Riley

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1:32

Riley

2023

1h 33m

Drama

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5 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Ambitious high school athlete Dakota Riley begins his senior year like most of his peers; within the confines of the steady monotony that comes with adolescence -- sports, classrooms, dinner tables, school halls. With high expectations for his athletic pursuits, Dakota lives within carefully designed boundaries, a calculated blueprint upon which he's formed the basis of his identity. But when the reality of this identity is thrown into disarray, Dakota is forced to confront the consequences of denying himself, or come to terms with who he really is.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

It is that rawness and realness that gives “Riley” its extra edge, making it a more formidable queer drama about how repression in a hyper-masculine setting can strangle and suffocate someone until they come up for air.

Jul 25, 2025

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Annette Basile

FILMINK (Australia)

… an involving drama, thanks largely to the superb performance by Jake Holley in the central role …

Rated: 14.5/20

Jan 10, 2025

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Brian Bromberger

Bay Area Reporter

Viewers will be rooting for Riley to live authentically and find peace within himself.

Dec 20, 2024

Full Review

Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

As the drama gets increasingly serious, the film grabs hold powerfully. So even if things begin to turn a bit melodramatic, there's truth in the way the story plays out.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 25, 2024

Full Review

Josh Winning

Radio Times

Inspired by writer/director Benjamin Howard's own experiences, Riley sketches an impressive portrait of teen anguish, and sensitively explores the burden of living up to other people's expectations.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 16, 2024

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Peter K

This was brutally honest in its narrative of what it is like to be conflicted about one's own self-image and the fear of 'letting-down' your family and peers. It's unbelievable that after all these decades we -- as a society-- are still hung-up on the spectrum of human sexuality.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/25/25

Full Review

Ricardo A

This film took me to a visceral experience with my feelings lived in the past, it is masterfully performed by Jake Holley, and very well written and directed by Benjamin Howard, the drama of discovering yourself in a world where being the real you involves a daily struggle with yourself, the fear that leads you to hide in a character, and at the same time to be true to your feelings, leads the character to a deep crisis, where the viewer will be taken on an internal journey, of a stunned mind within a world that will not allow him to cower, but to move forward towards self-knowledge, and the search for the freedom to be true.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/07/25

Full Review

Garry A

I was uncomfortable watching this, but it doesn't mean I didn't like it or that it isn't a good movie. I had genuine fear of what was going to happen when people found out he was gay

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/14/25

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Benjamin Howard

Director

Jake Holley

Actor

Colin McCalla

Actor

Riley Quinn Scott

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Riley: Trailer 1

1:32

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Synopsis

Ambitious high school athlete Dakota Riley begins his senior year like most of his peers; within the confines of the steady monotony that comes with adolescence -- sports, classrooms, dinner tables, school halls. With high expectations for his athletic pursuits, Dakota lives within carefully designed boundaries, a calculated blueprint upon which he's formed the basis of his identity. But when the reality of this identity is thrown into disarray, Dakota is forced to confront the consequences of denying himself, or come to terms with who he really is.

Director: Benjamin Howard
Producer: Benjamin Howard, Tommy Anderson, Laura Scarano
Screenwriter: Benjamin Howard
Distributor: Dark Star Pictures
Production Co: Windsor Film Company
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 14, 2025
Runtime: 1h 33m

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