This ONE was a tough one to watch. Perhaps writer-director Keith Behrman hopes to capture the sexual and gender fluidity of todays adolescents. Ballas is terrified that his actions have outed him, and he and his girlfriend begin to spread rumors that Franky acted solely and performed unwanted oral sex while Ballas was sleeping. Continue with Recommended Cookies. A shameful Ballas reacts by spreading the rumor that Franky initiated the act. Teens drink and smoke a lot and are described as "wasted" and "so high." They are high school royalty: handsome, stars of the swim team, and popular with girls. In Keith Behrman's complex exploration of the sexual politics of teenagers, "Giant Little Ones," Franky and Ballas burn brightly for a moment, but what goes up must come down. A GIANT tear-fest, if I may.Yeah, I spent a good 80% of this movie experience in tears. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. As Berhman remarked in an interview, Theres more openness and more acceptance than when I was a teenager, but a lot of high-school students I spoke to said the film totally nailed it. The story focuses on the friendship between Franky (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas (Darren Mann), two popular jocks at school and best friends since childhood who spend most of their time together in school and outside. Because the theme(s) are quite evident. Advertisement The next day, both of them freak out. An event that in a lot of coming-of-age stories should mark the consummation of a relationship, marks the end of one in Giant Little Ones. Does it seem exploitative or empathetic? This deeply depressing film is about two best friends Franky and Ballas who wind up in bed together after a night of heavy drinking. There aren't any reviews yet. One night after drinking, they share an unexpected moment of sexual attraction. Director Keith Behrman Writer Keith Behrman Stars Josh Wiggins Darren Mann Taylor Hickson See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Ivy is a freelance writer and film journalist in NYC and LA. In an effort to protect his image, Ballas blames Franky and leads a campaign to ostracize him in school. Franky is also friendly with a transgender-curious girl called Mouse (Niamh Wilson), who goes to unusual lengths to put the boy in tomboy. It sets out to clearly tell a positive story of sexual identity for teenagers, and it delivers. Everyone is forced to dig deep and reflect on what has or hasnt? Even before he messed around with Ballas, Franky has dealt with internalized homophobia in the surprising form of his father, Ray (a fantastic Kyle MacLachlan). Be the first to contribute. LITTLE DIXIE: Little Gas In Grillo Grit-Pic, YOUR PLACE OR MINE: A Generic Comedy That Promises More Than It Delivers, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT And NARVIK: Germany And Norway Made Very Different Films About War And Trauma, Directors Justin Landsman & Charlie Compton Resurrect The Giallo In THE FIVE FINGERS OF A DOG, A SHORT STORY: Bi Gans Feline Fairy Tale, Femme Filmmakers Festival 2022: Competition Shorts, Days 710, Femme Filmmakers Festival 2022: Competition Shorts, Days 46, Slamdance Film Festival 2023: UNICORN BOY & Interview With Star Katie Leclerc And Writer/Director Matt Kiel, Sundance Film Festival 2023: THE POD GENERATION & LANDSCAPE WITH INVISIBLE HAND, Sundance Film Festival 2023: SLOW & SORCERY, Sundance Film Festival 2023: The film has many layers, and its hard to pin down what it is. Interview With Director Toby Genkel Of THE AMAZING MAURICE, The Everlasting Beauty Of CHUNGKING EXPRESS, While Everyones Still Talking About M3GAN, Lets Talk About MALIGNANT, Netflixs Love Affair With Arab Women: A Double-Edged Sword, Sundance Film Festival 2023: ONYX THE FORTUITOUS AND THE TALISMAN OF SOULS Interviews, Interview With Filmmaker Kyle Edward Ball For SKINAMARINK. Wow Giant Little Ones is a powerful film; full of vibrant visually laid-out moments that are underscored by an energetic electronic soundtrack. The films saving grace turns out to be the range of experiences that Franky and Ballas are allowed to explore. So much of what drives the action forward in Giant Little Ones happens furtively, under the cover of night, or isnt on screen. Franky's first was almost Ballas' younger sister, Tash, who has just returned to school following "the incident" for which she is now labeled a slut and she is now sneaking alcohol to cope. Despite this, the ending is still satisfying. WEB: same quality as BluRay 1080p.WEB If you torrent without a VPN, your ISP can see that you're torrenting and may throttle your connection and get fined by legal action! Parents need to know that Giant Little Ones is a nuanced indie drama that largely focuses on teen sexuality. Suddenly, Franky is labeled queer, a fag. The story of Giant Little Ones is powerful and digs deep to try and explain many things: How homophobia, or even the rumor of ones different sexuality, can devastate and ruin lives overnight. Giant Little Ones is the opposite in every way. Set in an unnamed suburb and filmed in a blandly affluent slice of Canada Giant Little Ones is predictable in look, in feel and in sound (despite an elegant score by ambient- and world-music star Michael Brook). Download Subtitles, Keywords: Until the night of Frankys 17th birthday. In the cold light of day, Franky (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas turn on each other. If its meant to be a commentary, its not a clear one. While Frankys emotional journey is carefully charted, the inner turmoil of his former best friend turned tormentor remains an unfortunate mystery, a piece of information that would have rounded out this story. Sanji and Nami share a bond and they could very likely end up together at the end of the series. Browse titles with similar subject matter. