Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Wild Tigers I Have Known is a coming-of-age drama about Logan (Malcolm Stump), a thirteen-year-old who develops a crush on a boy in the ninth grade.
Logan and his best friend, Joey (Max Paradise), are awkward students who often get picked on at school. While Joey has begun to take an interest in photography, Logan prefers to dress up in women’s clothing and wear makeup.
When Logan runs into Rodeo (Patrick White), a ninth-grade student, he finally meets someone who doesn’t put him down. Rodeo listens to him, talks to him like an equal, and takes him seriously. Soon, Logan begins hanging out with Rodeo more than Joey. Although he doesn’t let Rodeo know about his interest in cross dressing, they share a common interest in being outsiders.
When Rodeo gives Logan his phone number and says he can call any time he wants, Logan is thrilled. And when he calls Rodeo, Logan puts on the persona of Leah, a woman who wants to have sex with Rodeo. Unaware that he’s talking to Logan, Rodeo shows an interest in meeting Leah.
What follows is a story about identity, friendship, and longing.
Some Thoughts:
Wild Tigers I Have Known is an art house film. It’s full of beautiful imagery and all the confusion of adolescence. It’s about the age when boys begin to form their identity and feel the spark of desire, both of which can be confusing. Director Cam Archer uses imagery to shows this through Logan’s eyes. Because of that, the film can sometimes seem surreal.
Everything about this movie is intentional, including the acting, which is flat and emotionless. I had a hard time connecting with the characters because of it, but it does heighten the overall awkwardness. And while it does a good job showing the world through Logan’s eyes, this is also where it fails. The monotone acting does force the viewer to see Logan’s story in a clinical perspective, but it also makes it difficult to sympathize with him on an emotional level.
The Final Verdict:
Wild Tigers I Have Known is an art house drama that’s more concerned with depicting the life of a pubescent teenager than telling a story. Archer does a wonderful job capturing early puberty, even if it’s at the expense of an emotional connection with the film’s subject.