In his debut, Nic Balthazar skillfully mixes different social topics: addiction to video games, autism and also school bullying. Even though its scenes are sometimes excessive, Ben X is both a visual and a psychological punch. The video game universe provides Ben with a perfect shelter in which he finds the strength to continue living in real life. Also, this addiction will help him to do some discoveries and encounters. The many connections established between reality and the game are relevant. At the end, the film leads to wonder where the limits between reality and fiction are and it also shows that a video game can have both negative and positive consequences in the real world. Nic Balthazar cleverly mixes these two universes in order to get a hyperrealist and moving result that portrays a merciless world that constantly reject those who are different. Full review on our blog Los Indiscretos : https://losindiscretos.org

cinegeek.de Ben X ist ein zeitweise fesselndes flämisches Drama über einen Teenager mit Asperger Syndrom. Seine täglichen Qualen und Erniedrigungen in der Schule, kann er niemandem mitteilen, auch nicht seinen Eltern. Er kann sie nur in einem Online Video Game verarbeiten. Wir erleben also zwei Ebenen; die der Realität und die des Spiels. Leider zerstört Regisseur Nic Balthazar damit fast seinen ganzen Film. Manchmal bricht mir Ben X fast das Herz, wenn die ganze Schulklasse Ben verspottet, der vergeblich versucht, sich zu wehren. In diesen Momenten ist Ben X aufrichtig und erschütternd - um dann wieder abzuschweifen. Immer, wenn die Gedankenwelt von Ben simuliert wird im Video Game, unterwandert der Film seine besten Szenen mit offensichtlichen Manierismen. Schliesslich gibt er auch seine Qualität, tief und intensiv zu erzählen, Preis, indem er verzweifelt versucht, ein gutes Ende anzubieten. So viele gute Ansätze, im Handstreich erschlagen!

Firstly, this should be mandatory viewing in all schools, not to understand cinema but to understand bullying. Few minutes into this and you will start to suffer, then you feel helpless, and then you start withdrawing yourself just like the protagonist. It is an unusual movie with constant inter-cuts between reality and gaming with a much unexpected ending which wasn't easy to accept but makes you feel better!

A very well done film about a bullied teen with Aspberger's syndrome. Excellent realistic psychological drama. Fine story values with some nice plot twists at the end. Excellent acting, especially by the actors who play the kid, his mother, and the two bullies. Highly recommended.

One of the only movies who almost made me shed a tear. Truly brillant actors. What an end

excellent visual effect, self thinking in real world into game world expression is very praiseworthy.

I usually don't watch foreign movies, but Ben X was outstanding. It shows how a teen with Asperger's takes a stand against bullies who traumatized and tortured him in his unique way. What also interests me that the main character is into online computer gaming. This I highly recommend.

I usually don't watch foreign movies, but Ben X was outstanding. It shows how a teen with Asperger's takes a stand against bullies who traumatized and tortured him in his unique way. What also interests me that the main character is into online computer gaming. This I highly recommend.

breath taking and heart breaking the story of an autistic boy. shows how much some people misunderstand the autistic. showed my friends and they almost cried BEUATIFUL movie :)

Best movie seen with my best mentor....ever...Eileen Yellin! :D

Great acting!! Definitely a Gem.

(***): [img]http://images.chrc4work.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Interesting.

The idea to enable us to see the world from Ben's eyes is great in the beginning but is repetitive and pointless as the story develops. In the end it's not helpful to understand him at all and then the flash-backs are introduced to make us feel sorry for him which I don't understand and agree with to be the point of making a movie about an autistic adult.

Despite taking 1 twist, maybe even 2 too far, this is a brilliant film.

A strange yet surprising gem from Germany. It actually has some emotional and psychological resonance as well as a strong lead performance, but it's a bit too nihilistic for its own good.

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(sigh) I really wanted to like this movie....and near the end... I loved it, but then the movie had to kick me in the balls and ruin that. Aside from the enxing and some noutious camera choices it was a good movie.

I find many of the reviews totally off the point. This movie has nothing to do with blaming or praising computer games. It is about a very important social problem. Very significantly, this movie speaks to teenagers, telling them that death in reality is nothing like death in a game. Not only it is the real end and you never come back, but even as you die the odds are that you will regret your decision to commit suicide, the process will be horrible, but it will be too late to reverse. This movie should be seen (and hopefully understood) by everyone and particularly by teenagers.

Loved this movie...it brought things to light I didn't really understand before.

The best part of the film is that it's so unHollywood. I kept imaging what the film would be like if it had been made in Hollywood with the "dumbing down" that goes on there. We'd be preached to like children. Yet this Flemish film about high school bullying somehow avoids that. Rather than told how to think, we're shown. But I wouldn't say it's quintessentially European either. (The protagonist doesn't have sex with his mother and younger brother then slit his wrist after punching out a plate glass window.) There's very little politics in this film, which is something a Hollywood production would be saturated with---"If only we had more money in the school system and unions were given more control over the school boards, NONE of this would happen!" Perhaps that's what makes this film so overall enjoyable: it's a story about real people without the strident voice of the filmmaker bullying you into submission. I also enjoy seeing a side of Europe few Americans are shown. Yes, even Europe has bullies, and nasty ones at that.