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Coming of age stories are my jam so I was predisposed to enjoying Giant Little Ones; but its much more grown-up and nuanced than I ever expected a teen movie to be. As Franky's 17th birthday approaches, just one thing seems to distinguish him from his friend: Ballas is sexually active, while Franky hasn't yet slept with his girlfriend, Priscilla (Hailey. He builds it back together with Ray's help and returns it to Ballas' house, alongside a dog tag necklace Jess gave to Ballas and he had lost during Franky's birthday party. Today, his amassed collection contains over 1600 Queer & LGBTQ films, shorts & series! The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Details Sold by: Amazon.com Have one to sell? There are many dark scenes, literally dark with low lighting that makes it difficult to see such as the scene in the bedroom, which was done quite intentionally to keep that ambiguity. Please check your user ID. Unseen fumbling. And a friendship ends. Frustratingly vague in spots, it doesnt offer easy answers. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Giant Little Ones may not be a full-fledged story about what it means to be gay, but its focus on understanding is perhaps just as important. But Franky seems anxious around Priscilla and fidgets with his earphones or anything else at hand. With his once-closest friend now his tormentor, Franky turns to another former pal, Natasha (Taylor Hickson). The plot may take an unexpected path, but thats not enough to make Franky and Ballass story compelling. All rights reserved. The images are sumptuously saturated and gorgeously crafted, and the soundtrack thrums and whines with anxiety and racing pulse. It takes until nearly the end of the film, but the scene between father and son is heartfelt and accepting, a perfect response for anyone who has struggled with their own sexuality. Franky is also friendly with a transgender-curious girl called Mouse (Niamh Wilson), who goes to unusual lengths to put the boy in tomboy. Shes Ballas younger sister, as well as a social outcast, with a useful perspective on Frankys fall from grace. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? There are some amusing (and even poignant) moments between Franky and the two girls, who are the movies most interesting characters. Theres foreboding here, that the adult are going to break these kids. [3], The film was shot in Sault Ste. Giant Little Ones. While this act marks the beginning of the narrative, it climaxes the relationship between two high school best friends, Franky (Josh Wiggins) and Ballas (Darren Mann). Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). Only his transgender friend Mouse and Ballas sister Natasha, who was also branded as an outcast after being sexually assaulted at a party, know the truth about what had happened between the two boys after the party and that Ballas had initially came on to him. The writer and director, Keith Behrman, attractively lights and films his characters, who speak in refreshingly unadorned dialogue. "[10], Writing for CBC Arts in his regular Queeries column on LGBTQ entertainment, Peter Knegt praised the film as part of a rising and necessary trend of honest depictions of teenage sexuality and sexual identity issues. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. While most films in the LGBTQ+ genre focus on gay characters(with the occasional lesbian), rarely do we see the other letters of our alphabet name shown on the big screen. Franky always has his earbuds in and his soundtrack is the movies soundtrack. Horrific Inquiry: MY BLOODY VALENTINE (2009), Horrific Inquiry: THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (1932), Inquiring Minds: Sundance Film Festival 2023: DIVINITY & ANIMALIA, The Beginners Guide: Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, Screenwriters, A Beginners Guide to National Cinema Theory, Beginners Guide: George Miller, Writer & Director, The Jokers Smile, Part 3: The Final Joke (For Now), The Jokers Smile, Part 1: The 20th Centurys Most Adaptable Character, Louis Le Prince: The Unsolved Disappearance Of The Father Of Cinema, Critiquing The Critic: The Evolution & Function Of Film Criticism, Anarchic Cinema: Jean Vigos ZERO FOR CONDUCT, Anarchic Cinema: V-Cinema & Takashi Miike, The History of Hong Kong Action Cinema Pt. Powerful Stories