
That changes when Alexander (Marius De Saeger), a kid from Brussels, moves next door. Alexander is not only from a big city but also lost his mother a long time ago. So you can see how he might be more worldly and mature than Elias, who is reserved. As such, Alexander arrives, comfortably expressing his queerness. When he and Elias begin hanging out—lounging underneath a shady tree, exploring an abandoned manor, and jumping into a pond—Alexander makes it clear he’s loved a boy before. Elias, on the other hand, has never loved anyone. As a result, their dynamic is consistent with a well-known queer trope in which the more experienced partner helps the contemplative newcomer navigate the emotional ups and downs of self-discovery. Though the cozy photography supporting this delicate story might lead some to accuse it of being twee, the film feels soothing and warm as Alexander and Elias tenderly bike down dirt roads and share furtive glances. Schattenman trusts his young leads, often allowing his gentle lens to linger on their faces as new thoughts, feelings, and passions bubble to the surface. Their excitement doesn’t metastasize in an overtly physical manner—they’re as brief and guarded as you’d expect—but Schattenman understands that for a 14-year-old, even a peck on the cheek from their first love can cause entire universes to explode.
The rural set pieces in "Young Hearts" are so commonplace that you feel like you've seen a lot of movies like this before, which is one of the few complaints that could be made about the film. Familiarity, however, doesn’t breed inadequacy. This means that my coworkers will frequently disregard a film from a marginalized group if there are already other examples of it, implying that there can only be one or two before they become monotonous. The normative stories, on the other hand, are retold a million times. I'll take a million different versions of Romeo and Juliet—this movie makes a few subtle allusions to Baz Luhrmann's version—and a million heartwarming films like "Young Hearts."