Still, as generic middle-brow entertainment goes, Centre of my World functions adequately. You wish the characters well. You crave for neat endings.

Erwa's emotional candour ensures his film will strike resonant chords with anybody who spent their formative years extricating themselves from strangulating family ties.

It's almost aggressively twee at times, and a subplot with Phil's distant twin sister is underdeveloped, but there's enough emotional nuance to elevate it above the status of escapist whimsy.

A gorgeously sun-kissed ode to first love, the film sometimes sacrifices deeper characterization for titillating sex scenes between the model ready boys. It feels geared towards the LGBT film festival circuit.