Beach Rats: A Raw Portrait of Youth, Masculinity, and Desire
Released in 2017, Beach Rats is an American drama directed by Eliza Hittman, who is known for her intimate, atmospheric explorations of adolescence and identity. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where Hittman won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award, and later received critical acclaim for its unflinching portrayal of a young man torn between desire, conformity, and self-destruction. Set against the backdrop of working-class Brooklyn, Beach Rats examines the complexities of sexuality and masculinity in a community where vulnerability is seen as weakness.
The story centers on Frankie (Harris Dickinson), a 19-year-old who spends his days drifting aimlessly with his group of friends. Together, they roam the beaches, smoke, drink, and engage in reckless behavior, embodying a form of toxic camaraderie that leaves little room for individuality. Outwardly, Frankie appears to conform to this hyper-masculine culture, but privately he is wrestling with a hidden side of himself. Late at night, he turns to gay chatrooms, where he explores his attraction to older men, arranging clandestine encounters that provide fleeting intimacy but deepen his internal conflict.
Complicating Frankie’s life further is his relationship with Simone (Madeline Weinstein), a young woman he begins to date in an attempt to maintain the appearance of heterosexual normalcy. While Simone is genuine and open, Frankie’s inability to connect with her emotionally underscores his struggle to reconcile his desires with the expectations imposed by his peers and environment. This dual existence—publicly projecting one identity while privately embracing another—creates a tension that drives the narrative toward an unsettling conclusion.
Beach Rats distinguishes itself through its visual style. Cinematographer Hélène Louvart uses natural light, handheld camerawork, and a muted color palette to create an immersive and intimate atmosphere. The film’s frequent close-ups capture Frankie’s quiet turmoil, while the sunlit beaches and dark interiors serve as contrasting spaces of freedom and entrapment. Combined with Dickinson’s mesmerizing performance, the visuals convey a raw emotional honesty that words often cannot.
Thematically, the film explores the suffocating effects of rigid masculinity. Frankie’s friends embody a culture of posturing and aggression, leaving little room for softness or vulnerability. Within this context, his exploration of queer desire feels both transgressive and dangerous, highlighting the risks faced by individuals who do not conform to traditional norms. Rather than offering a neatly resolved narrative, Hittman embraces ambiguity, forcing viewers to sit with the discomfort of Frankie’s unresolved identity and the destructive choices he makes in his search for belonging.
Critics praised Beach Rats for its sensitivity, authenticity, and Harris Dickinson’s breakout performance. Many noted that the film avoids clichés of queer cinema by focusing less on overt romance and more on the fragmented, often painful process of self-discovery. Some audiences found the film’s pacing slow and its ending bleak, but its honesty and lack of compromise solidified its place as a significant work in contemporary independent film.
In conclusion, Beach Rats is a haunting and beautifully crafted exploration of youth, sexuality, and identity. By situating Frankie’s struggle within a world that equates masculinity with dominance, Eliza Hittman reveals the vulnerability hidden beneath bravado. The film’s refusal to offer easy answers makes it both challenging and unforgettable, standing as one of the most compelling queer dramas of the 2010s.
