Based on a true story, this desolately sad but sensitive and well-written film follows the journey of a regular working-class father (played sincerely by Mark Wahlberg) as he comes to terms with his bullied 15-year-old son's coming out and decides to walk across America spreading the message of tolerance. The playful relationship between Wahlberg and young Reid Miller feels very natural and easy to watch, and Maxwell Jenkins (from Netflix's Lost in Space) does well in the smaller role of the younger brother. It feels like an oft-told story with little new to offer (social media bullying, small town prejudices) but it is delivered in a clearly honest, heartbreakingly simple and unmelodramatic way. Whilst gay culture is stereotyped basically (Cher and Dolly Parton drag queens, GaGa songs), there are a couple of sudden harsh emotional rug-pulls that are managed very well, and overall the film is a raw, effective and affecting examination of homophobia and grief.
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