and his father's helping of dinner. Whilst silently suffering to eating two dinners he soon receives a beating from his brother for wearing his new sneakers to play football in and scuffing the front of them.
Ste tends to always find Sandra when he's upset/feeling vulnerable and since she is well aware that his Mother is no longer around and that his Father is an abusive drunk she takes the lost teenage boy under her wing/care every now and then.
Sandra's compassion and sympathy for Ste is what brings the two young boys together. With her flat only having two bedrooms Ste has to top and tail with Jamie. The two strike a conversation whilst in bed before feeling sleepy and drifting off. Ste seems to feel at ease and safe within Sandra and Jamie's company/flat. The two boys seem to have a sort of understanding for one another and Jamie is sympathetic and caring when he first sees Ste's bruises and later on when he rubs lotion into the new ones. The two share a bed yet again as Ste doesn't wanna have to stay in the same flat as his abusive brother and Father. The simple show of love from Jamie towards Ste leads to them realizing they may just like each other more than friends leading the boys to sleep together for the first time. With Jamie's Mum and her bf in the room next door and Ste's brother and Father in the flat next door.
The two begin a secret relationship which neither seems to really understand, all they know is that Ste's Father definitely can not find out as he surely would beat the hell out of Ste or worse case scenario kill him. The two are both confused by their new found
sexuality/relationship so they seek guidance in a gay magazine Jamie steals and by going to a local gay pub/bar.
The two become more comfortable with it but Sandra is initially horrified especially as Jamie doesn't tell her she finds out through other sources. After the initial shock Sandra vows to protect both boys. Jamie and Ste's neighbor Leah has already sussed that something is going on between the two boys but she keeps it to herself and by the end of the movie is ready to embrace theyir sexuality and go to the gay bar with them and maybe Jamie's Mother as well.
Whilst Jamie is a sweet intelligent guy who doesn't particularly like sports and often bunks off his physical education lessons much to the displeasure of his mother. He's quite a sensitive young man and is very self conscious about his appearance hence why he never wears his glasses at school but wears them at home when he is reading. Ste has taken on the role of cooking, cleaning and washing after his father and brother which he doesn't seem to mind or he simply was forced into the role being the youngest and easiest to manipulate. However when he accidentally burns dinner when trying to get his neighbor Leah to turn down her music so his father is able to sleep he soon suffers the repercussions and is forced to eat both his and his father's helping of dinner. Whilst silently suffering to eating two dinners he soon receives a beating from his brother for wearing his new sneakers to play football in and scuffing the front of them.
Ste tends to always find Sandra when he's upset/feeling vulnerable and since she is well aware that his Mother is no longer around and that his Father is an abusive drunk she takes the lost teenage boy under her wing/care every now and then.
Sandra: "Ste...Ste..."
Ste: "I'm not going back there."
Sandra: "Alright love." (Ste quietly cries on Sandra's shoulder as she tries to comfort him.)
(Incessant banging on the door.) Sandra: "RONNIE, TREVOR IT'S SANDRA. YOUR LITTLE STEVEN IS ROUND AT OUR PLACE TONIGHT. I HAVE EVERY MIND TO REPORT YOU RONNIE, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? IT'S SANDRA HERE AND I'M NOT HAPPY!!"
Ronnie: "Fuck off you meddling cunt!"
Sandra: "THIS HAS GOT TO STOP!!"
Sandra's compassion and sympathy for Ste is what brings the two young boys together. With her flat only having two bedrooms Ste has to top and tail with Jamie. The two strike a conversation whilst in bed before feeling sleepy and drifting off. Ste seems to feel at ease and safe within Sandra and Jamie's company/flat. The two boys seem to have a sort of understanding for one another and Jamie is sympathetic and caring when he first sees Ste's bruises and later on when he rubs lotion into the new ones. The two share a bed yet again as Ste doesn't wanna have to stay in the same flat as his abusive brother and Father. The simple show of love from Jamie towards Ste leads to them realizing they may just like each other more than friends leading the boys to sleep together for the first time. With Jamie's Mum and her bf in the room next door and Ste's brother and Father in the flat next door.
The two begin a secret relationship which neither seems to really understand, all they know is that Ste's Father definitely can not find out as he surely would beat the hell out of Ste or worse case scenario kill him. The two are both confused by their new found 
sexuality/relationship so they seek guidance in a gay magazine Jamie steals and by going to a local gay pub/bar. The two become more comfortable with it but Sandra is initially horrified especially as Jamie doesn't tell her she finds out through other sources. After the initial shock Sandra vows to protect both boys. Jamie and Ste's neighbor Leah has already sussed that something is going on between the two boys but she keeps it to herself and by the end of the movie is ready to embrace theyir sexuality and go to the gay bar with them and maybe Jamie's Mother as well.
