Riley (BFI Flare Review) – Benjamin Howard’s feature debut scores a winning touchdown

Riley is showing at BFI Flare (BFI Southbank) on Saturday, March 16 at 18:00 and Sunday, March 17 at 15.50. Please visit the BFI Flare ticket page (click here) for availability.

We all face multiple crossroads during our lives, moments where we must choose a new path out of many that we hope will lead us to a brighter place. One of the most significant crossroads we ever face involves a decision whether to live in our truth and be our authentic selves or forever hide in fear of rejection. For LGBTQ+ people, this is the moment many of us choose to reject the heteronormative world we were told was the ‘norm’ and break free of the shackles of fear and shame that led us to hide our light. As his senior year ends, high school football star Dakota Riley, or “Riley” to his friends (Jake Holley), can no longer avoid the internal battle between his authentic self and the public persona he has carefully created during his teens. But, for a boy who has spent his young life in protective shoulder pads, practising a disciplined routine of workouts, healthy eating and team talks, the crossroad he now faces feels messy, scary, uncontrollable and unsure.

Benjamin Howard’s film opens with Riley arriving at a suburban house in shades that hide a recently obtained black eye. An older man opens the front door, inviting him in before pouring himself a drink. It is immediately apparent that this is a Grindr hookup and that Riley’s search for answers has led him to the door of a stranger. But as they sit on the bed and the stranger leans in to kiss him, Riley pulls away. The man looks at the athletic boy next to him and says, “What’s going on?” Riley meets his gaze, “I just don’t like kissing strangers.” Impatiently, the man responds, “Okay, so what did you come here for?” The truth is, Riley isn’t sure; he knows what he wants but also knows he isn’t going to find it in a stranger’s bedroom. That opening scene encapsulates the experience of many young queer people as they rush to find answers to the urgent feelings that invade their every waking moment in secret places. Places that rarely offer them the security, conversation and tenderness they need as a new world opens up in front of them. 

Through an ensemble of richly observed characters, Howard’s screenplay captures a realism rarely seen in coming-of-age, coming-out movies. From Riley’s best friend Jaeden (Colin McCalla), who hides his own sexual insecurities under a blanket of hypermasculinity, to Liam (Connor Storrie), an out and proud classmate who sees through the football shield Riley has created, and Skylar (Riley Quinn Scott) Riley’s friend turned girlfriend who deep down knows something is wrong, each conversation feels improvised as Benjamin Howard captures the raw emotions of adolescence and the rollercoaster of joy and apprehension it brings. From the outset, it’s clear that Riley has been questioning his sexuality for a long time, with his football career allowing him to create what he believed was a perfect, impenetrable cover as he attempted to please his ex-footballing legend dad and fit in with his teammates and peers. 

In one beautifully performed and scripted scene, Liam gently challenges this cover as he sits beside Riley in class. As Riley swipes through his Instagram reels, Liam says, “Lots of boys on your feed, huh?” Riley shrugs and states, “I don’t control what pops up on this thing!” Liam smiles, “Well, kinda, it’s an algorithm” Riley looks perplexed, “It’s a what?” Liam adds, “You know, like the cloud and shit, the AI knows you better than you know you.” Liam sees through Riley’s cover but also understands Riley can’t accept his truth right now. Beautifully written and performed scenes like this help Howard’s Riley stand out in a crowded landscape of coming-of-age, coming-out films, as its core messages of living your truth shine through multiple perspectives. While Jake Holley’s electric performance may sit centre stage, each character is on their own journey of accepting or rejecting their authentic self as Riley explores a diversity of teen experiences, much like Keith Behrman’s 2018 gem Giant Little Ones. 

The cinematography of Michael Elias Thomas and the score of Jerik Centeno only further cement Riley’s place as a movie with more than a few beautifully played touchdowns. Thomas excels at balancing wide shots and stunning close-ups with a rich colour palette that highlights the emotions of each beautifully framed scene. Like Eli Born’s hauntingly stunning work on Super Dark Times (2017) and John Guleserian’s character-focused and colourful work on Love, Simon (2018), Thomas creates an evocative sense of place that stays with you long after the credits have rolled. At the same time, Centeno’s haunting score beautifully highlights scenes of emotion, joy, desire and uncertainty without ever overpowering the performances.       

The hardest part of any coming out journey is self-acceptance and the bravery of sharing your feelings and thoughts with one or two people for the first time, and it’s that story Howard tells. As Riley comes to a close, Dakota knows everything will be okay, not the same, not what was expected, but good all the same. It’s here where Howard’s movie scores a final winning touchdown as Dakota Riley suits up and walks onto the football field, the same on the outside but new and still forming on the inside. As the game starts, it is clear that the boy is now a man, and the fears of the past have been left on the touchline as a new world dawns.