Movie: The True Adventures of Wolfboy

Yesterday I saw "The True Adventures of Wolfboy". I saw it in a theater, breathing in what other humans breathed out. Do not follow my example. I don't want your death or long term disability on my conscience.

But see this movie. It's streaming someplace now. You may still have to pay for it, but it's worth it.

If you're going to watch it, go watch it. Nothing I will say will improve that experience.

If you are not planning to watch it, read on. Maybe something I say will convince you, but know that the spoilers are on your conscience.

TTAoW is the story of a kid with hirsutism. He's covered with fur, like a dog or a wolf. He's been bullied his whole life. Of course he goes on a quest. Each chapter of the quest is introduced by a beautiful illustration. Along the way he meets other outcasts who have dealt with their scars in different ways. The film is constantly in danger of becoming trite, but it avoids that because of how it portrays the hero's wounds. In lesser stories, bullying produces saints who can empathize with other outcasts. In this story it produces scarred people who do bad shit sometimes because they are injured, frightened and angry.

The weakest part of the script was how the father was written. The father has been raising Wolfboy on his own and trying to do the best he can. It isn't working. Wolfboy's struggle can't be overcome by a father's love and effort. But the father's actual dialog is stiff and perfunctory. The movie tells us about his relationship with his son instead of taking the time to show us.

The rest of it is masterful. The script, the direction, the casting, the effects, it's all perfect. This film was finished in 2018 and struggled to find distribution in the US. That's so sad. This should be a huge indie hit. It's my favorite film of the year so far.