# Big Boys (film)

Big Boys is a 2023 American coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Corey Sherman on his film debut. It stars Isaac Krasner, David Johnson III, Dora Madison Burge, Taj Cross and Emily Deschanel. The film is about the self-discovery of a teenage boy who secretly falls in love with his cousin's boyfriend.

## Plot

As shy Jamie enters his awkward teen years, the differences between him and his older jock brother Will are becoming more pronounced beyond the superficial. With his beloved cousin Allie returning from college to take them on a camping trip, Jamie eagerly awaits their reunion—that is, until Allie arrives with her new boyfriend, the stocky and handsome Dan. As the weekend progresses, Will forces Jamie to join him in chasing girls, but Jamie can't help being drawn to the supportive good nature of Dan.

## Cast

* Isaac Krasner as Jamie
* David Johnson III as Dan
* Dora Madison Burge as Allie
* Taj Cross as Will
* Emily Deschanel as Nicole
* Marion Van Cuyck as Erika
* Emma Broz as Quinn
* Jack De Sanz as Fantasy Jamie

## Production

In an interview on March 17, 2023, Corey Sherman shared that the idea of Big Boys came to him on May of 2021 while he was on a road trip with his brother and his dad. He also added that he shared the initial draft of the screenplay with his friend Allison Tate, who would be one of the producers of Big Boys. They began to work with the people that they had to worked with in college. Filming began in the summer of 2022 in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California.
Corey added:
   I’m so glad that that comes through. I mean, I so wanted the movie to feel fun and genuine. I wanted it to capture the memories I had of vacations with my family as a kid, especially in the brotherly dynamic between Jamie (Isaac Krasner) and Will (Taj Cross).

## Release

The film premiered at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival on March 18, 2023, Provincetown International Film Festival on June 15, 2023, Outfest LA Film Festival on July 22, 2023, It also premiered at Cleveland International Film Festival on April 9, 2024, and had a limited release in the United States on May 31, 2024.

### Home media

The film was released on Video on demand (VOD) platforms in the US on June 11, 2024.

## Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 23 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.70/10. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 80 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Peter Debruge of Variety gave the film positive feedback and said, "Corey Sherman’s deliciously uncomfortable debut features a lot of the usual ingredients: a misfit teenage protagonist, a transformative couple days (in this case, a 'cousins' camping trip' to Lake Arrowhead), a series of embarrassing but life-altering experiences. But I hadn't seen anyone like his main character at the center of a movie before and loved how awkwardly this kid navigates trying to figure himself out."
Ryan Gilbey of The Guardian gave the film 5 out of 5 stars and wrote, "With its come-on of a title, its coming-of-age narrative and its teen hero on the verge of coming out, Big Boys sounds like the sort of LGBTQIA+ fare that grows on trees. In fact, this debut from the writer-director Corey Sherman is a real four-leaf clover: delicate, unique and subtly magical."
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review and said, "The film captures with enormous sweetness feelings probably familiar to many queer adolescents still figuring out who they are — of insecurity, questioning and giddy crushes on frequently unattainable objects of desire."

### Accolades

| Year | Awards | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2024 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Breakthrough Performance | Isaac Krasner | Nominated |
| 2024 | Independent Spirit Awards | John Cassavetes Award | Corey Sherman, Allison Tate | Nominated |
| 2024 | Cleveland International Film Festival | American Independents Competition | Big Boys | Nominated |
| 2024 | Palm Springs International Film Festival | Young Cineastes Award | Corey Sherman | Nominated |
| 2023 | L.A Outfest | Outstanding Performance in a North American Narrative Feature | Isaac Krasner | Won |
| 2023 | L.A Outfest | Best Narrative Feature | Corey Sherman | Won |
| 2023 | FilmOut San Diego Film Festival | Best Actor | Isaac Krasner | Won |
| 2023 | Frameline Film Festival | Outstanding First Feature | Corey Sherman | Won |
| 2023 | Sofia Pride Film Festival | Audience Award | Corey Sherman | Nominated |