Cousins (2019)

Cousins is special because it treats a young queer romance with a disarming gentleness—more warm breeze than melodrama—letting attraction arrive in small looks, awkward pauses, and quietly funny disruptions to routine. Set in a modest, hyper-religious household, it finds comedy in the clash between Lucas’s careful, hymn-filled life and Mario’s recently-freed swagger, while never losing sight of the tenderness that grows between them. The leads have an easy, persuasive chemistry, and the film’s tone stays light and affectionate, with just enough emotional honesty to make the sweetness feel earned. It’s not for everyone—the cousin connection and brief full-frontal nudity may be sticking points—but if you’re open to a short, feel-good Brazilian romance that’s more about discovery than suffering, it’s an easy one to fall for.

Cousins is clearly aiming for a gentle, feel-good queer romance with small-town charm, light comedy, and a “first love” sweetness set against a quietly religious household. The problem is that the execution often feels bargain-bin: the writing can be awkward, the visuals are flat, and the score and pacing don’t always help the emotions land, with some translation/subtitle clunkiness making key moments feel even stiffer. The central romance also hinges on the fact that they’re cousins (even if distant), which the film tries to wave away but may be a hard stop for a lot of viewers. If you can get past that and you’re mainly here for soft vibes, some chemistry, and a brief runtime (plus non-explicit but frank nudity), there’s a modest, sincere little love story buried under the rough edges.