After several cycles of chemotherapy, fourteen-year-old Donald (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) feels he has little left to hope for. Worst of all, he might die a virgin. Director Ian FitzGibbon’s film, adapted by Anthony McCarten from his novel of the same name, is a poignant coming-of-age story addressing the most painful of circumstances alongside a rich and often humorous treatment of classic teen preoccupations.
When Donald’s parents urge him to confront his feelings, he retreats further into his own head, channelling his thoughts into sinister and eerily-beautiful comic book drawings. In the universe of his sketches, Donald is no longer a skinny teen with leukaemia. Instead, he becomes a brawny superhero dedicated to fighting his archenemy: a mad scientist called The Glove, who wields syringes for fingers.
With his lanky frame and awkward, hesitant charm, Brodie-Sangster captures both the anger and vulnerability of a teen struggling with school, dorky parents and hormones – on top of trials no young person should ever have to face. His sharp emotional performance is enhanced by animated sequences involving his graphic alter ego and The Glove, which emphasize just how far Donald has come from the rosy world of children’s cartoons. - Michèle Maheux, Toronto International Film Festival
“Serkis is something of a revelation... FitzGibbon has achieved something special” - Variety