Identity crisis or identity question? Such is the dilemma facing one such teenager as he confronts key emotions in Gary Grant‘s new indie drama I’M NOT YOU.
Joe (Harry Still) is your average college student, full of inquisitiveness and somebody who like the majority of us in our late teens is finding his feet.
Amidst a family unit of traditional values and perceptions, Joe is not quite hitting the right marks, particularly when it comes to his own struggling father Dave (Nicholas Clarke) whose more conventional straight-talking ideals suggest a time gone.
With help from best friend Madeleine (Victoria Tait) and his college tutor, Caleb (Tom Wisdom) – who suggests visiting a nightclub that will hopefully change his perception – and some new found kindred spirits who appear to be more in line with what he would like to be, Joe begins to discover and subsequently embrace his own emotional awareness and passions, but not without conflict and price…
Unusual LGBTQ+ drama reflecting on the perceptions of homo and transphobia against the backdrop of a solid coming of age story that is reflective of today’s ever-changing viewpoints. It also looks into the consequence of casual and historical racism without hammering home the point in these enlightened times.
Lead actor Still leads the cast efficiently with a terrific performance that is both level-headed and snappy, backed up by Clarke who encapsulates a troubled father who is facing as much challenges as his maturing son.
Stand-up comic Tiff Stevenson (from the likes of MOCK THE WEEK amongst other shows) provides a brief-but-solid cameo as one of the family friends of Joe. Rounding out the performances is Tait who also proves to be an endearing screen presence.
Although a niche film at first glance, I’M NOT YOU is more than that as it taps into the ever-evolving human emotions that we all face up to, regardless of gender and racial context. There is something for other cineastes and fans of indie drama in a film that will grow on you the more you get into it. At its’ heart though is very much a common challenge when families struggle to get through their own inner perceptions and ideas.
I’M NOT YOU plays as part of the London Independent Film Festival October 2026 edition, which runs until 11th October 2026.
Tickets at: https://www.genesiscinema.co.uk/event/113863