Beach Rats is a 2017 American drama film directed by Eliza Hittman. It stars Harris Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein, and Kate Hodge. It was screened at the U.S. Dramatic Competition section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival,[2] and was theatrically released on August 25, 2017, by Neon.
Beach Rats | |
---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Eliza Hittman |
Written by | Eliza Hittman |
Produced by |
|
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Hélène Louvart |
Edited by |
|
Music by | Nicholas Leone |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by | Neon |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 98 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $486,623[1] |
Frankie (Harris Dickinson) struggles to escape his Brooklyn home life. He balances his time with a new girlfriend (Madeline Weinstein), his friends, and chatting on the internet with older men with whom he meets up for sex and drugs. He does not, however, identify as gay to his girlfriend or male friends. He just "has sex with men", in the words of one of his internet partners. Frankie attempts to compartmentalize his life by having sex with older men, hoping to avoid anyone who might happen to know his friends. This becomes increasingly difficult, however, as he moves about the area and happens to run into them or lures them to meetings for drugs.
In April 2016, it was announced Eliza Hittman would direct the film, based upon a screenplay she had written.[3] Cinereach and Animal Kingdom produced the film, alongside Secret Engine.[4]
The film had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival on January 23.[5] Shortly after, Neon acquired distribution rights to the film.[6] It was released theatrically on August 25, 2017.[7]
Beach Rats received positive reviews from film critics. It holds an 85% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 106 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Empathetic and powerfully acted, Beach Rats takes a clear-eyed yet dreamlike look at a young man's adolescent turmoil."[8] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 78 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9]
Jay Kuehner, reporting from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival for the Canadian film magazine Cinema Scope, praised the 16 mm photography by Hélène Louvart, invoking a comparison to the visual aesthetic of Moonlight and Beau Travail, as well as the films of Robert Bresson and Philippe Grandrieux.[10]
Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chéries-Chéris | November 21, 2017 | Grand Prize | Beach Rats | Nominated | [11] |
Deauville Film Festival | September 10, 2017 | Grand Special Prize | Beach Rats | Nominated | [12] |
Gotham Independent Film Awards | November 27, 2017 | Breakthrough Actor | Harris Dickinson | Nominated | [13] |
Independent Spirit Awards | March 3, 2018 | Best Male Lead | Harris Dickinson | Nominated | [14] |
Best Cinematography | Hélène Louvart | Nominated | |||
Hamburg Film Festival | October 14, 2017 | NDR Young Talent Award | Eliza Hittman | Nominated | [15] |
Independent Film Festival of Boston | April 29, 2017 | Grand Jury Prize | Beach Rats | Won | [16][17] |
L.A. Outfest | July 16, 2017 | Best Screenwriting in a U.S. Feature | Beach Rats | Won | [18] |
Locarno International Film Festival | August 12, 2017 | Golden Leopard | Beach Rats | Nominated | [19] |
London Film Critics Circle Awards | January 28, 2018 | Young British/Irish Performer | Harris Dickinson | Won | [20] |
Montclair Film Festival | May 6, 2017 | Future/Now Prize | Beach Rats | Won | [21] |
Sarasota Film Festival | April 9, 2017 | Jury Prize | Beach Rats | Nominated | [22] |
Seattle International Film Festival | June 11, 2017 | Grand Jury Prize | Beach Rats | Nominated | [23] |
Stockholm International Film Festival | November 20, 2017 | Bronze Horse | Beach Rats | Nominated | [24] |
Sundance Film Festival | January 28, 2017 | Directing Award | Eliza Hittman | Won | [25][26] |
Grand Jury Prize | Beach Rats | Nominated | |||
Films directed by Eliza Hittman | |
---|---|
|