Un beau petit diable

provocative. and real simple. touching. and surprising. a coming of age film. and little more. because, not being extraordinary, it gives, after the final credits, a special state. first - its target is very large. because it is a film about youth and its challenges. in same measure, it is a film about difference. the second - it gives a coherent message. and it escapes from moralistic/pink cages. be yourself ! it is the axis. and that does the gay coming up almost a pretext. because it has the science to mix humor with bulling,social masks with deep honesty, teenager sensibility/cruelty with the portrait of the teacher well known from many other films, changing everything (Andrew Scott does an admirable job ). a film like a challenge. good actors, good script, an amazing Fion O Shea and the right director. and, sure, a so simple story.

This film tells the story of two pupils in a boarding school, who forms an unlikely friendship.

"Handsome Devil" is a very beautiful film. It gives people hope, empowers people to believe in themselves, and gives a strong message that things do get better. I am deeply touched by the story.

When you spend your life trying to be someone you are not, who is going to be you?! Ned, a fiercely independent teen at a rugby obsessed boarding school, struggles with the answer to this question. Isolated and bullied just because he is different, Ned figures that keeping his head down is the best option to endure the school year. Yet how quickly things can change. A dynamic teacher and omnipotent rugby star, each grappling with their own demons, transfer to the school. Meeting them is the worst and the best thing to happen to Ned. He discovers that what is more important than being cool, is what is beautiful. Yet beauty has its price.

In Handsome Devil, new twists are added to the familiar tale of a teen attempting to stand up in the face of bullying, and reconcile athletics with learning. The added perspectives include a faculty member and a star athlete who face harassment and threats as harsh as those faced by the main character. While the film is predictable in places and the scenes and acting not as exquisite as they might be, I enjoyed the rich dialogue and the new angles on the characters. I really liked the director's previous film, the Stag, for its humor and unique approach to a familiar theme (in this case, a wedding and bachelor's party). Seen at the Miami International Film Festival.

Ned hates school his father has remarried and decided to send his only son off to a boarding school. It is one of those schools where sports rule and in particular – rugby. Yes the ultra macho contact sport where beef, brawn and attitude count. My school was very similar. Ned is not sport minded and as such is an outcast being sneered at for being 'gay'.

Then new boy Connor arrives under a cloud from his previous school. Only he is also a top rugger player and gets placed in the same room as Ned. The Jock and the 'gay' are not best suited and neither boy is happy. However, the two soon form a bond based on mutual interests but it soon becomes apparent that the natural order of things is only allowed to be in flux for so long before the forces, that be, must exert themselves and return everything to its proper place.

Now this is a film supported by The Irish Film Board and has a cast peppered with talent including Ardal O'Hanlon, Moe Dunford ('Vikings') and Amy Huberman ('Moone Boy') and everyone puts in good performances. It can be light hearted and lack in character development in places, but it is a well rounded drama which focuses on those that we chose to exclude and how that fear of revulsion changes a person – and not always for the better. It is a scenario that is familiar to many and not one that any of us ought to be proud of for taking part in. It is also a ruddy good watch with perfect timing and drama to keep you hooked till the credits roll – easily recommended.

I love this movie so much and I always come back to it when I'm feeling down. It has an excellent soundtrack and portrays a great story.