STORY OF A BAD BOY will not be your favorite movie about a quirky gay kid trying to survive high school.
Eager to fit in to a new school, Pauly joins the AV club, becomes drum leader for the band, and most importantly joins the drama department where his life is changed. For there he meets Noel (Christian Carmago), a 20-year-old student teacher who has written a rock musical version of The Scarlet Letter, called A.
And therefore, I think the film could have a life as an off-Broadway musical a la PROM. The excerpts from the musical are catchy. The characters are hilarious, and while the relationship between Joel and a 17-year-old student might have pushed too many buttons when the film was released (1999)would the time be right for it now?
Jeremy Hollingworth - the lead who gets aroused while serving mass, as well when he gets silky new track shorts - is terrific as he adores his love, and as he puts up with his quirky family and the rest of the world. Tom Donaghy’s script and direction are crisp and fun. Even with Noel is worrying he is going too far, we spend a moment thinking ‘yes that might be true’ and then go right back to cheering for love.
PS Sorry the only trailer I could find is overdubbed in German.
PPS. My favorite in this genre of high school angst right now is DATING AMBER.