The value is in the telling· And Beyond the Walls is indeed a well told story. We see Paulo, naive and apparently nearing the end of an earlier stage of self identity recognition, lusting after an older bartender/musician, Ilir; and cheating on his girlfriend· While in a drunken haze (or so he claims) Paulo seduces Ilir· After a few twists, turns, and drama, Paulo manipulates the relationship to a tension filled coupledom· Their relationship goes into a downward spiral when Ilir is imprisoned for elicit drug possession and assault, and Paulo loses his ability to control his fantasy·
In Beyond the Walls, there is no fairytale ending where everyone lives happily ever after: it is what it is· The relationship reaches giddy heights but both men in their different ways accept that it has run its course and that they cannot turn the clock back. [QueerGuru}·
Like both Weekend and Keep The Lights On (see), Beyond the Walls is an example of an evolving genre of realism in gay themed films· It is a real story - not the often tiresome frothy lightweight gay relationship tales.