I must confess that I very nearly gave up on writer/director Andrew Fitzgerald's indie project An Angry Boy in its opening moments. A wobbly intro planted a seed of dread, an attractive and obviously well-dressed young woman walks up to a conspicuously placed ATM in a rather frightening neighborhood. The scene is so obvious that I found myself thinking "natural selection."
It's a weird scene, I suppose, but it's a vital scene that also plants the seeds for the dark, difficult to shake story that's about to unfold. Owen (Scott Callenberger) happens upon the scene aware of what is likely to unfold if he doesn't intervene.
Owen intervenes.
A teenager attempting to build a better life after a traumatic childhood, he's living discreetly alongside his mother and his best friend, Ricky (Caleb Lowery). Owen flies under the radar for the most part, however, the innocently grateful young woman he rescued had video of the rescue and that video goes viral. We've applauded similar videos a myriad of times before and yet this video also captures the eyes of the cult that Owen escaped from as a child. Recognizing Owen, they re-enter his life with a fierce and violent vengeance.
It's fair to call An Angry Boy, an entrant in the rape-revenge sub-genre. It's a rare entry for sure, this often exploitative sub-genre seldom ever exploring the theme from the point of view of a male victim and also seldom adding in the ancillary presence of a cult.
I'm seldom one for trigger warnings, however, it's worth noting that Fitzgerald's vision here is uncompromising and the action unfolds honestly and often in ways that may trigger those with cult, sexual abuse, or other trauma backgrounds. I'm in no way saying don't watch it, however, if you're alone you may want to have a safe person on speed dial.
An Angry Boy practically demands a commanding central performance and Scott Callenberger delivers. While I'm hesitant to go into great detail, it's evident from just about every piece of advertising for the film that An Angry Boy is about trauma, surviving it, and unleashing revenge. Fitzgerald avoids the exploitative approach of some rape-revenge fantasies and more closely resembles Coralie Fargeat's Revenge.
There's no denying that An Angry Boy is a low-budget flick, a vibe I got strongly in those opening scenes and a reality throughout the film. If you're expecting a Hollywood-style mega-budget experience, then you need to simply think again. This is a low-budget indie, tech issues fairly prevalent and performances a little hit-and-miss. The performances issues are largely a moot point, however, as our key players are all strong including Callenberger along with Caleb Lowery as Ricky, Thomas Cambridge as Mark, Lauren McCann as Jane and a host of others. Eric Roberts, who is required to appear in one of out of every three indie flicks, gives a stunning performance that amounts to a pretty unforgettable cameo.
If you're thinking I'm making fun of Roberts, think again. He always, always makes a movie better as he does here.
An Angry Boy tells a meaningful story. It's not necessarily the kind of story that everyone wants to hear, however, it's a vital and necessary story that avoids histrionics despite the inherent drama it contains. Thanks to Callenberger's engaging, nuanced performance we're able to relate to Owen no matter how dramatic his story becomes and how revenge-packed his behavior unfolds. Callenberger also has a terrific chemistry with Lowery and together the two add a refreshing layer of emotional resonance to a film such as this one.
Recently released on a number of streaming platforms including Amazon Prime, Youtube TV, AppleTV and others, An Angry Boy may not be a film for everyone but for those adventurous souls who check it out it won't be an easily forgotten experience.
Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic
