User reviews

... but one that shifts the perspective sufficiently to make it a refreshing take on an often overcooked theme. It's also believable and doesn't rely on melodramatic effect to present adolescence and the wide range of maturities young adults portray. Some excellent acting by some talented future stars, as well as those more established, makes this film well worth your time and attention.

This is a very well made, well cast film. The main subject is adolescence, and how painful it can be. While most of the reviews here seem to be wholly focused on the sexuality aspect, it is also largely about how teens navigate the ebbs and flows of their social relationships, both with their peers and with their parents. Sexual experimentation is on view, to be sure, as is unchecked homophobia and the havoc it can wreak. The film presents no easy resolutions to the problems encountered along the way. Just like real life.

SYNOPSIS: Franky (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas (Darren Mann) are popular high school swimmers and are also best friends. After sharing an intimate act together at a party when everyone left, Franky is left questioning his sexuality as Ballas slanders Franky to other students.

REVIEW: A hidden gem is exactly how I'd describe this film. Came out very early in 2019 and for some reason no one was talking about it. It wasn't marketed much at all. In fact, I only saw it because one day I decided to check my theater that gets independent films early sometimes and I watched the trailer to this.

This coming-of-age film is really grounded and touches on sexuality in a very sincere a real way. I'm heterosexual, however, I've had gay friends and I've heard plenty of stories of how people are treated when coming out. I loved the dynamic of Franky having this sexual act with his friend and still denying being gay. I feel that's a very real thing. Also, having gone a few years hating his father for leaving his mother after revealing himself as homosexual. Then still having a hard time having the courage to go to his father for advice. Josh Wiggins is incredible at playing this character and really emulating someone going through an incredibly tough and confusing situation while also being very young and KYLE MacLachlan was great as his father. You also see how his best friend handles the situation, which is by slandering Franky in order to save face. A very toxic way to handle this, but it was also believable to me to see this exterior "alpha" feeling the need to survive in his environment and prove to still be "strong" due to the mis-directed thought that you can't be yourself and be strong at the same time. I truly hope that more people end up seeing this film one way or another. If you're reading this... it's not too late. I don't care what drake says. Go see it. 8.3/10.

Weird film. This film is not about love but about sexual experiences, specifically bisexual ones. The main character seems not be in love with anyone, and relationship with the boy is still weirdest. The films seems to underline the bisexual character and the social discrimination about it. Important to remark that the main character is not considered himself gay at all. I don't think I could appreciate this story, even if technically the film is pretty decent.

This ONE was a tough one to watch. A GIANT tear-fest, if I may.

Yeah, I spent a good 80% of this movie experience in tears. It's a hotspot with me to see gay-bullying or shaming. I grew up with this and saw it and experienced it and want to strike back. But what this character had...what I never had: people around him who experienced this before or would understand.

What a refreshing take! Being sexual isn't one-sided. Here, the message is: Be WHO YOU ARE. Not one labelled sexuality. People shouldn't be told they 100% fit in this box or that one. There are 100s of boxes out there. Be Who You Are.

I digress. Best buds for most of their lives, now in High School, discover they have a thing for each other despite their current opposite-sex relationships. Well, homophobia's not going away any time soon, sadly, so tension arises at school and in their personal life.

Teens have so much to deal with and sexuality is a big part of it. Mercifully for our lead Franky here, he DOES have people to talk with about what he's going through. He is lucky, more than he knows. Not many of us do or did.

The movie is beautifully shot, incredibly acted and perfectly realistic. I never once was taken out of this picture as I saw ALL of this as real. Hence all the tears and remembrances of said bullying, mocking and homophobia. It's SO sad this still takes place. I pray it'll get better as we progress as a human race.

Add all that with a fantastic soundtrack and you have a 100% recommendation from me. I am so happy sexuality has evolved to more than one or the other and this movie will give hope to those more curious to who they are.

***

Final thoughts: I'm so envious of Franky, even though the character never fully appreciated it. He had his actual gay father for help. I never had anyone. My church was against me. Society was against me. I never knew anyone gay or non-straight. And my parents were certainly against me. They kicked me out of their house TWICE for being gay.

So, if you have someone close to you who understands, consider yourself lucky. But, if you don't...I'll be there for you. It's the VERY least I can do.

It never would have happened if we weren't wasted.

