Can an elite rugby-obsessed boarding school accommodate a star player who is gay?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the rugby-crazed culture of an Irish all-boys school, an ostracized student and a star athlete form an unlikely bond. Their friendship challenges the institution's rigid expectations, exposing deep-seated hypocrisy and homophobia. This 2016 coming-of-age drama explores the courage required to be oneself in an environment designed for conformity.

Directed by John Butler, Handsome Devil draws from the filmmaker's own experiences at Blackrock College during the 1980s. The film centers on Ned, a student at the fictional Wood Hill College who stands out for his lack of interest in rugby. His life changes when he is paired with a new roommate, Conor, a talented rugby player. Despite their initial wariness, the two bond over a shared love of music and the encouragement of their new English teacher, Mr. Sherry.

The narrative tension escalates when the school's rugby coach, Pascal, discovers that both Mr. Sherry and Conor are gay. Pascal weaponizes this information, using blackmail to force Conor to distance himself from Ned. The pressure leads to a public confrontation where Ned, feeling betrayed, outs his friend. The fallout is severe: Ned faces suspension, and Conor flees the school, leaving the team without their star player as the final match approaches.

The film serves as a critique of the snobbery and hypocrisy inherent in the Irish private school system. By the climax, the story shifts toward reconciliation. Ned locates Conor and brings him back to the stadium, where they confront the team and coach. They argue that one's sexuality does not diminish their ability to excel at sport. The team's eventual support for Conor forces Pascal to back down, marking a victory for individuality over the school's traditional, exclusionary culture.

Released in 2017, the film received critical acclaim, including the Best Irish Feature award from the Dublin Film Critics' Circle. It holds an 84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising it as a charming and fresh variation on the coming-of-age genre. Through its exploration of identity and institutional pressure, the film highlights the personal cost of maintaining appearances in a rigid social hierarchy.

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