I Wish You All the Best: A Quiet Revolution in Queer Storytelling

Some films don’t need to shout to make history. I Wish You All the Best is one of those rare, gentle revolutions—a film that doesn’t rely on grand speeches or sweeping gestures, but instead invites us into the small, sacred act of becoming yourself. Directed by Tommy Dorfman in her feature debut and based on Mason Deaver’s beloved novel, it gives us something we’ve been craving for years: a nonbinary coming-of-age story told with tenderness, honesty, and heart.

At its center is Ben (Corey Fogelmanis), a teenager who comes out as nonbinary and is promptly kicked out of their home. Their parents’ rejection is quick and cruel, a moment that leaves a bruise the film never forgets. With nowhere else to go, Ben turns to their estranged sister Hannah (Alexandra Daddario) and her husband Tomas (Cole Sprouse), moving in with them and quietly trying to rebuild a sense of normalcy. What follows isn’t a story of tragedy; it’s one of quiet resilience. Ben’s journey is about surviving the heartbreak of being turned away by the people who should’ve loved them most, and learning that family can be something you find, not just something you’re born into.

From the first scene, Dorfman’s hand as a director feels deeply personal. She captures the suffocating stillness of rejection, the discomfort of starting over, and the hesitant joy of self-discovery with remarkable sensitivity. Every frame feels intentional, from the muted palette that mirrors Ben’s isolation to the gradual warmth that seeps into the visuals as they begin to heal. Dorfman doesn’t force catharsis; she lets it emerge quietly, like light after a storm.

At school, Ben starts to piece together a new support system. There’s their compassionate art teacher, played with soft wisdom by Lena Dunham, who becomes an early source of encouragement when words fail. There are new friends who see Ben as they are, without hesitation or confusion. And then there’s Nathan (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), the classmate whose kindness disarms Ben completely. What begins as a cautious friendship slowly deepens into something more, a connection that’s tender, patient, and transformative. Nathan never pushes Ben to define themselves before they’re ready; instead, he simply offers presence, laughter, and a safe place to land. Their bond isn’t about fixing each other, but about learning to be seen.

Fogelmanis carries the film with quiet power, capturing the contradictions of adolescence—the fear, confusion, and fleeting joy of discovery—with raw authenticity. There’s a vulnerability in his performance that feels lived-in, a sense of truth that only deepens the film’s emotional pull. His chemistry with Gutierrez-Riley feels refreshingly real, built on awkward silences, soft humor, and small acts of trust. Around them, Daddario’s Hannah brings depth and guilt to a sister trying to parent and make up for lost time, while Sprouse’s Tomas grounds the household with a kind of easy empathy and humor. Together, they create a makeshift family that feels fragile but hopeful. A reminder that love, even when imperfect, can still save us.

What sets I Wish You All the Best apart is its refusal to conform to familiar queer cinema tropes. There’s no sensationalized trauma, no need to “explain” queerness for a straight audience. Instead, Dorfman gives us a story that trusts its characters—and us—to understand. She’s not trying to deliver a statement; she’s showing us a life. That difference matters. It’s what makes the film feel authentic, intimate, and quietly radical.

When Ben finally steps outside in a skirt, dancing to Indigo Girls’ Closer to Fine, it doesn’t feel like a climax; it feels like a beginning. That moment, free and unguarded, is a love letter to every queer kid who’s ever felt caught in the in-between. It’s a reminder that existing authentically is its own kind of victory.

For queer and questioning youth, seeing a film like I Wish You All the Best means more than visibility; it’s validation. It’s knowing that your story deserves to be told with care, that your identity isn’t too complicated, and that your softness doesn’t make you weak. Tommy Dorfman’s film isn’t just a milestone for representation; it’s a mirror held up to the parts of ourselves we’re still learning to love. And that, truly, is the quiet revolution of it all.

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I Wish You All the Best will be available in theaters on Friday, November 7. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!

Featured Image: Corey Fogelmanis as “Ben” in the drama film, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST, a Lionsgate film. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.