Review: Wild Boys (2023)

Looking to take a break from the bleakness of current world events? Need something that will not only make you smile but put you in a good mood? Then there is a movie out on Tubi that I think may be just what you need! Wild Boys is the story of a reclusive woman named Kate who never leaves her house. Her father helps take care of any needs she may have had that require going out to public places. When he passes away, Kate is forced out of her comfort zone to take part in a treasure hunt as a condition of her dad’s will. The hunt takes her into the wilderness where she soon meets two individuals who will end up taking her on a wild adventure that includes traversing the wilderness, secret clues, and a conspiracy theorist government agent. Along the way she discovers a strength in herself she didn’t realize was there.

Wild Boys is a light, funny, and poignant film that reminded me of the absurdist adventure comedies of the late 80s, and I mean that in a good way. Director Morten Forland moves things along at a breezy straight-forward pace. The main theme of growth and discovery of one’s self is definitely present but the importance of friendship, grief, responsibility and politics are also touched on in a positive way. While not all of the jokes and gimmicks made me laugh out loud, they did make me smile. Outside of the wild boys, most of the characters Kate runs into are caricatures we have seen before; from moonshine making rednecks, to the sympathetic sheriff, to the slightly off-his-rocker schoolmate whose feelings towards Kate turn into obsession. The treasure hunt adventure felt like a realistic thing for Kate’s dad to plan. The clues and locations were creative and believable.

Kate is played wonderfully by Kate Frampton Davis. The story hinges on the audience rooting for her, and you will. You feel her growth from the socially awkward recluse who just wants to play video games to the adventurous, strong, and risk taking person she is by the end. We see her push past her comfort zone, motivated by the need to protect and take care of her new friends, the Wild Boys. Kate is an endearing character thanks to Davis’ performance. The Wild Boys are Red, played by Vincent Catalina, and Johndeer, played by Jordan Laemmlen. I loved these two characters. Catalina and Laemmlen play off each other well. These are characters with more depth than I thought they would have. While we are not given their origins, we do get the impression these two may have chosen to live their life out in the wild when they were younger and never left it. You can feel the very strong friendship these two memorable characters have for each other. I loved their interaction with Kate; the difference between the pair and Kate made for some hilarious and heartfelt moments. ​

Wild Boys is a family friendly, positively charged comedy that has a lot of entertainment value. Some viewers may be turned off by the lack of explanation for where the Wild Boys came from but, as the film shows, the beauty is more in the journey than the destination. Speaking of the destination, the ending of the film did not take as a predictable path as you might think. It was a refreshing resolution that fit the story. One of the many reasons why I think this is worth a watch, especially during the season of celebration of family and friends.

You can learn more about the film by visiting the Wild Boys’ website, https://wildboys.film/

  and see the film for yourself on Tubi https://bit.ly/wildboys-tubi.