Riley (film)

The structured life of a disciplined high school athlete starts to fall apart as his queer identity clashes with the expectations of who he is always been told to be.

{{cast listing|

• Jake Holley as Dakota Riley
• Colin McCalla as Jaeden Galloway
• Riley Quinn Scott as Skylar Braxton
• Connor Storrie as Liam Hauser
• Rib Hillis as Carson Riley
• J.B. Waterman as 'Obi Wan' Hookup
• René Ashton as Miriam Riley
• Marcus Winchester-Jones as Desmond
• Nigel Siwabessy as Hector
• Dallas Perry as Caleb Mitchell
• Alyssa Latson as Courtney
• Caroline Amiguet as Madame Dupont / French Teacher
• Miranda Guiles as Student
• Hunter Linton as Football Player
• Jose Rico as Football Player
• Sadie Scott as College Student
• Luca Vega as Football Player
• Kaleti Williams as Coach Drey

}}

The film is Howard's feature film debut{{Cite web |last=Scheetz |first=Cameron |date=2023-09-26 |title=WATCH: A closeted football player tackles identity & masculinity in this coming-of-age sports drama |url=https://www.queerty.com/watch-a-closeted-football-player-tackles-identity-masculinity-in-this-coming-of-age-sports-drama-20230926 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Queerty |archive-date=September 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230930052234/https://www.queerty.com/watch-a-closeted-football-player-tackles-identity-masculinity-in-this-coming-of-age-sports-drama-20230926 |url-status=live }} and is semi-autobiographical, with the film being based on his own experience as a student athlete. It was crowdfunded with the help of Seed&Spark{{Cite web |last=Bernstein |first=Paula |date=2023-10-30 |title=BendFilm Festival 2023: What Filmmakers Need to Know Before Applying to Film Festivals {{!}} Filmmaker Magazine |url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/123533-bendfilm-festival-festival-advice/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Filmmaker Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=October 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031060522/https://filmmakermagazine.com/123533-bendfilm-festival-festival-advice/ |url-status=live }} and principal photography took place in April 2022, in and around East County, San Diego.{{Cite web |last=Chadive |first=Sanjana |date=2023-09-23 |title='Riley': A UCLA alumnus' love letter to community and queer youth |url=https://dailybruin.com/2023/09/23/riley-a-ucla-alumnus-love-letter-to-community-and-queer-youth/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Daily Bruin |archive-date=April 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429163919/https://dailybruin.com/2023/09/23/riley-a-ucla-alumnus-love-letter-to-community-and-queer-youth |url-status=live }}

Riley held its world premiere at Calgary International Film Festival on September 24, 2023. The US premiere took place at Bend Film Festival in Bend, Oregon.{{Cite web |last=Fortner |first=Jillian |date=2023-10-13 |title=Bend Film Festival moviegoers celebrate two decades of captivating cinema |url=https://ktvz.com/lifestyle/arts/2023/10/13/bend-film-festival-moviegoers-celebrate-two-decades-of-captivating-cinema/ |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=KTVZ |language=en-US |archive-date=May 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502031156/https://ktvz.com/lifestyle/arts/2023/10/13/bend-film-festival-moviegoers-celebrate-two-decades-of-captivating-cinema/ |url-status=live }} It later screened at San Diego Film Week,{{Cite AV media |last=Kahnert |first=Eric |date=2023-11-15 |title='Riley' premieres at San Diego Film Week |url=https://www.cbs8.com/video/news/local/mornings/riley-premieres-at-san-diego-film-week/509-4873e706-d3b0-49a0-bce1-fa68045819de |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=KFMB-TV |language=en-US}} Sedona International Film Festival,{{Cite web |date=2024-02-14 |title=Sedona International Film Festival "Riley" Screening - Signals AZ |url=https://www.signalsaz.com/events/community-events/sedona-international-film-festival-riley-screening/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Signals AZ |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330011610/https://www.signalsaz.com/events/community-events/sedona-international-film-festival-riley-screening/ |url-status=live }} San Luis Obispo International Film Festival,{{Cite web |last= |date=2024-03-18 |title=RILEY {{!}} SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL |url=https://slofilmfest.org/events/riley/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |language=en-US |archive-date=March 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330001557/https://slofilmfest.org/events/riley/ |url-status=live }} and Florida Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=2024 Florida Film Festival |url=https://floridafilmfestival2024.eventive.org/films/65e73dda23c5ed00679ea30d |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Eventive |archive-date=March 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329233048/https://floridafilmfestival2024.eventive.org/films/65e73dda23c5ed00679ea30d |url-status=live }} The European premiere was held at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival in 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-13 |title=38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival full programme announced |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/38th-bfi-flare-london-lgbtqia-film-festival-full-programme-announced |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=BFI |language=en |archive-date=April 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404132636/https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/38th-bfi-flare-london-lgbtqia-film-festival-full-programme-announced |url-status=live }}

Vidal Dcosta at The Movie Buff gave the film an A+ claiming it "excels at tackling multiple issues that plague the protagonist."{{Cite web |last=Dcosta |first=Vidal |date=2024-03-10 |title='Riley' BFI Flare Review (2023) |url=https://www.themoviebuff.net/2024/03/riley-bfi-flare-2024-review-a-contemplative-piece-on-closeted-conversations-and-the-internal-struggle-of-coming-out/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=The Movie Buff |language=en-US |archive-date=March 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329233047/https://www.themoviebuff.net/2024/03/riley-bfi-flare-2024-review-a-contemplative-piece-on-closeted-conversations-and-the-internal-struggle-of-coming-out/ |url-status=live }} Ris Fatah at Queerguru scored the film 9/10 and said "Howard's feature-length drama is an impressive, authentic debut."{{Cite web |last=Fatah |first=Ris |date=2023-10-01 |title=Queerguru's Ris Fatah reviews RILEY a beautiful queer coming-of-age film from Benjamin Howard |url=https://queerguru.com/queergurus-ris-fatah-reviews-riley-a-beautiful-queer-coming-of-age-film-from-benjamin-howard/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Queerguru |language=en-US}} 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."{{Cite web |last=Cline |first=Rich |date=2024-03-15 |title=Shadows on the Wall {{!}} Arthouse Films |url=http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/24/6i.htm |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Shadows on the Wall}} Neil Baker at Cinerama Film praised the screenplay as it "captures a realism rarely seen in coming-of-age, coming-out movies."{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Neil |date=2024-03-13 |title=Riley (review) - BFI Flare 2024 |url=https://cineramafilm.com/2024/03/13/riley-review-bfi-flare-2024/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Cinerama Film |language=en-GB}} 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."{{Cite web |last=Winning |first=Josh |date=2024-03-16 |title=Riley (2023) |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-w01nyn/riley/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=Radio Times |language=en-GB |archive-date=March 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329233047/https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-w01nyn/riley/ |url-status=live }}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=19848676}}
• {{Letterboxd title|id=riley-2023-1}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes|m/riley}}
• [https://readechoonline.com/exclusive-jake-holley-talks-inspiring-movie-riley-tennis-and-treating-yourself-kindly/ Interview with Holley] at ECHO

Category:2020s English-language films

Category:2020s high school films

Category:2020s LGBTQ-related drama films

Category:2023 directorial debut films

Category:2023 drama films

Category:2023 LGBTQ-related films

Category:American coming-of-age drama films

Category:American teen LGBTQ-related films

Category:American teen drama films

Category:Films about juvenile sexuality

Category:Films set in San Diego

Category:Films shot in San Diego

Category:Films directed by Benjamin Howard

Category:Films about gender

Category:High school football films

Category:Semi-autobiographical films

Category:Features based on short films