About Martin Luther King Jr. This one helps to fill in that missing and underrepresented gap. Its a great example of respecting the impressible intelligence of an audience and giving them the vision of themselves thats going to make a positive impact on their lives. A talented actor himself, MacLachlan successfully portrays a man who has dealt with the struggles of coming out and resolving his sexuality, but still struggles in connection with his son especially as it appears Franky might also be gay. In the process, Franky not only has to address his own sexual feelings in their entirety, but also the homophobia he displays against his father, with whom Franky chooses not to have much of a relationship. Hes figuring it out. 4 1960-1980: New Wave, How to Analyse Movies #8: Putting It Into Practice, How to Analyse Movies #7: Iconography & Realisticness, How to Analyse Movies #5: Lighting, Sound & Score, The EEOC Gender Probe: I Dont Regret Starting the Fight, MPAA, Studios Fund 12-Step Programs For Women Directors (PARODY), Weinstein Scandal Should Affect The Outcome Of The EEOC Hollywood Probe (THR Guest Column), A Surprisingly Simple Solution For Women Directors, THE LAST OF US Season 1 Episodes 2-5: Whoa, Were Halfway There, STOLEN YOUTH: INSIDE THE CULT AT SARAH LAWRENCE: A Nightmarish Documentary Of Pain, Trauma And Hope, THE LAST OF US (S1E1) When Youre Lost In The Darkness: Wow, WHO KILLED SANTA: A MURDERVILLE MYSTERY: The Holidays Are For Hilarity, RUPAULS DRAG RACE S14E16 Grand Finale: A Willow Pill Win Which Was Written In The Stars, WEDNESDAY: A Welcome Addition To the Family, A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY: Difficult To Watch, Impossible To Forget, THE PATIENT: An Intimate Push And Pull Of Psychopathy, The Latest Podcast #116: Films of Steven Soderbergh, Magic Mikes Last Dance, THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND: An Inspired, If Also Somewhat Familiar Biopic. Suddenly, everything is different. When anyone is outside its either at night or under the cover of a building. Its about Franky coming to terms with who he is and how he fits in the world. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Were left hanging but thats the point. Ballas no longer wants to spend time with Franky, but with his girlfriend Jess (Kiana Madeira) instead. All is fine and dandy, the typical teenage angst and sexual frustrations that run rampant, with a dash of homophobia, ironically directed not only at others but also at Franky and Ballas. Franky's first was almost Ballas' younger sister, Tash, who has just returned to school following "the incident" for which she is now labeled a slut and she is now sneaking alcohol to cope. By getting thrown into the deep end of sorting through his sexual identity, Franky finds himself in a way that resonates with emotional honestly, with answers that feel real because theyre messy ones. But that doesnt mean its much better than the movie it initially seems to be either. ***Final thoughts: I'm so envious of Franky, even though the character never fully appreciated it. Movie Info. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. In their half-drunken, post-party stupor, both boys end up crashing in Frankys bed. Rated R for sexual content, language and some drug/alcohol use all involving teens. Teens are shown in non-explicit sexual situations: A boy and girl have sex, there's a sexual encounter between two boys, and characters frequently talk about sex in graphic ways. There is no glitter or gay pride parades, but darkness, uncertainly, and a lot of unanswered questions. Some are iconic queer cinematic masterpieces; some are crap & simply suck. Enter for a Chance to Win a TRAINING DAY 4K Digital Movie! Josh Wiggins cant help comparisons to a young Matt Damon, with that smile that lets the audience in. He simply becomes the storys boogeyman, ready to brutalize his former friend both physically and psychologically if thats what it takes to prove that Franky is gay, and he isnt. Mercifully for our lead Franky here, he DOES have people to talk with about what he's going through. Unable to disprove the rumors -- and enduring much hateful behavior as a result of the rumors -- he quits the swim team and tries to slog through. All of these stories need to be told. You can read more about our, 2 WA artists plead guilty to faking Native American heritage, Macklemore drops new album, charts tour that will hit Spokane, Portland, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' actor, dies at 61, Early Gone With the Wind script reveals much harsher depiction of slavery, ZooTunes reveals a stellar concert lineup for summer 2023. Because writer/director Keith Behrmans lusciously shot film is not really about coming out. She's also a Programmer for the Bushwick Film Festival. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Even Mann's Ballas is understandable, lashing out with rage and fear to feelings he doesn't understand -- or think he wants. Nami and Sanji have shared a few moments of their own. I just feel that the film wouldve been just as strong without that storyline.