Graffiti

Hi blue - It was definitely not Benjamin who wrote the slur. I'm quite sure it was the swimming teammmate who saw B at Vincent's apartment and then argued with him at the bus stop. [If I remember right, he's got longish hair and a tattoo on his back. He was an instigator of the opposition to letting V back into the locker room. Then at the end, after V won the relay race for the team, he reached down to shake V's hand (and the camera cuts away before V responds).]

What makes me certain about Benjamin is the series of encounters/conversations that he has with Stephane and Noemie after the 'outing.' Those two friend of V start out blaming and detesting B, but he explains his own issues and they realize that B and V have a strong mutual attraction and need each other (I'd almost say 'love each other,' but I'm not sure it's to that point). (I will say that I still am not entirely comfortable with Benjamin's words and actions over the course of the film, but I defer to S, N and, most importantly, V on the final judgment as to his character.)

I really like and feel for Stephane and Noemie, and it blows me away that are so loyal and are able to put aside their own hurt (especially N, whom V treats rather shabbily) and collude to get B and V back together. The scene where Stephane brings V to meet B is great - the concern on Stephane's face and the look on V's face when he realizes what's happening.

And your comparison of the ending with the end of Juste Une Question d'Amour is right on the mark. Sometimes when I need to feel better about the injustices of this world, I pull out the dvd and replay the part where B and V run through the park, then sprawl on the grass and embrace. My one complaint about the film is that that scene, especially the embrace, is too short.

So - to the point of your other posting - these films (JUQA and A Cause . . ) are both available on dvd from Amazon. They ain't cheap, but I'm getting my money's worth from both and will buy another copy when I wear them out!

Cheers! lb

"Nothing personal. Your name just happened to come up."

It was never stated specifically who painted the graffiti. I also doubt that it was Benjamin. There were the three guys who saw Benjamin and Vincent through the window, and then Benjamin essentially told them that Vincent was gay. That was how Vincent was "outed." Someone then wrote the graffiti.

But, to my recollection, it was also never made clear how Vincent, Stéphane, and Noémie found out how Vincent was "outed."

Keelton is, of course, absolutely right that Benjamin essentially outed Vincent in the confrontation at the bus stop. The snake-tattooed swimming teammmate says something like 'Stay away from Vincent, you *beep* He's not like you.' And in the heat of the moment, Benjamin responds 'You ought to get out more. Ask your pal a couple of questions.' Later, in speaking to Noemie, Benjamin says he meant no harm, it was just 'a few careless words.'

I'm sure it was the snake-guy (or another one of the swimmers that he put up to it) who wrote the graffiti. There were hints of suspicion about Vincent in the early shower scene where they made the point that he never took off his trunks in front of the others.

"Nothing personal. Your name just happened to come up."