Two Little Boys
~ Farbbod Khoshtinat ~ 2020 ~ 13m. ~
Farbod Khoshtinat
The opening scene of Two Little Boys sitting on park swings through the lens of a camcorder in 1994 emits an immediate feeling of nostalgia surrounding the simplicities of boyhood.
The transition from boyhood to young adolescence serves as a daunting reminder of the difficulty navigating friendships and relationships. These reminders are intense, gripping, and stomach-churning in the first 2 minutes.
We see Tyler (Asa Germann) questioning Josh (Trace Taldot) over a note to the principal about Tyler giving Josh a black eye. As Tyler is on his way to the principal’s office, Josh tearfully yells to him “I told them you raped me.” The entire world stops spinning, it pauses--both characters, and the audience struggle to process what just happened.
A shouting match in a high school bathroom ensues with who should be confessing to the truth. A crumbled note with the words “I Love You” scribbled at the bottom keeps flashing across the screen. The intensity builds as both boys start screaming at each other—you’ll feel your stomach in knots and a hard punch-to-the-gut as both boys realize the same fate.
The film ends with an extended cut of the 1994 camcorder footage to give closure to the audience.
As seen by: Jonathan Pastore
12.08.2020