‘Sauna’ Review: A Melancholy and Sensual Danish Drama About Queer Desire With Complications

by

In the upbeat Scandinavian pop tune that soundtracks the finale of Sauna, “All the Pretty Boys” by Anton Falck, the vocalist imagines himself as the fairytale prince in a realm inhabited by handsome men, untouched by dismissal. To an observer, achieving this dream could appear feasible for Johan, a new arrival in Copenhagen who seeks the city to express his identity more freely as a young gay man. His position at Adonis, a bathhouse catering exclusively to males, immerses him in the auditory, olfactory, and tactile aspects of intimacy and longing.

Despite the less than ideal aspects of his job – cleaning sticky floors, sanitizing vinyl mattresses and maintaining glory holes during breaks, even under the harsh glare of fluorescent lights when the club is closed for business – Johan finds it bearable compared to the immediate satisfaction he gets from secretive encounters in secluded areas, brief romantic flings, and wild nights at queer clubs. These experiences, which might not have been as accessible back in his hometown of Odense, seem to be what Johan clings to, almost as if they are all he needs. Almost.

In Mathias Broe’s moving first film, Magnus Juhl Andersen portrays Johan, a character who stands out in queer culture much like a mythical unicorn – the attractive young man with an athletic build and charming looks who appears oblivious to his worth in the realm of physical intimacy. This is due to the fact that casual encounters fail to quench his thirst for meaningful relationships. However, this dynamic shifts when Johan crosses paths with William (portrayed by Nina Rask).

Initially, a casual meeting on Grindr seemed destined to be forgettable, but it unexpectedly blossomed into a deep bond between Johan and another man, marked by both physical and emotional intimacy. In this heartwarming tale, written by Broe and co-author William Lippert based on Mads Ananda Lodahl’s novel, the duo skillfully avoid judging Johan, even as he stumbles in navigating the complexities of his partner’s unique perspective on life.

In an unexpected turn during our first kiss, I was taken aback when William asked me not to touch his chest, explaining that he’s a trans man preparing for top surgery. Caught off guard, I admitted, “I’ve never been with someone trans before.” Yet, William seemed to anticipate this, suggesting we part ways, but with some persuasion from my side, he agreed to stay on. This encounter led us to more dates in the future.

The connection between Johan and William progresses in a series of ups and downs, with instances of drawing closer and drifting apart due to errors. Their conflicts feel authentic, just like the attractive pull that continues to entice them to attempt reconciliation again.

In a novel exploration, Broe highlights an often overlooked disparity: the casual acceptance enjoyed by some gay men versus the more complex struggles faced by trans individuals. The latter group’s journey to affirm their identity can be obstructed by social segregation and expensive gender-affirming treatments that are not always accessible.

Johan’s close acquaintance at the bar and sauna is Asif (Dilan Amin), along with the kind-hearted Adonis owner Michael (Klaus Tange), who helped him land the job and secure housing. However, Johan lacks a genuine sense of community. On the other hand, William has a closely bonded group of trans friends who function as his chosen family, playing a crucial role in his well-being.

There’s a significant variation in the way they shared their truth: William’s affluent parents have been supportive, whereas Johan lacked the courage to reveal himself fully to his dad and has only discussed it once with his mom.

The narratives of their self-disclosure are markedly distinct. William’s well-off family has accepted him, while Johan hasn’t been brave enough to come out openly to his father, and he’s only broached the subject with his mother once.

During the making of the movie, Broe’s partner started their transition process. This undeniably influenced the deep personal involvement and mutual affection portrayed in the complex love narrative.

In a particularly touching scene from the movie, Johan tenderly administers Testogel to William’s legs. In another instance, William offers him a strap-on as a gift, which they later use in an intimate sex scene filled with genuine stumbling before finding their pace. A filmmaker with a queer perspective uniquely crafted this endearing role reversal, where one character delves into expressions of masculinity, while the other represents a symbolic surrender.

In an unfortunate mistake, Johan brings William along to Adonis on his off-day, failing to realize that it might not be a welcoming environment for a transgender man. An awkward moment unfolds in the locker room as Johan changes comfortably while William conceals himself behind a towel and remains fully clothed. However, they eventually grow more relaxed once Johan secures them a private space. Unfortunately, their tranquility is disrupted by an upset manager shouting, “She can’t be here!”, causing William to flee before Johan could reach the locker room.

After William ignored all of Johan’s attempts to contact him, Johan struggled to move on. Finding William at a trans nightclub, Johan tried to win over William’s friends, but his efforts were awkward and uncomfortable. Despite having good intentions, Johan bombarded them with nosy questions or made overly-supportive gestures that felt more patronizing than helpful. It wasn’t until the day after they reconciled that Johan finally apologized for the Adonis incident.

William’s struggles aren’t limited to being turned away from queer venues, but also include being disregarded by the Gender Identity Clinic, which fails to acknowledge his dual identity as transgender and homosexual. Johan can’t deny it when William calls him out on not understanding the need to rely on friends for additional hormone treatments. Moreover, Johan’s attempts to bridge their growing divide only seem to highlight their fundamental differences.

In simpler terms, Lippert and Broe’s story shifts to ordinary struggles as Johan, facing desperation, begins to overcompensate in unfortunate ways. For example, he resorts to using the earnings from Adonis’ door to pay for William’s surgery, which ultimately leads to him losing his job. This action also diminishes William’s respect for him. Johan’s situation worsens and he experiences downfalls that are easy to predict, such as engaging in sex work with an older businessman or using himself as a service for multiple customers at Adonis, tied up in a sling.

As a fan, I can’t help but wonder if the inclusion of Michael revealing Johan about his partner’s passing due to AIDS before marriage equality was truly necessary. It’s not that the scene seems unrealistic, but such intergenerational conversations have become almost clichéd in queer dramas. After all, I can’t help but feel it could have been handled differently, considering Johan couldn’t even attend the funeral due to lack of equal rights at the time.

Despite some minor flaws in the script, Broe’s debut film exudes an emotional maturity and a profound depth of feeling without veering into melodrama. William is far from flawless; his wounded disposition can make him prickly, moody, and at times unjust. However, there’s a subtle poignancy in the obstacles within their relationship as Johan persistently struggles to understand what William requires from him and consistently misses the mark.

Read More

2025-06-27 20:54