Inside Out 2017: Handsome Devil

Writer-director John Butler’s Handsome Devil favorably compares to other boarding school coming-of-age dramas like School Ties and Dead Poet’s Society. Butler’s film packs more irreverence than those films, and has a kind of tongue-in-cheek sensibility, but a lot of the elements are the same. Much of the drama is focuses on a pair of roommates, the main protagonist Ned (Fionn O’Shea), and his closeted gay roommate Conor (Nicholas Galitzine). Ned is quite sarcastic, delivers voice-over throughout the film, and is a constant target for bullying and homophobic taunts. By contrast, Conor is an amazing rugby player, and quickly wins over the rest of the campus. Despite their differences, the two roommates develop a friendship.

The School Ties tie-ins are numerous. Conor is a ringer in an incredibly popular sport, but he is also hiding a secret that could destroy him if it gets out, and there are plenty of…