Franky

... 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.

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.

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.

Unsentimental and smart portrayal of what happens in your upper middle class suburb when your alpha bff and high school swim teammate gets wasted one night and goes down on you, and you're pretty much ok with it but he can't deal with it. No maudlin cliches here, no soft core exploitation. The boys (20-ish performers playing 16 - 17) are preternaturally beautiful and very good actors, and that is enough -- intelligent suggestions of sex, locker room nudity, etc keep us in the story, and serve to evoke in us a sense of the reality of lust and sexual tension better than any literal exhibition of their flesh, or graphic erotic simulations ever could -- while at the same time the film is not at all coy about the fact that it is about the vagaries of adolescent attraction, both physical and emotional. It's kind of like an extended DeGrassi episode minus the lovable stupidity, and with a high degree of realism. This is evolved, aware film making -- not epic in scale like BROKEBACK, it only plays a few notes, but plays them very well. The actors never fail us -- the leads as well as those playing the parents and siblings, who thankfully are fully realized and have their own individual character arcs. Josh Wiggins in the lead, suggests a mix of young DiCaprio and young Matt Damon in looks, skill, vulnerability and honesty. Darren Mann as his troubled friend alternately broods and explodes like a young Brando. The two convey a deep, unexamined connection, fueling the action of the piece. A seasoned Kyle MacLachlan as an estranged gay dad mines subtle acting gold from an almost too-saintly deus ex machina voice of reason role. Everybody is good in this, without exception. All that and a comic nonbinary pal struggling to find the perfect prosthetic to stuff in their pants . . .

This film tells an engaging story of two teenage guys. I like Natasha as well, she's really sweet. The ending is quite open ended though, I would have liked more closure.