Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Lucas is a young man who lives with his religious aunt Lourdes in a quiet country town. He helps his aunt by holding religious meetings with the ladies of the area, in the living room, playing biblical songs on the keyboard. This quiet life will end as soon as the charitable aunt communicates the arrival of another nephew, Mario, just out of jail. The clash of reality between the cousins ends up causing unusual situations, and an unexpected attraction among the boys.
Cousins is a modest but charming Argentine LGBT coming-of-age drama that works through the chemistry of its two leads and a gentle sense of humor rooted in small-town Catholic milieu. The plot is fairly familiar — repressed religious youth meets worldly outsider cousin, unexpected attraction follows — and doesn't stray far from genre conventions, keeping Novelty low. Acting is solid and naturalistic without being remarkable. Cinematography is competent rural-pastoral work, nothing visually distinctive. The ending resolves warmly but without particular surprise or ambition. A well-executed, likable small film that earns its modest reputation without excelling in any single dimension.