Just like in chemistry class at the start of the film, there's a lot of intense experimenting among the youngsters in this movie. Especially sexually. However, when this experimenting turns out bad for Ballas (Darren Mann), he starts losing his mind. Because it could be detrimental to his reputation as a tough stallion who prefers to brag about the number of times he did it with his girlfriend. His blood brother, friend for life and partner in crime Franky (Josh "Walking Out" Wiggins) suddenly becomes the feared enemy. Franky is treated as a purebred pariah whose proximity causes paranoid reactions. As if he's the carrier of disgusting STDs. From one day to the next, Franky belongs to the camp of the outcasts in a youth community where popular teens, who measure up to the ideal of beauty, are in charge and seem to lay down the standard rules for acceptance.

"Giant Little Ones" belongs both in the category of "Coming of age" films and the category containing films with a gay/lesbian theme. Now about that last item. The film deals with that topic in a clever way. And this by not explicitly revealing anything about the actual sexual orientation of the persons involved. At the end of the film, we still don't know whether Franky or Ballas should come out of the proverbial closet. And that makes "Giant Little Ones" a film that feels authentic. As in reality, some people need a lot of time to discover their sexual preferences. The only personage in this film who does this coming-out is Franky's father (a limited but defining role played by Kyle "Twin Peaks" MacLachlan). A situation that causes conflicting feelings for Franky. On the one hand, there is a love-hate relationship between him and his father. Its the opinion of Franky that Ray has disrupted the ideal family portrait and that he abandoned them. On the other hand, Franky starts to have doubts regarding his sexual orientation. There's the question of whether or not he has inherited genetic material from his father.

The whole fuss starts when Franky and Ballas go to bed and sleep there together after a hellish birthday party, during which excessive alcohol and probably other mind-altering drugs are consumed. Initially, it all looks like a perfectly normal idea. Two friends sleeping in the same bed. Although, they both are in a questionable state. And all this because the plans Franky had with his so-called girlfriend Priscilla, failed that evening. That's why they ended up together, instead of fooling around with their girlfriends. Anyway, it's abundantly clear that their friendship reached a completely different level that evening. Blurred images of someone tossing and turning plus one of the two fleeing the scene early in the morning, are both good indications to back this up. When afterward Ballas takes a distant demeanor (or even better, an aggressive, hostile attitude) and visibly doesn't want any contact with Franky anymore (and other fellow students as well.

Josh Wiggins' acting is outstanding. A fresh young man who on the one hand effortlessly is invited to the club of popular boys and at the same time has an attitude as if this reputation doesn't really interest him. Darren Mann also played a convincing role and was the perfect choice to play the role of Ballas. He has a charisma that fits such a guy who makes peers' lives miserable because they are less fortunate when it comes to appearance and heritage. Such a kid who must uphold his reputation with his fellow confreres and therefor degrades himself to harassment and play that annoying tough-guy routine. And of course, such a person is idolized by members of the opposite sex who practice the same standards. Let's try and describe such a girl. A blond bimbo with a shockingly low IQ whose sole purpose in life is to open her well-shaped, slender tanned legs wide open as quickly as possible in such a way that this popular jock can get his kicks. A victory for the young lady in question whose reputation goes sky-high among like-minded female souls. And finally, I think Taylor Hickson's role was the most moving.

Visually, "Giant Little Ones" isn't really spectacular. But narratively speaking, it's an excellent, almost brilliant film. The film shows how fake a part of American youth is. A plastic payment card has more character and charisma than most of those mannequins from posh circles. Not only these cartoonish fake persons with their derogatory and homophobic behavior are being presented here. But also those who stay true to themselves, are put in the spotlight. The message "Be yourself" is extensively displayed here. The hilarious lesbo Mouse (Niamh Wilson) in particular loudly proclaims this message by doing things the way she likes it. "Giant Little Ones" has both emotional and funny moments. And what it mainly did, was surprise me. In a positive way, that is.

