Kicking the Sky
It starts in 1977 when a 12-year-old boy goes missing in his Toronto neighborhood. Best friends Antonio, Manny, and Ricky vow to find their friend, but, before they can do so, the boy is discovered raped and murdered. That’s when Antonio’s nightmares begin, as fear infects his Portuguese community. Change is suddenly in the air, presaged by the arrival of a young man named James, who moves into a nearby garage, which the boys make a de facto clubhouse, encouraged by the man himself, who promises to take care of them. But, as Antonio will discover, James harbors secrets that he wraps in untruths. “You say you’re here for us, that you’ll protect us,” Antonio tells James, “But that’s a lie.” Perhaps, however, Antonio is lying as well—to himself about his feelings for James. De Sa’s well-realized coming-of-age story is distinguished by its setting in a traditional Portuguese community on the brink of change. The gay subtext is sensitively handled, as is the sometimes complicated friendship of the three boys and their family relationships. --Michael Cart