Handsome Devil

'HANDSOME DEVIL': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

An Irish coming-of-age drama film, about an outcast and an athlete that are forced to share the same bedroom at their boarding school. They of course bond in the process. The movie was written and directed by John Butler. It stars Fionn O'Shea, Nicholas Galitzine, Andrew Scott, Moe Dunford and Michael McElhatton. Being an outcast myself, all of my life, I enjoyed the film quite a bit.

Ned (O'Shea) is a gay outcast that's forced to attend a new boarding school. Conor (Galitzine) was a star rugby athlete, at his old school (who got into too many fights there), and he's now forced to attend the same school. The two are also forced to share the same bedroom together, and they both immediately hate the idea. Over time they bond though, and they even form a two member band together. This doesn't go over well with some of the authorities though, at the rugby obsessed school, and their new friendship is tested.

This is a movie I hadn't heard anything about before seeing it. Then my friend asked me if I wanted to review it, for his website Film-Arcade.net. So after reading about it on IMDb, I said yeah. He sent me the screener, and I was very pleasantly surprised by it. It's a really touching coming-of-age tale, about being an outcast and not fitting in. This film is more specifically about being gay, but it could be about anyone that doesn't fit in (to the social norm) and it would still have the same message. I've been bullied my whole life, for being different (and more specifically for looking different). So many people have socially rejected me for this that it's really caused some serious emotional (and mental) issues. So this movie really spoke to me. I loved it!

Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/WXRjz4hXVvs

Ned hates school his father has remarried and decided to send his only son off to a boarding school. It is one of those schools where sports rule and in particular – rugby. Yes the ultra macho contact sport where beef, brawn and attitude count. My school was very similar. Ned is not sport minded and as such is an outcast being sneered at for being 'gay'.

Then new boy Connor arrives under a cloud from his previous school. Only he is also a top rugger player and gets placed in the same room as Ned. The Jock and the 'gay' are not best suited and neither boy is happy. However, the two soon form a bond based on mutual interests but it soon becomes apparent that the natural order of things is only allowed to be in flux for so long before the forces, that be, must exert themselves and return everything to its proper place.

Now this is a film supported by The Irish Film Board and has a cast peppered with talent including Ardal O'Hanlon, Moe Dunford ('Vikings') and Amy Huberman ('Moone Boy') and everyone puts in good performances. It can be light hearted and lack in character development in places, but it is a well rounded drama which focuses on those that we chose to exclude and how that fear of revulsion changes a person – and not always for the better. It is a scenario that is familiar to many and not one that any of us ought to be proud of for taking part in. It is also a ruddy good watch with perfect timing and drama to keep you hooked till the credits roll – easily recommended.

provocative. and real simple. touching. and surprising. a coming of age film. and little more. because, not being extraordinary, it gives, after the final credits, a special state. first - its target is very large. because it is a film about youth and its challenges. in same measure, it is a film about difference. the second - it gives a coherent message. and it escapes from moralistic/pink cages. be yourself ! it is the axis. and that does the gay coming up almost a pretext. because it has the science to mix humor with bulling,social masks with deep honesty, teenager sensibility/cruelty with the portrait of the teacher well known from many other films, changing everything (Andrew Scott does an admirable job ). a film like a challenge. good actors, good script, an amazing Fion O Shea and the right director. and, sure, a so simple story.

I loved the movie. The only reason it's not a 10/10 is that it's way too similar to the Dead Poets Society. Same English teacher with his unorthodox pedagogy, same sports vs. arts dilemmas, except this time the characters are openly gay and that adds a dimension.

It's equally moving, with the same twist of pupils taking sides, which is the climax of the movie. The acting is great too. I wouldn't be surprised if 5-10 years down the road we see some of these same faces playing in the top gear movies, running for the top prizes. Certainly worth watching - it's not just a coming out of age and a coming out of closet movie, but also a touching young folks' drama set up in a realistic environment. Great piece!

I loved this film. I went to a rugby school in Ireland in the 1960s but wasn't any good at rugby myself. I'm gay too but back then it was something to keep quiet about., A lot of people have assumed that the character, Ned, is gay. In fact the film never makes clear whether he is or not (this was confirmed by the director). I loved how Fionn O'Shea played the character. He may have been picked on for being different but he wasn't a shrinking violet and verbally gave as good as he got. I also marveled at how Nicholas Galitzine, a young English actor, got the middle class south Dublin accent so right. The rugby scenes are as authentic as any you will see in a movie.The director used Leinster under 19 players. I met him at a festival and he told me that they assembled them for the filming of the rugby scenes but hadn't told them who the choreographer was going to be. They were both gobsmacked and delighted when it turned out to be Brian O'Driscoll (for those unfamiliar with rugby he is widely regarded as Ireland's greatest ever rugby player - his wife played Ned's mother in the film). As others have noted the upbeat ending was really necessary in this film.