The Nature of Nicholas (2002)

The Nature of Nicholas is a surreal fable that follows twelve-year-old Nicholas as he struggles with an intense attraction to his best friend, Bobby. Nicholas is obsessed with his friend ... See full summary »

Director:

Jeff Erbach

Writer:

Jeff Erbach

Stars:

Jeff Sutton, David Turnbull, Ardith Boxall

Cast

Cast overview:
Jeff Sutton	...	Nicholas
David Turnbull	...	Bobby
Ardith Boxall	...	Mother
Tom McCamus	...	Father
Robert Huculak	...	Roy (as Bob Huculak)
Katherine Lee Raymond	...	Jenna
Samantha Hill	...	Vicki
Erica Zawadowski	...	Kimberley
Blake Taylor	...	Doctor / Teacher / Realtor Man
Rhiannon Benedict	...	Realtor Woman

Storyline

The Nature of Nicholas is a surreal fable that follows twelve-year-old Nicholas as he struggles with an intense attraction to his best friend, Bobby. Nicholas is obsessed with his friend Bobby. Bobby's feelings are less clear. At times he seems to share Nicholas's fascination, but then appears more interested in making inroads with the girls at school. All this leaves young Nicholas very confused. When images of Nicholas's absent father start to appear to him, the boy is understandably frightened. This curious figure gives Nicholas the impression he is pressing his young son closer to the girls in his life and away from Bobby. This only leads to increased anxiety and fear in Nicholas. Fearing that Bobby is drifting away from him, Nicholas takes a chance and kisses him. Bobby is taken aback and storms out. Because of his shame, Bobby undergoes a type of 'splitting' where a decrepit, ghoulish version of him is separated from his healthy self. Nicholas is immediately drawn to this ...

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Plot Keywords:

friend | absent father | boy | school | coming of age | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 May 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

La naturaleza de Nicholas

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Critical Madness Productions Inc., Full Stop Films, Manitoba Film & Sound Development Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min 102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Shed Your Skin

When we grow up we throw away our old personality we've become too big for like a snake crawls out of its old skin leaving behind a dry slough. So The Nature of Nicholas is a parable about coming of age when the boy should cast away his old, already dead nature to continue on the way into his adult life. Visual design of this drama in demonstrating this idea is absolutely unusual and innovative to the degree of becoming surreal. Don't you know the song "Lose This Skin" by The Clash: "Come with me, I thought he said, but that's not him anymore, he's dead. What's it like to be so free? So free it looks like lost to me. I've got to lose this skin I'm imprisoned in." The Nature of Nicholas is like an elaborate music video to this song.