Beach Rats, boys act up
A young man discovers his erotic truth
Coming-of-age movies at the Sundance Film Festival are as ubiquitous as blockbusters on Memorial Day weekend. Almost every young filmmaker who gets his or her break showcasing their first movie at Sundance, inevitably tells of a heartbreaking, often sexual, early experience that changed their lives and inspired them to become artists.
Eliza Hittman‘s Sundance film, Beach Rats, may not be her personal coming out tale but the story of a listless and sexually confused 19-year-old Brooklyn boy struck a chord with the Sundance audiences and nabbed her the Best Director award there. Frankie, played by British up-and-comer Harris Dickinson, is living a double life. During the day, he hangs with his thick-headed buddies in Coney Island, committing petty crimes and looking hot on the beach. At night, he takes sexy selfies while seductively lifting weights, meets up with Grindr dates, and follows his natural urges.
Based on this beautifully shot trailer—Coney Island has never looked better—Frankie doesn’t get a happy ending in the film, but he does appear to discover who he really is and follow that truth. Erotic and provocative, Beach Rats is exactly the kind of film the Sundance Film Festival is admired for promoting.
