‘Here the Whole Time’ Review: A Heartfelt Brazilian Summer Romance

Felipe has spent years transforming his bedroom into a sanctuary, and ‘Here the Whole Time’ begins right there, in the stillness that follows the end of the school year.

He is a gay teenager who has learned to blend into oversized shirts and closed doors, finding more comfort in rewatching musicals than confronting classmates who constantly remind him of his weight. This fragile peace shatters when his mother decides to host their neighbor Caio for two weeks, a childhood friend turned effortlessly confident gym enthusiast whom Felipe has quietly yearned for over the years.

What unfolds is unapologetically a teen romance, and it embraces this identity wholeheartedly. The film takes its time over a fifteen-day timeline, allowing the initial tension between Felipe and Caio to evolve into a grudging familiarity before blossoming into tenderness. This slow burn is where the film truly shines.

Miguel Lallo portrays Felipe with a raw energy that never veers into melodrama, making it a rarity to see a young queer lead whose body is simply accepted rather than treated as a problem to be solved. Diego Lira imbues Caio with just enough complexity that the eventual thaw between the two boys feels authentic rather than scripted, while Débora Falabella adds warmth to Felipe’s mother, grounding the more chaotic teenage moments around her.

However, the film falters in how cautiously it handles its themes. Body image, shame, and the unique loneliness of feeling unlovable are all present in the premise, and while the movie approaches these topics with sincerity, it often shies away from delivering a more impactful punch, opting for warmth over conflict when the two boys start to clash.

The visual storytelling compensates for this to some extent. Sunlight dances across pool water and bedroom walls, capturing the essence of a Brazilian summer rather than a generic streaming aesthetic. The film’s vibrant and lively visuals give it a distinct personality that many similar titles lack.

The soundtrack embraces a millennial mixtape vibe, weaving musical theater elements and needle drops into Felipe’s inner world so seamlessly that his passion for performance becomes a second language for the film. This thoughtful choice elevates the narrative, transforming what could have been mere background noise into a deeper understanding of who Felipe truly is beneath his deflective humor.

The conclusion is where the film’s tendency for easy resolutions becomes a drawback, tying up conflicts that took an hour to develop with a neatness that feels more convenient than genuine. It’s not a betrayal of the story but rather a soft landing that diminishes some of the tougher truths the film bravely explores.

Nonetheless, there’s immense value in a queer coming-of-age story that centers a fat protagonist without framing his body as a plot twist needing resolution through a makeover or montage. Felipe’s journey toward self-acceptance is just as vital as his romance with Caio, and the film recognizes this distinction, even if it doesn’t always dramatize it with enough intensity.

Overall, ‘Here the Whole Time’ is a charming, sun-soaked summer romance that connects more often than it stumbles, even if it sometimes opts for comfort over the richer, more challenging narrative it could have achieved. My reaction leaned more toward genuine affection than mere approval, and I’m giving it 8 out of 10.

Have you seen ‘Here the Whole Time’ yet? Did Felipe and Caio’s summer romance resonate with you as much as it did with me? Share your thoughts in the comments.