Riley ***½ (2023, Jake Holley, Colin McCalla, Riley Quinn Scott, Connor Storrie, Rib Hillis) – Classic Movie Review 12,821

Benjamin Howard’s impressive, authentic 2023 feature film debut Riley is based on his own experience as a student athlete, with an standout performance by Jake Holley as a high-school jock struggling to confront his sexuality. 

Writer-director Benjamin Howard’s 2023 US coming-of-age drama Riley is a very nice, moving film, It is strong, powerful and intense, with an excellent standout performance by Jake Holley as Dakota Riley, a high-school football star quarterback on a team who struggles to confront his sexuality. The feel-good script is nuanced and effective, and it all feels authentic thanks partly to the story being based on Benjamin Howard’s real-life experience and partly to being  evocatively shot in the beautiful California beach city of San Diego.

Riley’s hidden sexuality is threatening to unravel his life both at home and on the field. His girlfriend, family and teammates all suspect something, and things are complicated by secret sexual encounters online and with a classmate. But he is finally forced to come to terms with who he really is.

The story may be familiar, but Benjamin Howard makes it fresh and alive by telling it from his own unique personal perspective. He says: ‘This is my story. It’s inspired by my real-life background as a high school football player, struggling to accept and embrace my sexuality. With Riley, more than anything, I wanted to re-explore these moments, in a nuanced and truthful manner, to illustrate the emotional landscape of a young man as he learns to understand and love himself.’

‘I made this film for that younger version of myself; the closeted, lonely kid who didn’t have an outlet to process things, or a support system to feel comfortable opening up to, and coming out to. I made the film to reassure that younger Ben that he is exactly who he is meant to be,

It is smoothly and sharply edited by the director into a compact 93 minutes.

RILEY is a must-see drama of 2024 BFI Flare.

2023 | USA | 93 minutes.

The cast are Jake Holley as Dakota Riley, Colin McCalla as Jaeden Galloway, Riley Quinn Scott as Skylar Braxton, Connor Storrie as Liam Hauser, Rib Hillis as Carson Riley, J B Waterman as ‘Obi Wan’ Hookup, René Ashton as Miriam Riley, Marcus Winchester-Jones as Desmond, Nigel Siwabessy as Hector, Dallas Perry as Caleb Mitchell, Alyssa Latson as Courtney, Caroline Amiguet as French teacher Madame Dupont, Miranda Guiles as Student, Hunter Linton as Football Player, Jose Rico as Football Player, Sadie Scott as College Student, Luca Vega as Football Player, and Kaleti Williams as Coach Drey.

It is mainly shot in East County, San Diego.

Howard’s feature film debut was crowdfunded with the help of Seed&Spark.

It premiered at Calgary International Film Festival on September 24, 2023 and screened at Bend Film Festival in Bend, Oregon, and at San Diego Film Week.

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 12,821

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com