November 10, 1989 was quite the day for citizens of East Germany. The Berlin Wall met its long-anticipated demise, and the country's first film to openly deal with a homosexual subject matter premiered. Touted by director Heiner Carow as a "plea for tolerance," "Coming Out" carefully and effectively explores the nuances of one man's struggle to come to terms with his sexuality, and those who are affected by it. But the movie is so much more than a gay movie.

It's a simple yet touching story, that which attains complexity through its dealings with issues like intolerance, discrimination, and ignorance. It begins with a most gripping scene involving a young man being administered a stomach pump, the result of an overdose in a failed suicide attempt. Later, the nurse questions the boy ("Why would you do that, Matthias?" she asks), stroking his hair as he begins to cry and chokes out the words, "Because I'm queer."

Already, Carow has managed to grab our attention with the physical reality of such a scene as well as the emotional backdrop that gives it its meaningfulness. We know nothing about this boy, but the tears on his face speak volumes. This meticulous use of understated emotional resonance carries on throughout the movie, and is put to good use on several occassions.

Soon after this, we are introduced to high school teacher Philipp (Matthias Freihof), a quiet sort of gentleman who, through an accident, meets Tanja (Dagmar Manzel), a fellow teacher who instantly becomes taken with him. Within the film's first ten minutes, the two have developed a relationship based more on care and affection that outright love; this is all put into jeopardy when Philipp suddenly becomes uneasy in the presence of Tanja's former neighbor, Redford. We, as an audience, get the feeling that there's something as yet unknown between the two men.

By now, it is clear that Philipp is insecure about his own sexuality. He happens upon a gay bar one evening, where he encounters Matthias (Dirk Kummer), the same boy from the opening scene. They meet again later in a long line to purchase opera tickets, and converse for much of the afternoon; upon parting, Matthias leaves an open invitation to his 20th birthday party, to which Philipp says no, but already has made plans to go in his mind.

Carow, along with writer Wolfram Witt, is careful not to balance our emotion between the three central characters. We know, as a result of Philipp's readiness to indulge his inner feelings, that someone is going to end up with a broken heart, perhaps one, two, or even all of them. That we care so much about these people is the result of the film's astounding characterization and interaction: we see the affectionate nature of Philipp's relationship with Tanja, as well as the tenderness and new forms of expressing love that comes with his relationship with Matthias. Once hidden truths are revealed, and characters finds themselves alone and despondent, it nearly breaks the heart to watch them unravel emotionally, especially Philipp, whom we've come to care for a great deal.

None of this would be possible without the efforts of Carow and his terrific cast, who bring such powerful displays of well-performed emotion to an already emotionally-charged plot. Each scene brings with it a new understanding of who these people are, what they want out of life, and the hardships they must face when they find that it's not so simple to get there. As Philipp, Freihof gives an intricate, nuanced performance that is hard-hitting and full of resonance, and both Manzel (Tanja) and Kummer (Matthias) are able to add feeling to their characters, making them more than just sideline observers of one man's coming out experience.

In fact, the movie itself is more than just an observer. Instead of dealing with its subject matter in a manner that will only appeal to certain circles and gay groups, Carow broadens his film's horizons by injecting social and political fervor into the piece. The discrimination that the various homosexuals experience throughout the picture is seen being bestowed upon various other characters, from minorities to different ethnic groups. This makes the moral center of the film not only one of self-realization, but a cry for tolerance amongst all different groups of people.

As a gay-themed film, and as a meaningful piece on the ills of social repression and fervor, "Coming Out" is a brilliantly executed success. There is real emotion within its story, and a message that is all but ignorable. That we can relate to its characters on more than just the basic levels is evidence of its complexity, and its honesty and upfront approach are mesmerizing and compelling.

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