The Way He Looks 2014

Leonardo, a blind high school student striving for independence, often discusses with his best friend Giovana their lack of romantic experiences, particularly expressing concerns over never having been kissed. He feels a sense of despair, believing that no one would want to kiss him. Giovana regularly accompanies Leonardo home, even though she lives in the opposite direction, showcasing her loyalty and support. At their home, Leonardo’s mother is anxious about leaving him alone, but he convinces her that he can manage, leading to an agreement with stipulations for his independence.

At school, Leonardo faces bullying from a classmate named Fabio due to the sounds of his typewriter. The dynamics shift when Gabriel, a new student, takes the seat behind him. Giovana expresses her crush on Gabriel, but soon finds competition in classmate Karina, who also starts to pursue him. As the trio begins to bond, Gabriel joins Leonardo and Giovana on their walks home. One day, when Leonardo walks home alone, he becomes a target for Fabio and his friends, who taunt him, causing him to trip. Upon returning home late, he expresses his frustration about his parents’ overprotective nature.

As the story unfolds, Leonardo shares his desire to study abroad, seeking a way to escape his controlling home life—though he has yet to inform his parents about this aspiration. At school, when Leonardo and Gabriel collaborate on a project, they share a lunch and a movie outing. While working on the project, Leonardo tries to teach Gabriel braille, expressing his own challenges by saying that for him, “riding a bike is impossible.” They sneak out one night to witness a lunar eclipse, but during their adventure, Gabriel realizes he has left his sweatshirt at Leonardo’s home, prompting him to ask Leonardo to return it the following day. That night, in an intimate moment, Leonardo slips into Gabriel’s sweatshirt and experiences a personal awakening.

Soon, Leonardo is contacted by an exchange agency focused on blind students, causing a shift in their dynamic as Gabriel replaces Giovana as Leonardo’s guide home. Giovana grows increasingly upset when they walk home together without her, leading to tension among the trio. When Leonardo finally reveals his study abroad plans to his parents, they disapprove outright, though his father later privately acknowledges Leonardo’s aspirations.

At a house party hosted by Karina, Giovana tries to drown her feelings in alcohol while venting about her perceived replacement in Leonardo’s life. In a dramatic moment, she kisses Gabriel, but he does not respond. During a game of Spin the Bottle, a series of humiliating scenarios lead Giovana to pull Leonardo away before anything can happen. Their friction escalates, resulting in Leonardo expressing his frustration about feeling controlled, which leads Gabriel to surprise him with a kiss before quickly leaving.

The narrative progresses to a camping trip where Leonardo finds himself wedged between feelings for Gabriel and the unexpected dynamics in their friendship. On this trip, as they swim, Gabriel directly assists Leonardo with sunscreen, inciting laughter and taunts from others. They find a moment of solitude in the showers, but when Gabriel accidentally shows signs of attraction while looking at Leonardo, he quickly retreats, embarrassed.

Later, reconciliation occurs between Leonardo and Giovana, which leads Leonardo to confess his feelings for Gabriel. Although initially skeptical, Giovana fully supports him once they return. When Gabriel confronts Leonardo at his home, he admits to rejecting advances from Karina to express his true interest in Leonardo. The two share a heartfelt kiss, solidifying their feelings.

In the final scenes, the trio presents their project, and as they walk home together, Leonardo boldly holds hands with Gabriel, confronting the taunts from Fabio and his friends head-on. The film closes with an uplifting image of Leonardo riding a bike, with Gabriel balancing on the back wheel, a poignant symbol of their blossoming relationship and newfound freedom.