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This remarkable film deals with many issues, but at it's core, the pulse of the film beats around the nature of homophobia and the toxic tentacles it has that chokes so many lives, while it spins its tale of adolescence and the turmoil of getting to grips with ones true essence. Giant Little Ones is a beautiful treatment of emerging sexuality and the beauty and ugliness of the personal struggles that that involves for many. The admirable thing about this film is that it completely usurps audience expectations based on the casting and the journeys these characters take. It treats the subject of homo-hatred and self loathing in a way that is both challenging and confronting. Expertly acted by the entire cast, this little gem is well worth your time. It's got lots of surprises and ultimately leaves you with more questions than answers...unlike most 'hollywood' films, this indie stunner is rich in thought and spirit. Highly recommended! Five Stars.

I mostly do streaming so I often forget what dvds are in my queue and usually don't remember what they're about when they arrive. So it was when this one arrived. Right off the bat I could tell it was a coming out film, and at first I almost popped it out of the tray. Not because of the subject but because It started with a sort of milquetoast quality, like one of those 'coming-out in suburbia' stories where the bullies finally get their comeuppance and everything works out in the end. But I continued watching and was pleased that it turned out to be a nuanced story with a satisfyingly suspended ending that didn't pander. I liked it. 7/10.

I can't believe it is 2023 and I had not come across this film until now.

Really a phenomenal production.

This film is so unique in its approach to the subject matter and just so honestly human. It's no wonder the script garnered such a great cast in supporting roles.

The newbie young cast were so perfect and I am really impressed by the Canadian talent that showed up brilliantly in this film.

While I know that Davincis inquest gathered a world wide fan base, I think that this film should warrant even more respect for Keith Behrman as an astounding writer and director.

Great job on this production.

The streaming site that I viewed this on had it listed under an LGBT category. That is simply wrong. This is a film about young people figuring out just what they are sexually. One, two or three of these characters may turn out to be categorized, an awful word, by that label, especially one, but their fate is mostly unknown. Maria Bello, fine as the mother of the principle character, says it best. They are experimenting. In this era, I would think that would be relatively common. At least I hope so. Two lifelong best friends get drunk and have a sexual encounter. One deals with it while the other simply cannot and actually goes out of his way to cause the other harm. It's a sad, though not the most original tale well acted by Josh Wiggins, Bello, Taylor Hickson and Kyle MacLachlan as Wiggins gay dad. It has a rather non-ending that can be interpreted in a few ways and that's probably the best way as there are no clear cut answers for a couple of these characters by the time the film ends. It's a good movie.

Its basic virtues - the performances, the dialogue, the build of story. And the realistic portrait of teenagers. The vulnerabilities, the ambiguities, the selfishness and self discover, the characteristics of relations, the love levels, the fair perspective about thrill and seduction, the public image, the parents and the fight to be yourself, the incident and real life and, not the last, the perfect music. A film about a state of soul.

Somehow it turned out to be a good movie. All those coming-of-age stories are usually quite dull, but this one is well written, well acted and genuinely kind, wise and educational.

Sensual, pensive and tumultuous, yet simultaneously coy and lighthearted, this swirl of self discovery is beautifully crafted. Often films of this ilk leave the story in the dust of artistic but self indulgent voyeurism; Giant Little Ones does not fall prey to this vice, balancing gorgeous cinematography and tasteful, glancing celebrations of the beauty of youth with deftly invisible editing and sharp attention to narrative, character and pacing. Dialogue and delivery never seem stilted, and the performances of the key cast were exceptional. This artwork picks out and highlights the melancholic beauty of the imperfection of being human, exploring those times in life where identity and boundaries of "self" are in turmoil, where the windows to the inner cores of even our closest loved ones are opaque, wistfully celebrating those brief moments where we can see through the haze and make a connection.

Mostly lots of the usual teen movie hooks: Relationships, classrooms, hallway romantic or hassle behavior, sexual orientation, parties, sex, fights, breakups, parental relationships. That list of behaviors probably occupy most teens lives maybe 20% of the time yet this movie makes it seem like 89%. Anyway, a bit more honest, intelligent, & better acted than most.

First off, the cast is fantastic!

The emotions going through the movie feel very real and not at all forced. I love how the way things play out aren't typical or trending with a lot of movies of similar subject matter that have come out in recent years.

I will be recommending this to everyone I know!

Great coming of age film about sexuality. The acting was spot on.

