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Riley (film)

Riley is a 2023 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Benjamin Howard in his feature film debut. The film stars Jake Holley, Colin McCalla, Riley Quinn Scott, Connor Storrie and Rib Hillis.

Plot
Dakota Riley is a star wide receiver and rising senior at Middleton High School in suburban San Diego, living under intense pressure from his father, the school’s head football coach, to secure a college scholarship. Though he presents himself as heterosexual, Riley privately struggles with his attraction to other boys, particularly his quarterback and best friend, Jaeden Galloway. While dating a classmate, Skylar, Riley grows increasingly conflicted about his identity. A friendship with openly gay classmate Liam further forces him to confront his feelings, placing strain on his relationship with Skylar and creating tension within his social circle. As Riley navigates secrecy, guilt, and fear of damaging his football future, his internal conflict begins to affect his behavior both on and off the field. After a series of emotional confrontations and misunderstandings, Riley starts to accept his sexuality. He comes out to Skylar, and the two part amicably. Jaeden reassures Riley of his support and agrees to keep his secret. Before a crucial rivalry game, Riley sees Skylar and Liam in the crowd and delivers a motivational speech to his teammates, signaling a growing sense of self-acceptance despite the pressures he still faces. == Cast ==
Production
The film is Howard's feature film debut and is semi-autobiographical, with the film being based on his own experience as a student athlete. and principal photography took place in April 2022, in and around East County, San Diego. == Release ==
Release
Riley held its world premiere at Calgary International Film Festival on September 24, 2023. It later screened at San Diego Film Week, Sedona International Film Festival, San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, and Florida Film Festival. The European premiere was held at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival in 2024. == Reception ==
Reception
Critical response Vidal Dcosta at The Movie Buff gave the film an A+ claiming it "excels at tackling multiple issues that plague the protagonist." Ris Fatah at Queerguru scored the film 9/10 and said "Howard's feature-length drama is an impressive, authentic debut." Rich Cline at Shadows on the Wall scored it 4 out of 5, saying "as the drama gets increasingly serious, the film grabs hold powerfully. So even if things begin to turn a bit melodramatic, there's truth in the way the story plays out." Neil Baker at Cinerama Film praised the screenplay as it "captures a realism rarely seen in coming-of-age, coming-out movies." Josh Winning at Radio Times scored it 3 out of 5 saying it has "sincere and beautifully shot exploration of young people figuring out their place in the world." Accolades == References ==
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