Overview
A heartfelt exploration of love and identity unfolds in the halls of a high school.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- tender
- witty
- sincere
- quiet evening
- coming of age movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a tender, sincere queer coming-of-age romance with deeper values than conventional teen comedies, though some considered its characterization preachy or thin.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Steven’s struggle with coming out and his desire to live honestly drive the emotional arc.
Steven and John fall in love while school popularity and homophobia prevent them from being openly together.
John’s status as the school’s top athlete makes his relationship with Steven especially precarious.
The film focuses on homes, school spaces, and secluded encounters to convey the lovers’ limited privacy.
Films like Get Real, and why
Beautiful Thing
shared lgbtq+ coming-of-age drama, teenage romance, school setting, and sincere emotional tone
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
shared queer teen romance, social pressure, intimate character drama, and bittersweet warmth
The Way He Looks
shared high-school coming-of-age themes, identity discovery, romantic vulnerability, and witty warmth
Love, Simon
shared lgbtq+ self-discovery, homophobia themes, and tender romantic drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Simon Shore
- Release Date
- 1998-08-16
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (195)
Cast
- Ben Silverstone
- Brad Gorton
- Charlotte Brittain
- Stacy Hart
- Kate McEnery
- Patrick Nielsen
- Tim Harris
- James D. White
- James Perkins
- Nicholas Hunter
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Get Real about?
- A British schoolboy risks social exile when his secret love for the school’s star athlete becomes impossible to keep hidden.
- What is Get Real like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Get Real as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Get Real violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Get Real.
- What did critics think of Get Real?
- Critics broadly found the film a tender, sincere queer coming-of-age romance with deeper values than conventional teen comedies, though some considered its characterization preachy or thin.
- Which films are like Get Real?
- Films with a similar feel include Beautiful Thing, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, The Way He Looks, and Love, Simon.
- How long is Get Real?
- Get Real runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Get Real?
- In United States, Get Real is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
