Giant Little Ones - BFI Flare

Exploring the damage and ignorance of homophobia as well as the heartbreak of betrayal and the yearning of for a connection and placing no labels on love. This isn't just an coming-of-age film hitting the same beats.

Formally published on VultureHound HERE.

The coming of age story is and can be over used to simplify what the characters in the story are experiencing. Usually set during high school/secondary school or during one summer, the characters go through life until something changes them. There are moments of heartache and pain as well as concentrated moments of ecstasy. Feelings are explored, realisations are met with further pain and sometimes regret. Friends, family, strangers have an impact but in the end its about one or a group’s time as they grow up. ‘Giant Little Ones’ is about more than just a coming of age story, there is no end, only a few moments of realisation and is more about consequences to unrealised truths and the lies that are told to hide, no matter who its affects.

Franky and Ballas have been best friends forever. They both have girlfriends, even though Franky isn’t quite sure about his relationship, Ballas encourages him to take things further and brags about his sexual exploits. The best friends are both on the swimming team and witness their teammate being degraded with homophobic slurs and threats. Franky’s home life has been different since he father left to be with another man, a situation he isn’t entirely comfortable with. After his birthday party and a night of drinking, Franky and Ballas share an encounter after which Ballas abruptly leaves. From this moment Franky’s world is shattered, which is made worse when Ballas claims it was Franky that came on to him. Alone and seeking friendship, he rekindles his with Natasha, Ballas’ sister. But with everyone so quick to put labels on each other and relationships, it’ll take more than a few days for Franky to figure what it all means.

The two elements to take from ‘Giant Little Ones’ is that secrets and lies have disastrous consequences and love should have no labels. The film explores the damaging effect homophobia and ignorance has, especially in schools. Athletes are made to think that they have to me masculine to the point of poisoning their views. Reputation in school is everything to teenagers and one small rumour can change everything, despite whether it is based on fact or not. A friendship as close as Franky and Ballas’ is shattered because one cannot talk to his friend, this belief that there is something wrong with him over shadows him and the only way out is to bring his friend down instead. The message of the film over all is also being used as the tagline and social media hashtag, love without labels is lesson that these teenagers almost learn towards the end, or at least they will take steps to understand, whereas Franky is already ahead and is open to more possibilities.

Writer and director Keith Behrman has created a complex character without the clichés of the coming-of-age genre tropes. Franky, played superbly by Josh Wiggins, is, from the start of the film, curious about his emotions and questions whether or not its right to be with his girlfriend simply because he doesn’t feel strongly about her. His feels guilty for something that he didn’t even do, he seeks out friendship without double intention and doesn’t want to hurt anyone. Only when he speaks with his father (a brilliantly turn from Kyle MacLachlan), after seeking reconciliation for his own actions, in a short touching scene does he start to mend himself, physically and emotionally. Here is a character that we can be sympathetic towards, suspicious of and hope that he is more than ‘ok’ by the end of the film.