User reviews

A film that feels like it wants to be complex but which is too often reduced to a simple experience by the use of over-familiar scenes, devices and plot lines. Some strong acting helps and the film is saved by swerving away from the expected laddish conclusions into a more satisfying study of the nature and perils of machismo. This, along with Anya Taylor-Joy's performance, allow the viewer to walk away feeling like they have watched a more solid and serious film , but only just.

Taylor-Joy, Miami born doing a good Irish accent, plays older-for-younger and is the "smartest person in the room" in this otherwise familiar tale of young male self-destruction. You don't need a movie for that. Just walk to the local grocery store.

This is one of those movies where at the end you think to yourself why did you even bother making this, the plot is basically non existent just some teens doing some drugs and acting out in one extreme or another due to an event they all experience, throw in some bizarre and completely pointless dream like figments of their imaginations and there that's it end of story.

No real meaning behind any of it, no grand or meaningful statement just utter nonsense. The only reason for 3 stars instead of 1 is due to the acting, they all seem like very competent actors but they can only do so much with this.

Skip this movie entirely if you are wanting some druggy teen drama and instead just go watch Human Traffic or even Requiem for a Dream both of which put this nonsense to shame.

Tried my best to like it since we were watching it with some friends but the directing of this movie was to say the least, horrendous. Would like to see some of these actors in another movie together since their acting was phenomenal (specially the actress who played jen) it was more like the directors fault than their own to be honest.

Engaging story about the dark decent of a group of boys. Some very solid acting from the main cast, especially from Dean-Charles Chapman. You really did believe his character was going through the crisis in the movie. Unlike many other reviewers, I actually enjoyed the absurd meta dream sequences. They were an interesting way to present the themes and troubles of the young men, adding a black humor element. The film was shot was like a music video, with a lot of beautiful effects and vibrant colors contrasting the dark content of violence, vandalism, drug binging, suicide, rape and even murder. Unfortunately, it lacks some more substance into why one of the main characters does what they do. Needed more background and exploration on downward spiral of mental illness and motivation. The film's message gets even more lost towards the last act. Although the story ending was somewhat satisfying, it still left a bad taste. But you definitely can't hate on Chapman for trying to sell the story, fantastic acting. Still worth watching.

I can't help but think that after Emma and Queens Gambit that Anya Taylor-Joy could get better roles than this. I should say that I absolutely adore this woman, she is beautiful and and made good choices as far as acting roles go BUT this movie just stinks. The storyline is sometimes dumb, (I wont add any spoilers) and as much as I love watching Anya this is not her best work, for example her Irish accent seems to come and go between Irish and American English. Hopefully she will continue to hone her craft and get better offers going forward.

The people reviewing this with bad reviews clearly missed the point. This is a movie based on the book by Rob Doyle. The book was fantastic and portrays the dark side of early adulthood well. It explores themes such as mental illness in a way that is brutally honest. The movie had to cut out some of that and obviously had to find a way to adapt Kearney's hallucinations. Eoin Macken did a great job making a great book into a movie, especially given the resources and the budget he had to work with. This movie had the potential to be better than it was, but it certainly wasn't horrible. If you're just watching for Anya Taylor-Joy, you won't like the movie. She was a part of this project long before she became famous for her roles in Queen's Gambit or Emma. She certainly isn't the only good part of this film. I highly recommend you read the book, as the movie becomes much more comprehensible once you have.

A good cast doesn't make necessarily for a good film. This was just a drug addled, fantasy film which is just poor quality throughout. No decent plot, a waste of time. Avoid at all costs.

I loved Here Are the Young Men. I bought the DVD because we love Ferdia. The film is dark, brilliant, and experimental. Good for very mature teenagers (16 onwards). The acting (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Finn Cole) is stunning. The movie felt a bit like Trainspotting but more experimental. It doesn't surprised me the low rating. The world is upside down. This is a film that will make you think, feel, and cry. So, not for everybody. No monsters or spaceships or superheroes here; only real and sensitive troubled teenagers. One of the best films of 2020. Watch it. 10/10.

Wow, I almost didn't watch this due to the 4.9 rating at the time. This movie is nothing really special but it has a lot of good things. Great acting, interesting direction, thought provoking scenes and a good soundtrack. This is a good film to watch if you don't mind being a bit disturbed.

Here Are the Young Men is a movie that starts in a janky way and stays that way for the next 90 minutes. The performance of the actors seems to get blend with the act but doesn't have that much of an impact. Right from the first arc till the last the elements of the movie are quite janky and most of the time it makes you wanna skip scenes. The direction and screenplay both needed more polish. In the end, it's a movie that's not for recommending someone cause you will forget it after watching it once. When it comes to time pass this movie definitely falls into that club.

