In recent years, Hollywood has taken a dive in to the landscape of teen coming-of-age stories. It’s a genre that is not by any means new to Tinseltown, but the road they are traveling is. The queer stories of teens coming-of-age is a sub-genre that the film industry is beginning to embrace with arms wide open especially after the box-office success some of them have experienced.
There have been many independent films in the past that have tackled the subject head on, but only a few really made their way into the mainstream consciousness of moviegoers. My Own Private Idaho, Boy’s Don’t Cry, and Blue is the Warmest Color were all films that developed a larger audience through word of mouth and positive reviews that led to success during award season.
These examples helped persuade movie studios to sink money into queer teen projects like Blockers, Booksmart, Bottoms, and Love, Simon. Universal, United Artists, A24, and 20th Century Fox who produced the aforementioned films have all seen the results of embracing an often overlooked demographic in movies, the gay teen.
There is still a lot of work to do before the gay teen genre is just a regular part of the film making process for large studios, but they are very much going in the right direction. Until then, it is up to independent film makers to continue to do the heavy lifting.
A new voice in Hollywood not afraid to do the work is Corey Sherman. The first-time feature writer and director has created a heartfelt film in Big Boys that masterfully blends humor and emotion. Big Boys is inspired by Sherman’s struggles as a chubby closeted teen and focuses around Jamie, who is embarking a weekend camping trip with his older brother Will and cousin Allie.
In writing the film, Corey said, “I wanted to showcase the very funny, thrilling, and tender experience of a chubby teen going through a life-altering experience and allow him to be a fully developed, nuanced character. I hope that all audiences who see the film can feel more celebrated and understood, including all the ‘Big Boys’ who have never seen their story on screen before.”
The 14-year-old Jamie has been waiting eagerly for this trip until he discovers that the much older Allie is bringing her new boyfriend Dan, along for the trip. Over time, Jamie’s hesitation to Dan tagging along subsides and the two begin to create a strong bond that eventually forces Jamie to address some suppressed feelings.
The performances by the entire cast are superb but it is the work of Isaac Krasner who portrays Jamie that carries the emotional weight of the film. Krasner brings a uniqueness to his character that is rarely seen in teen movies today. Despite the subject matter films like Love, Simon and Bottoms were about their stars looked like they walked right off a fashion show runway. Krasner looks like the average teenage boy seen throughout real America and his look was exactly what director Corey Sherman was looking for. Sherman as a self-proclaimed ‘big guy’ thought it was important that the characters fit that body type.
The beauty of Big Boys is that it is sweet but at the same time very awkward, and it is refreshing that not everything is tied up in a little bow at the end. Big Boys is honest and real in its portrayal of accepting oneself for being different from those around them and is destined to become a teen independent film classic.
Big Boys premiered in 2023 to sold-out screenings at the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, and went on to a critically acclaimed and award-winning festival run, including Outfest (Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature & Grand Jury Prize, Outstanding Performance for Isaac Krasner), Frameline, Palm Springs IFF, and many more.
Big Boys is available to rent and buy on Apple, Amazon, Google, YouTube, Vudu, Direct TV, and through local cable providers.
Steven McCash is the Lead Music Writer and Utility Man for SoBros Network. Steven is the host of the ‘Drinking With…’ podcast, and the pioneer of New Music Friday, highlighting each week’s new releases in the world of music in addition to the occasional live show review. He also pitches in as a Nashville lifestyle writer and football analyst (hence the ‘Utility Man’ title). Follow on Twitter: @MC_Cash75
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