Handsome Devil (2016)

Andrew Scott, Nicholas Galitzine and Fionn O’Shea star in out writer/director John Butler’s 2016 film HANDSOME DEVIL.

Today’s post was written by author/critic Gary Kramer (@garyemkramer on Instagram) - Be sure to follow his Instagram account for fantastic reviews, as well as information on new queer film releases!

Heartthrob Nicholas Galitzine is currently in the spotlight for starring in The Idea of You and Mary & George, so there is no better time than now to see him in one of his early gay roles. The fabulous Irish import Handsome Devil by out writer/director John Butler, is a crowd-pleaser about two boarding school roommates—the wiry, red-headed Ned (Fionn O’Shea) and the closeted athletic Conor (Galitzine)—learning more about each other (and themselves) as their friendship is tested by outside forces.

If the film put a not-exactly unexpected twist on the familiar coming out/coming-of-age story, it nevertheless presents gratifying messages about pride, shame, and tolerance with humor and grace. Butler wisely has the roommates form a gay-straight alliance which is why HANDSOME DEVIL is so satisfying. And then there are scenes of Conor sneaking off to a gay bar, where he unexpectedly spies his teacher, Mr. Sherry (Andrew Scott, also currently hot from All of Us Strangers and Ripley). This creates some of the drama—will Conor or Mr. Sherry be outed, and what will the consequences be if/when that happens? The answer plays out on the rugby field to the thrilling strains of Rufus Wainwrights’s “Go or Go Ahead” in this feel good film that is sweet and sporty.

Butler acknowledged that Handsome Devil, “Is an emotional autobiography—not the facts, but the feelings. I’m 50% Ned and 50% Connor: a gay boy madly into sport, but also a very pretentious music fan and self-stylized outsider—the whole ‘look at me/don’t look at me thing.’ The characters are both me, and it was fun to pull them apart and have them drift together.”

HANDSOME DEVIL is currently streaming on Tubi & Dekkoo (Canada/USA), Peacock & Kanopy (USA), Prime & Disney+ (UK/Ireland) – it’s also available for rent/purchase in some countries through AppleTV, Amazon & YouTube.

HANDSOME DEVIL

2016. Ireland.

Director: John Butler

Screenplay: John Butler

Starring: Fionn O’Shea, Nicholas Galitzine, Andrew Scott, Moe Dunford, Michael McElhatton, Ruairi O’Connor, Ardal O’Hanlon and Amy Huberman