Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Cam Archer

Writer:

Cam Archer (writer)

Release Date:

25 May 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A lyrical telling of the coming of age of a 13-year-old boy who learns to cope with his newfound sexuality and his unrequited love for the cool kid in school.

Plot Keywords:

School | Friend | Kindness | Suicide | Mirror

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Malcolm Stumpf	...	Logan
Patrick White	...	Rodeo
Max Paradise	...	Joey
Fairuza Balk	...	Logan's Mom
Kim Dickens	...	The Counselor
Tom Gilroy	...	The Principal
Ruth Elliott	...	Leah (voice)
Joey Coffman
Tim Greer
Dash Mann
Derek Mitchler
Kylee Lehe	...	Excited woman / Teacher
Teresa Morales
James Porter
Bernadette Wilson	...	Teacher

Runtime:

USA:98 min (Sundance Film Festival) | USA:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Santa Cruz, California, USA

Company:

Cut and Paste Films

Quotes:

Logan: Do you think about breaking things? We could break things. Hearts? Don't break my heart...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Indie Sex: Teens (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

When I Was in My Prime

Beautiful film about a homosexual boy coming of age

A sensitive story about boys discovering their sexuality. The primary character, Logan, gradually comes to realize his homosexuality. The film follows Logan to a final coming out. The story telling is enhanced by clever devices such as the times when Logan writes short sentences about his feelings on his naked chest and belly. The one where Logan moves his hand to cover the lower half of a heart shape is a nice way to give words a miss. Dialogues are sensible and honest. The young actors do a good job of delivering their lines with naturalness.

The mood through the film is of quiet determination. Alone and with almost no one to share his feelings, Logan has not had and will not have an easy time in school. The risible attempt by the principal for a show of tolerance by the rest of the students is well portrayed. Kids can be a cruel lot.

The use of primary colors, especially red and blue, often exclusive of any other hues feels at first like a whim. The heavy saturation of colors suggests the film spent too much time being digitally processed. In time it becomes apparent that the color scheme serves the purpose of creating a surreal environment that prepares us for the use of metaphorical visual and vocal devices. The voice of Leah is an example. It's an elegant solution that would have been harder to achieve through conventional means.

A fine directorial debut for Cam Archer.