Pequenos Gigantes

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.

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.

... 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 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 . . .