In his 1948 study "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male," Dr. Alfred Kinsey reported that everyone is bisexual to one degree or another and that this can be measured on a scale from 0 to 6. While sexual fluidity has grown in acceptance, it has not yet been explored in film to any great degree. Canadian director Keith Behrman's Giant Little Ones, however, in his first film since his 2002 indie "Flowers and Garnet," celebrates the complexities of life and relationships in the story of popular teenagers Franky Winter (Josh Wiggins, "Walking Out") and Ballas Kohl (Darren Mann, "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" TV series). Best friends since childhood, their relationship is severely tested when they engage in oral sex after heavy drinking at Franky's 16th birthday party, an incident that leads both to question their orientation.

The experience, which would normally be quickly buried, is inflamed when a fearful Ballas, hearing rumors and worried about having his masculinity challenged, betrays his lifelong friendship with Franky, spreading stories around the school that Franky was responsible for what occurred. The seduction scene is shown so quickly, however, that it is uncertain as to what actually took place. All we see is a darkened room and the movement of bodies under a blanket. A confused Franky becomes the target of abuse from his classmates, abuse that threatens his self esteem and puts a damper on his relationship with his girlfriend Cil (Hailey Kittle, "Falling Water" TV series), who had expected to lose her virginity on the night of Franky's birthday party.

The only support he finds is in his sweet relationship with Ballas' sister Natasha (Taylor Hickson, "Everything, Everything"), whose own experience of bullying left her fearful of becoming close with another person. Franky's struggle for self-acceptance is also helped by his humorous relationship with Mouse (Niamh Wilson, "Saw V"), a trans friend who is there for more than comic relief. She personifies for Franky what it means to own one's sexuality and not be overburdened by what others think about her. Also lending support is Franky's father Ray, (Kyle MacLachlan, "High Flying Bird") who left the home to move in with another man.

Protective of his mother Carly (Maria Bello, "Lights Out") and resentful of his father's sudden departure, it requires a long time for Franky to be willing to allow Ray to support him, but eventually, in a scene made real by MacLachlan's compassion and Wiggins raw sensitivity, a deeply-felt conversation takes place and is one of the film's high points. While Giant Little Ones succeeds in moving the needle in a positive direction, it nonetheless falls prey to some of the more clichéd aspects of the coming-of-age genre such as high schools filled with affluent, white students, actors who look closer to thirty years old than fifteen, stereotypes of alpha male high school jocks, and a host of badly undeveloped peripheral characters.

The heart and the message of the film, however, transcend its limitations. Franky's growing ability to just be himself without having to fit into a rigid category is an important one and, to its credit, it is an ambiguity that Behrman does not find it necessary to clear up. Like the poet Charles Bukowski, Franky could say, "Something in me relaxed, smoothed out. I no longer had to prove that I was a man. I didn't have to prove anything." Like a rocket in a fireworks July, the flares that Franky and Natasha fire into the sky do not soar upwards in a straight line but bend in noticeable arcs before bursting into a bright red flame.

Giant Little Ones is a strong coming of age movie. Someone described it as a bisexual coming-out film and there is truth to that. But more importantly, it's just an enjoyable and entertaining window into a teenage boy's life.

Josh Wiggins delivers an endearing and strong performance as Franky Winter, a boy whose life is turned upside down after he and his best friend have a sexual relationship one night after a party. The film then starts down the usual path of coming-out movies: shock, denial, social rejection, etc. And you brace yourself to see the same story again. But GLO surprises. It takes on a different path. Franky falls for a girl. He may not be gay after all. Or is he? The film captures the hardship of defining one's sexual identity, without over-dramatizing but also without leveling it with the multitude of life's other decisions. It avoids easy answers but doesn't indulge in broad relativism either, tackling the topic head on without claiming moral superiority.

Let's be clear. This movie is not Citizen Kane. It's a small movie. But in the context of its genre, it stands above most.

In the end, the worst thing about Giant Little Ones are actually its title and its poster. The title makes it sound like a classic story of how teens should truly be viewed as heroes for having the courage to discover who they are - this movie is better than that. And the poster makes it look like just another teen coming out story. And this movie is more than that.

Saw at film festival and was blown away. Every scene had the smallest details meaningful The young cast was amazing Shows so much talent to make this kind of film with so little funding. BRAVO

This is one of the best movies I've seen an a while. The plot was laid out really well with such an incredibly warm feel between the characters leaving just enough mystery to keep you guessing.

Except one thing: The most heartwarming moment of the story became preachy about sexuality. The father's excessive dialogue made the scene lose it's effect.