Different strokes and all that, but Shank gave me enough wood to get through a long, cold winter. Directed by Simon Pearce, the English drama divides neatly into three acts. The first is sexy, the second romantic and the third somewhat dramatically confusing.
Cal (Wayne Virgo), whose barely glimpsed screen name provides the film’s title, hooks up online with Scott (Garry Summers), an older, nervous man, and drives him to the woods for sex. Afterwards Cal gives Scott a head-banging that leaves him black-eyed and bleeding, and abandons him there.
Back in his own element, Cal is a member of a teenage gang. He has a crush on his best friend, Jonno (Tom Bott), who seems to return it but not acknowledge it; and is crushed on in turn by Nessa (Alice Payne), whom he avoids as much as possible.
This being the 21st century, these kids video everything, from brutal beatings to furtive sexual encounters, with their mobile phones. Cal uses his own sex tapes for J/O material.
Worlds collide when the gang spots Olivier (Marc Laurent) on the street with bags from high-end stores. He’s not only gay and wealthy, but French. Jonno and Nessa jump him, steal his packages and beat him mercilessly, while Cal tries to stop them. As Olivier limps away Cal grabs his stolen possessions and goes after him, leaving his friends behind. It’s not exactly “meet cute” by movie standards, but it brings them warily together.
Afraid to return home Cal spends the night parked outside Olivier’s. It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship; but after a couple of weeks, despite having loosened up a lot and learned to dress somewhat fashionably, Cal can’t admit that he’s gay.
Olivier is taking a class taught by—wait for it!—Scott, bringing things into some kind of weird-ass ellipse, if not full circle. The gang finds out about Cal and exacts revenge for what they see as his betrayal.
The climax is vicious and suspenseful because anything can happen, especially since logic has long since gone out the window. The ending ties things up a little too neatly.
Had Peerce and his writers been able to maintain the excellence of the first two-thirds to the end, Shank would have been the best gay film since Mysterious Skin. It’s still worth seeing but be prepared for a bit of a letdown.