Giant Little Ones (2018)
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Giant Little Ones Movie Review
Giant Little Ones is a 2018 Canadian drama film directed by Keith Behrman and starring Josh Wiggins and Kyle MacLachlan. This is a true hidden gem.
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“I suggest you pay attention to what you’re drawn
and not worry too much about what you call it“
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The movie follows the sexual awakening of a teenage boy. He has a sexual encounter with his lifelong male friend, but that boy has enormous problems with what happened, so he starts harassing him verbally and physically. This movie went into a totally different territory than I had been expecting in the first half, and for that I have to congratulate the filmmakers as they have made an LGBT movie like no other. Really, no other film is quite like this one.
Rare are films that tackle sexuality and sexual identity in such sophisticated ways. Unlike most movies that treat this subject either with kid gloves or in an overly gratuitous manner, this one takes neither approach, but instead focuses on the psychological aspects. Thematically, it’s an incredibly viewing experience, and in terms of realism, it is almost unparalleled as it felt like a truly authentic teenage experience that many of us have lived through to a certain degree.
The movie has a very original twist where the protagonist isn’t gay, but his friend is. Through Ballas, they explored so potently the harsh realities of internalized homophobia and just how horrible that can reflect on other people and not just the person going through it. This guy has always been a coward, which the movie cleverly makes a point. Character flaws lead to eventual self-doubt and lack of ability to accept yourself, which is why he turned out to be a textbook example of everything that a potential gay man should strive not to be.
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It was also a clever twist to have a gay man physically harass and genuinely beat his maybe straight friend. That entire dynamic felt realistic despite it being rarely depicted on screen. Speaking of the protagonist, Franky is also very well developed and is by far the most intriguing person in the film. His ambiguous sexual identity was powerful showcased as he may not be gay, but he may not be straight either.
There is this great dialogue sequence where his gay father advises him to just go with the flow and see for himself what appeals and what doesn’t appeal to him. This scene importantly makes a distinction between teenage and adult sexual identity as teenagers are more prone to full-on experimentation and confusion, which doesn’t in and of itself equal genuine homosexuality, but rather a phase or an aspect of their sexuality. It’s all very fascinating.
The film has some issues with the supporting characters. They are all very interesting, but more could have been done to develop each and every one of them. Probably a longer runtime would have sufficed. I liked the father and it was important seeing a gay father in a heterosexual marriage with a kid having a fraught, but eventually rekindled relationship with his father.
The girlfriend character is also wonderful, but her sexual trauma should have been explored more. The same goes for Franky’s potentially trans male friend Mouse. He/she is very funny and it was very interesting following this person’s gender exploration, but again more could have been done with this subplot.
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Giant Little Ones is definitely shorter than expected for such a richly layered drama, but it flies by smoothly, it’s very well directed and the acting is terrific across the board. The ending is powerful and emotionally rewarding while the dialogue is consistently thought-provoking and grounded in reality.
