Just Charlie (2017)

There is something quite unique and special about a good independent film. Free from the pressures of needing a bankable star to pin your marketing on, and countless studio executives who believe they know better than the creative team, independent filmmakers can tell the stories they want to tell, the stories that are important to them, and often do so with such heart that the resulting piece is far more moving and in many cases entertaining than a big studio project. This film is one such story.

By all outside appearances, Charlie (Harry Gilby) seems to be an average 14-year-old boy. He lives in a small English town with his parents, Paul (Scot Williams) and Susan (Patricia Potter) and his older sister Eve (Elinor Machen-Fortune). He plays football - or soccer - with his local team.

Actually, when it comes to football, he is quite an accomplished player, and at the film’s opening, he is about to be headhunted by a larger regional team, with a full scholarship that will almost certainly see him play on the national team before too long.

But Charlie is not your average 14-year-old boy. Charlie has gender dysphoria, and believes very strongly that he was born in the wrong body. He wants to be treated - and seen - as a girl.

Charlie (Harry Gilby) with his mother Susan (Patricia Potter).

His mother and sister are incredibly supportive of Charlie, but his father is not at all on board with the whole thing. He feels that Charlie is only acting out to get attention, and his desire to hold onto his son - who is ‘supposed’ to play football with the men’s team - is so strong, and his understanding of the deeper issues affecting Charlie is so lacking, that he refuses to even attempt to see things from another point of view.

But when Charlie starts harming himself, and trying to cut off parts of his body that do not conform to his gender identity, even Paul comes to the conclusion that this is serious, and Charlie isn’t just going through a phase.

Charlie is taken to specialist after specialist and, with the support of both parents - Susan to a greater extent than Paul - and his sister, begins to live as a girl.

Paul (Scot Williams).

In one of the more beautiful moments of the story, Charlie’s football coach, Mick (Peter Machen) makes arrangements for Charlie to play with a girls’ team.

The screenplay - by Peter Machen (who, as you may recall, also appears in the film in quite a significant role) - is absolutely incredible. Machen’s control of all the characters in the film, and their internal and external conflicts, as well as his expert crafting of plot and numerous twists, is inspiring to any budding screenwriter.

Karl Clarke’s cinematography is also beautiful. Every single shot in this film is captured perfectly, and his command of light, dark, shadow and contrast is evident throughout. For the entire duration of the film, it feels less that we are watching a narrative film, but rather a momentary intrusion into the lives of this dysfunctional family.

The score feels beautifully organic, and not at all contrived. Composers Yann McCullough and Darryl O'Donovan have clearly come at their work from a position of deep understanding and respect for the project, and the results are amazing. At no point does the score dominate, but whenever music is used, it only supports the on-screen action or emotional journey of the characters.

Charlie (Harry Gilby) with the girls' team.

Every member of the cast brings their absolute all to their role. The clear standout - without a doubt - is young Harry Gilby in the titular role. His delicate handling of some incredibly complex emotions is quite moving (and yes, I did cry several times during the film, and no, I’m not ashamed to admit it).

Director Rebekah Fortune has made an absolutely beautiful piece of cinema here. If you haven’t seen it yet - it didn’t have a huge theatrical release, admittedly - you ought to check it out as soon as you can (it is available on DVD).

9 out of 10.