TW: Spoilers for “Young Hearts”
The movie “Young Hearts” came out on December 19, 2024, in Belgium, and it’s honestly an incredibly heartwarming story.
It begins with Elias’s dad singing this song about how “first love lights the fire in your heart,” which pretty much sets the tone for everything that happens next. A couple of days later, Elias’s family gets new neighbors, and they have a son named Alexander who’s around the same age as him. From that point, the storyline gets interesting.
Elias seems like your typical high school kid at first, just trying to figure out life like everyone else. But when Alexander shows up, everything starts to change for him. Alexander is different in a cool, confident way—he’s open about having been in love with a boy before, and that catches Elias off guard.
This is not something Elias ever thought about for himself, and it sets him on this journey of self-discovery that’s honestly really moving to watch.
What makes the movie so special is how real Elias’s journey feels. He doesn’t deal with loud, obvious hate or anything, but there’s this quieter kind of pressure from living in a world where people just expect you to be straight.
His parents are a good example of that. They’re not mean or judgmental, but they don’t exactly create a space where Elias feels comfortable talking about his feelings either. Their attitude is more like, “We’re fine with it as long as it’s not brought up,” which is frustrating because it shows how being neutral can still make someone feel unsupported.
Elias’s friends are a big part of the story, too. They’re always talking about love and relationships, but in a way that shows they don’t really understand what Elias is going through.
Their conversations push Elias to think more about himself, though, even if they’re not doing it on purpose. It’s interesting how the movie uses his friends to show how much other people’s opinions can influence someone who’s already unsure about their identity.
As Elias starts to figure out his feelings for Alexander, the movie dives deeper into the struggles of growing up queer in a world where straight relationships are seen as the default. It’s not just about whether people accept you or not—it’s about feeling like you belong and that your experiences are just as valid as everyone else’s.
The movie does an amazing job of showing how hard that can be without ever feeling preachy or unauthentic.
The ending of Young Hearts is perfect because it doesn’t try to wrap everything up neatly. Elias’s story doesn’t have some big dramatic conclusion—it’s more about the little moments of growth and understanding that make his journey feel so real.
It’s hopeful without being cheesy, and it leaves you thinking about how important it is to have people and places that make you feel safe being yourself.
“Young Hearts” is a beautifully told story about love, identity, and self-discovery. It’s emotional, relatable, and a reminder that everyone deserves to feel seen, understood, and celebrated for who they are.