Two teenage boys in a juvenile detention centre develop a passionate bond which is tested when one of them approaches his release in director and co-writer Zeno Graton’s The Lost Boys.
Freedom paradox
by Chris DrewThe Lost Boys
3.0 out of 5.0 stars
CAUTION: Here be spoilers
Graton’s lean debut film may not be heavy on plot but is powerful and rich in feeling.
Quiet and introverted Joe (Khalil Gharbia, Peter Von Kant) stays largely separate from the other boys in the Young Offenders centre and watches on as they receive visitors.
But he also has a tendency to rebel: an unauthorised visit to the seaside leaves him having to write a report and apology to the judge currently considering his release, and losing his radio privileges.
The arrival of brooding tattooed newcomer William (Julian de Saint Jean, Lie With Me) immediately arouses Joe’s curiosity. It’s soon rumoured that William stabbed someone but, like the reason for Joe’s incarceration, is never revealed.
During a camera-making workshop Joe and William share glances before sharing a joint outside and starting to learn about each other. An unbroken look of longing soon leads to a secret passionate embrace in the larder.
There are a number of effective scenes of the growing bond and passion between the pair: sharing the radio by listening through their shared wall; giving into lustful urges while out on a run; and Joe being fascinated by William’s art and creativity, culminating in Joe receiving a tattoo.
In a breathtaking scene Joe’s inner pain and turmoil is revealed when he performs a rap he’s written about family, abuse and being detained, his anger building impressively throughout the performance.
Discovering Joe will be released causes emotional issues for the pair, while the process of what is needed for a release reveals how difficult and frustrating it can be.
Graton does a great job of reflecting the monotonous routine of daily life while nightly torch checks reveal how severe the discipline is at the centre.
Khalil Ben Gharbia is the soulful heart of the film, bringing to life Joe’s kaleidoscope of infuriation, trauma and then surprising passion for William.
Julian de Saint, giving a similarly effective brooding performance as in the excellent Lie With Me, complements Gharbia and the pair make a compelling central duo.
The Lost Boys screened at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival and is released in cinemas on 15 December 2023 in the UK and on digital.
