That is why I think the performances (actually Heath Ledger) is credible because he was able to portray a man growing up with a particular past (with very little love at all) in a community that has what would seem like very little, if any, affirmation of being gay (in fact his father forces him to witness the consequences of being gay in his town) coming to terms with his being gay and all that meant in his life. This would include his betrayal of his fiancé and later wife and his continuing to do so. It would also include the gay relationship's effect on his children. I think he was quite effective. I guess Jake Gyllenhaal gave an effective performance because in reality he seemed like someone who was more aggressive and who had accepted a lot about himself before meeting Heath Ledger so he had less far to go. Brokeback Mountain (put out over a decade ago) and Call Me By Your Name are much different films and so it is hard to compare them.