A Playdate Erupts Into Violence in Luke Benward’s ‘Boys’

The phrase, ‘boys will be boys’ has transformed greatly over the last decade or so, and it rings in your head throughout Luke Benward’s skillfully directed short film, Boys. Told over the course of one afternoon, Benward’s film explores burgeoning toxic masculinity, and it will raise questions of how we should be monitoring children.

August Maturo and Cameron Crovetti play Chris and Roland, two friends left to their own devices from parents who are either too busy or don’t bother with parenting. They wander around the desert and spend time in an abandoned speedboat, but things change when Chris pulls out his mother’s handgun. “She keeps it around for when her parole officer shows up,” Chris tells his obviously frightened friend.

Benward captures what it’s really like to be a young boy trying to impress your friends. You deepen your voice and try to seem tough, but when things go badly, you can’t hide your age or your immaturity. You will always reach for an adult who knows how to take care of you. Maturo and Crovetti are remarkable here and kudos to Benward with guiding them with clear sensitivity.

Boys is a breathtaking debut for Benward. He makes you feel the heat in the desert and directs a story of gun violence without resorting to cheap tricks or sentimentality. He makes it vital.