Handsome Devil is well acted, especially by the two young leads, and it also features a great soundtrack. Some of the secondary roles are slightly clichéd and under-developed, but this does not detract from the story’s overall impact.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 20, 2022

The unstoppable force of self-discovery meets the immovable object of homophobia, with somewhat explosive results.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 2, 2021

Perfect for anyone who's ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with.

| Oct 8, 2020

Handsome Devil is a uniquely impactful film in how it highlights institutionalized homophobia in a way so few films opt to.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 24, 2020

More than anything, the character/s who are actually revealed to be gay couldn't be any more refreshingly portrayed by both the filmmaker and the actors in question.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 15, 2019

Writer/director John Butler has crafted a feel good film that overcomes a fairly predictable plot with winning performances.

| Feb 3, 2019

Get back to me when you're ready to move beyond middling after-school specials like "Handsome Devil," MiFo peeps. There's still some growing up left to do.

| Aug 21, 2018

... "Handsome Devil" is a lively gay romance, even though it isn't all that romantic.

| Oct 24, 2017

It's a premise we've seen dozens of times before, in a variety of guises, but writer-director John Butler injects his own highly personal take with lashings of Irish humour and a gutsy helping of genuine heart and emotion.

| Aug 15, 2017

Using music to define gay experience in a prep school setting makes Handsome Devil a queer version of Wes Anderson's Rushmore.

| Aug 15, 2017

Handsome Devil is an affable picture, but it's a few nips and tucks away from being great.

| Aug 7, 2017

A sharply written film, with bold central characters and some surprisingly strong emotional moments

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 20, 2017

Although it adheres to many movie tropes, from the inspirational teacher to the pivotal school concert and final triumphant sport match, it breaks the mould, too.

| Jun 30, 2017

Irish adolescent coming-of-age tale is undone by a basic lack of freshness and haphazard direction and script.

| Jun 9, 2017

An endearing cast of characters [are] able to charm their way out of the stereotypical boxes dictating their purpose to the story.

| Original Score: B- | Jun 2, 2017

There are at least two characters whose stories are more promising than the main character of Handsome Devil.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 1, 2017

"Handsome Devil" studies formulaic coming-of-age movies a little too closely.

| Jun 1, 2017

A warm blanket of a film that manages to tackle sexuality and homophobia with a surprisingly light, but not ineffectual, tone.

| Original Score: 14/20 | Jun 1, 2017

A charming and charismatic coming-of-age story that's part Dead Poets Society, part Sing Street.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 1, 2017

The story is programmatic and the indie stylings feel tired but Handsome Devil is a winning, enjoyable call for individuality.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 1, 2017