Cautionary tale of be careful who your friends are.

Saw this because I'm running through everything with Anya in it. Side Note: Her as a redhead, works.

The thing that bothers me the most about this movie, is the lack of originality. Everything is so cliched, and lazily written. They tried too hard to be edgy and standout, and you could tell.

It's a shame, because all the actors did a pretty good job. They each played their individual roles nicely. Matthew could've been more assertive though. He was such a pushover. But maybe that was the point, especially given how the film ended. Makes sense, I guess.

They are seriously affected by what they witnessed to begin the Summer and paid the price for it in one way or another. Each actor has their own well defined struggle that they try to cope with and manage. Some actors didn't fare out too well.

It's a short enjoyable watch. Not horrible or anything, just lacks originality. Worth watching, especially if you can't get enough of Anya lol

This gets a LennyReviewz Score of: 5/10.

There were so many cars later model than 2003 in this film haha even a scene or two where they deliberately moved the camera to a fortunate spot on the number plate.

I watch a lot of movies. I don't turn many off.

I turned this off. Poor all round. Don't waste your time unless you are related or a friend of someone involved.

Had to give this film a decent go because of the lineup. Travis Fimmel,Finn Cole, and Anya Taylor-Joy are among some of my favorite actors so I truly tried to persevere and enjoy the movie. I did thoroughly enjoy the accents, but that is the ONLY thing that I could appreciate about this absolute travesty of a production.

WHAT ON EARTH DID I WATCH?! Cringe from the very beginning and completely psychotic with no pay off. I'm actually so disappointed in Travis Fimmel in particular for playing this role. After expecting only the best from him after Vikings and Boy Swallows Universe, I just don't understand why he chose to take this role - completely beneath him in every way.

The whole film is disjointed, chaotic and completely meaningless. A cacophony of WTF?

The world could have completely done without this pile of excrement.

Don't pay attention toom much on actors that could've act better what matters is the story that keeps happening to the young community and all these suicides needs attention. Editing and sound mixing are great because makes you feel their experiences when they are drunk , angry or depressed so enjoy it.

I was fortunate enough to not have read the book so I was coming in with fresh eyes and very open to what was on offer after being in my 6th week of lockdown and scraping the bottom of my Netflix / Prime Video barrels.

The film is a snapshot in time that marks the promise of a bright future during one of the most prosperous periods in Ireland's economic and political history. Yet this 2003 era of the "Celtic Tiger" seems to elude the country's seemingly broken sons born of generations of poverty. It's a paradox-pocked landscape in which its protagonists manifest the national psyche of the time in which a nation had an identity crisis and ideas of success were measured on materialism.

Not too dark, Not too light and a great ensemble cast that really got to spread their wings from other roles we know many of them for, Hollyoaks fans - look out for the random homeless guy. I'm not typically one for coming of age dramas so this hit the mark for me with its colorful cinematics as the backdrop for some dark material. There's lots of room for you to draw your own conclusions without having to be spoonfed everything, so if you didn't enjoy it, that's kind of on you.

I would have wished Eoin Macken took more liberties in his interpretation of the book exploring more backstory, showing more scenery of Dublin perhaps and evening out the character development and screen time with Rez who was drowned out a little from the strong performances of Finn Cole and DC Chapman.

I personally really enjoyed this movie. It is gut wrenching as you experience the many manipulative tactics and gaslighting used by the psychopath+sociopath and his cold hearted thought process on how he viewed the world. It shows the effects of toxic masculinity, misogyny, and being a victim of psychopaths/sociopaths ways in a male friend group. Many of these elements can be put with and related with real life experiences, it shows the effect of experiencing a stranger's death to "normal" people's minds and to psychotic minds that are not socially inclined to the consequences of the real world in any social way. The symbolism of this movie is consistent and very well done, I really loved how it was presented. Those who view the symbolism may have different opinion on how it was presented, but I personally thought it wasn't over done and really added to the main story and development. Acting was also pretty well done, Finn Cole played the role of a psychotic person very well. Cinematography was good and rarely bad in moments, but does not take away from the message and story the director is making as you watch. This movie can be considered unique/different in how it shows the development of characters but in a good way. Wouldn't recommend to those who are sensitive to drug abuse, sexual assault, and graphic content. Overall great movie, made me have physical and emotional reactions with the gut cringe of the psychopaths actions, thought process, and manipulation against the MC. 9/10 I recommend watching.