REVIEW: Handsome Devil (2016)

Hello cinema lovers, St Patrick's Day is just around the corner, so what better time is there to review a bit of queer cinema from the Emerald Isle? There is something specific about being gay in Ireland. Not just the shame every queer kid knows, but the weight of a small country where everyone knows your business. a country where sport is like a religion, where fitting in can feel like the only way to stay safe. Handsome Devil gets all of that right.

The story is set in a rugby-mad Irish boarding school. Ned (Fionn O'Shea) is a cute, pale and clever young man who loves music and hates sport. He is bullied constantly, and he is most likely gay, but the film holds that back for a while. One day, into his room and his life arrives Conor (Nicholas Galitzine), a handsome rugby star who has been expelled from his last school. The two are forced to share lodgings. Slowly, they become friends. Then things get tricky, as they usually do.

Director and writer John Butler knows comedy; his earlier film, The Stag (2013) proved that. Here he goes deeper and darker. He does not lighten the subject matter. The boarding school setting feels controlling, bleak, but funny. He trusts his cast; it pays off.

Ned is the heart of the film. Following Handsome Devil, O'Shea has built a strong career in Irish and UK drama. He featured prominently in Normal People and House of Guinness. He is very good at portraying quiet pain. You feel every cruelty directed towards Ned. O'Shea is an Irish actor in an Irish film, which shows. He is not playing gay from an outsider's view. There is something honest about his work that a lesser actor might miss.

Conor is a more guarded character, and Galitzine suits the role. His career has gone from strength to strength with roles in Red, White and Blue (2023) and Mary & George (2024). Here, he shows true depth. Conor's sexuality is the film's big secret, and Galitzine portrays it carefully. The scene where he walks into a gay bar alone, late at night, is very effective.

Then there is Dan Sherry (Andrew Scott), the boy's English teacher. Scott is from Dublin, proudly gay, and one of the finest actors of his generation. a well-known face today for roles in Fleabag, Pride, or All of Us Strangers. Here he is, sharp, warm and scene-stealing. There is also a slight edge to his character, that same quality that made his Moriarty in Sherlock so amazing. His casting as a gay Irish teacher works well.

The villain of the story is the rugby coach Pascal (Moe Dunford), a handsome bully who uses sport to intimidate anyone different. He is well-written and acted. You understand him even though you dislike him. The headmaster (Michael McElhatton) is a more laid-back character, a reminder that not every authority figure needs to be harsh.

The third act moves quickly and wraps up matters a little too neatly. But the key moments work. A scene on a boat between Ned and Conor is quiet and thoughtful. Coner and Ned being honest with each other here is the film at its best, no sweeping soundtrack or rousing speeches. Just two friends who have hurt each other, trying to patch things up.

Handsome Devil won Best Irish Feature at the Dublin Film Critics' Circle in 2017 and earned four IFTA nominations. A well-deserved success.

This is Irish cinema sincere and truly queer. With a real point of view, not softened for a mainstream audience. It knows where it comes from, and it is not ashamed to say it. Highly Recommended.