Beach Rats

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Beach Rats

R

2017

1h 37m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

109 Reviews

57%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

An aimless teenager on the outer edges of Brooklyn is having a miserable summer. With his father on his deathbed and his mother wanting him to find a girlfriend, Frankie escapes the bleakness of his life by causing trouble with his delinquent friends and flirting with older men online. When his chatting and webcamming intensifies, he finally starts hooking up with guys at a nearby cruising beach while simultaneously entering into a cautious relationship with a young woman.

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Critics Consensus

Empathetic and powerfully acted, Beach Rats takes a clear-eyed yet dreamlike look at a young man's adolescent turmoil.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Beach Rats does feel a little half-formed, but it swells with such passion that one longs to follow all involved on their subsequent journeys.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 1, 2017

Full Review

Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

It's slow, sensual and gorgeously observed.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 29, 2017

Full Review

Hannah McGill

Sight & Sound

The film's mix of murky, up-close realism and dreamy vagueness is reminiscent of Gus Van Sant's and Larry Clark's detailed, faintly voyeuristic depictions of teen life, as well Matt Porterfield's unvarnished but elegant portraits of urban disaffection.

Nov 28, 2017

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

The Queer Gaze (Podcast)

Dickinson dazzles in his feature debut, but Eliza Hittman's screenplay has a few bumpy parts. Still, the internalized homophobia is handled well, the cinematography is lush, and the open ending inspires conversation.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 21, 2025

Full Review

Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

This is a gritty, intimate character study that relies as much on the central acting as it does the melancholy mood of its stark, shadowy 16mm cinematography.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 9, 2023

Full Review

Erica Peplin

Vague Visages

In addition to bearing resemblance to the impressionistic and deeply empathetic style of Celine Sciamma, Hittman’s work could also be compared to Barry Jenkins’ work in Moonlight...

Dec 5, 2023

Full Review

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Tyler F.

Overall, a boring experience that manages to accomplish nothing with a stagnant main character who has no character development over the course of the movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

11/14/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/15/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Failed pride in 1 hour and 37 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $472,400.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/28/25

Full Review

Kathryn V

After the fact watched Harris Dickinson in Trust, Where the Crawdads Sing and Iron claw, 2023 and 2024. Try this movie 2017. I liked the movie but the ending kind of left me, huh. It's just going to end like this. Maybe it's one of those movies, use your imagination for the ending, be what you think it should be.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/19/24

Full Review

Hargie M

While the film aims to depict the raw, unfiltered reality of a young man grappling with his sexuality in a hostile environment, it falls short in its execution.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/20/24

Full Review

Alec B

Far less complex than it tries to be but Harris Dickinson's performance is stunningly raw.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/03/24

Full Review

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Eliza Hittman

Director

Harris Dickinson

Frankie

Madeline Weinstein

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Kate Hodge

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Beach Rats: Trailer 1

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Beach Rats: Teaser Trailer 1

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Synopsis

An aimless teenager on the outer edges of Brooklyn is having a miserable summer. With his father on his deathbed and his mother wanting him to find a girlfriend, Frankie escapes the bleakness of his life by causing trouble with his delinquent friends and flirting with older men online. When his chatting and webcamming intensifies, he finally starts hooking up with guys at a nearby cruising beach while simultaneously entering into a cautious relationship with a young woman.

Director: Eliza Hittman
Producer: Brad Becker-Parton, Drew P. Houpt, Paul Mezey, Andrew Goldman
Screenwriter: Eliza Hittman
Distributor: Neon
Production Co: Cinereach, Secret Engine
Rating: R (Graphic Nudity|Drug Use|Language|Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 25, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 7, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $472.4K
Runtime: 1h 37m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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