18) DREAM BOY

Director: James Bolton
Stars: Stephan Bender, Max Roeg, Randy Wayne, Owen Beckman, Diana Scarwid, Thomas Jay Ryan, Rooney Mara
Year: 2008
Rating: R

Not having read Jim Grimsley novel on which this film is based, I had very little knowledge of the story going in ... except for knowing it was a love story between a pair of teenage boys set in rural Louisiana in the 1970s. Expecting a typical, downbeat sort of "romantic" gay film with maybe some gratuitous nudity that was more about the sex than the love, Dream Boy was a nice surprise all the way around; a compelling, wholly realistic story of first, faltering love between teenagers ... only here, the teens happen to be a pair of young men.

Nathan (Stephan Bender, effectively underplaying his performance) is a quiet, shy, introverted teenage boy recently relocated to a small backwoods rural Louisiana town due to his father's work. Living in a house seemingly surrounded by woods on a lonely country road, Nathan is happy to see that his neighbor across the way, in the only other house around, is a young boy his own age, who tends to the horses and small farm for his mother. The neighbor boy, sixteen and old enough to have his license, is also in charge of the school bus that takes the kids along this rural area into town for school every day - so eventually Nathan strikes up a conversation with the boy, named Roy (Max Roeg), and even offers to help Roy with some schoolwork he's having problems with.

It's obvious, early on, that Nathan's feelings for Roy go beyond friendship, even though Roy has a girlfriend ... and one night, while helping Roy with his studies in his room, Nathan literally reaches out to Roy - and though hesitant at first, learns his feelings for Roy are reciprocated. The two boys quickly become romantically involved, stealing time together when they can as they try to keep their romance a secret from one heck of a conservative town ... not to mention their parents (especially Nathan's father, who has his own secrets), and Roy's best friends Burke (Randy Wayne) and Randy (Owen Beckman), both of whom seem very much the kind of guys who'd take turns beating the crap out of either Nathan or Roy if they knew.

The film is simple of plot, told in a straightforward and uncomplicated way, yet with real depth of meaning thanks to the cast - particularly the two male leads. And as the supporting role of hunky jock Burke, Randy Wayne takes a real departure from some of the comedy roles I've seen him in, and is utterly convincing in doing so; Burke kind of creeped me out whenever he was on-screen, often with a smile on his face but with jittery, almost predatory eyes behind that smile; a real good ol' country boy whose temper could change on a dime, and a performance that definitely goes a long way toward proving Wayne has a bright future ahead as an actor.

Stephan Bender plays Nathan as almost a backward kid, but as the film goes on and you learn more of Nathan's past viewers will completely understand why; as said earlier, it's a heartfelt, understated performance. Max Roeg, son of director Nicolas Roeg and actress Theresa Russell (and uncannily resembling his mother), gives Roy real depth, making him a conflicted human being who comes off very real on-screen.

Without giving too much away, there are some surprises in Dream Boy that you don't see coming, yet make the love story between Nathan and Roy that much more believable and compelling on-screen. Wisely, director James Bolton only gives hints of skin - instead focusing on the very real fumbling and explorations of teenagers finding both real sex and true love for the first time. Bender and Roeg make the film, and though low budget and to the point, Dream Boy has some truly lyrical moments, and is definitely worth your time. ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome