By Mark Hockley
A fascinating dramatic thriller, Dirty Boy delves into the harrowing terrain of mental illness, set against the backdrop of a dangerous religious cult.
Stan Steinbichler leads as Isaac, a young man grappling with schizophrenia, while also trying to escape the extremism of the fanatical community that raised him.
Doug Rao, serving as both writer and director, has crafted a singular cinematic experience. The film’s tone walks a precarious tightrope between bleak realism and quirky mystery. The performances follow suit, imbued with an eccentric, off-kilter energy that kept me intrigued. The film’s depiction of sexual power dynamics, particularly the submissive roles of women within the cult, is unsettling.
Steinbichler anchors the film with a layered, empathetic portrayal of a fractured mind. Rarely off screen, he maintains credibility in a role that demands emotional range. Voice-over is used to convey the internal conflict of Isaac’s splintered identity. To some, this may seem a little heavy handed. But here, it’s an effective device that deepens the character’s inner turmoil.
Graham McTavish gives a commanding turn as the cult’s authoritarian leader. Viewers may recall McTavish replacing Christopher Lee in the disappointing The Wicker Tree, a spiritual successor to The Wicker Man. While echoes of that earlier role exist here, McTavish’s performance in Dirty Boyis restrained and far more effective.
Supporting roles are solid throughout. Susie Porter brings a chilling zeal to the cult leader’s devout wife, while Alice Lucy makes an impression as one of their loyal followers.
Matthias Jakisic’s evocative score, coupled with Ross Yeandle’s well defined cinematography, give the film a polished, immersive quality. Production values are consistently strong, especially for a debut feature.
Following two shorts, Doug Rao has made a bold leap into feature-length storytelling and he hasn’t played it safe. In a cinematic landscape often cluttered with formula, Dirty Boy feels refreshingly unorthodox. Its fusion of mental illness, religious mania and psychological horror, makes for a compellingly dark and distinctive film.
Recently, I reviewed The Severed Sun and valued its well mounted intensity. While Dirty Boy touches on similar thematic ground, it takes a much more unconventional route. With confident direction and performances, this film deserves recognition for breathing strange new life into familiar territory.
Dirty Boy screened as part of Raindance Film Festival 2025.
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