High school is never easy. It’s especially rough for someone like Brian, who is socially awkward, riddled with panic attacks, and harboring a crush on his English teacher. That last part might not be universal, but in his directorial debut Brian, Will Ropp captures a sharply self-aware coming-of-age story where plenty of viewers will recognize themselves in a teenager searching for a rulebook on how to be normal.
Written by Saturday Night Live writer Mike Scollins, the film follows Brian (Ben Wang) as he confronts his social anxiety by running for student body president, which is led by his English teacher and crush, Brooke (Natalie Morales). With support from his overbearing but loving parents (Randall Park and Edi Patterson), a new classmate (Joshua Colley), and his therapist (William H. Macy), Brian begins to build both a campaign and a stronger idea of what it means to be a good friend.
But on this quest, there’s some extremely funny missteps along the way, brought to life by a bubbly cast and a director who fully embraces the script’s charm.
Brian premiered at South by Southwest as part of the Narrative Feature Competition, and while it didn’t take home a prize, it stood out to critics for its humor and heartfelt coming-of-age story. Cast members Wang, Morales, Patterson, Park, and Macy, along with director Ropp, stopped by the Den of Geek studio at SXSW to discuss bringing the project to life.
Wang says playing an awkward teenager with intense anxiety came naturally to him. While, of course, he wanted to preserve the humor, he also made sure scenes dealing with mental health were approached with authenticity.
“I mostly just showed up and was myself,” Wang says. “Making it real meant that I derived most of the quirks, the tics, and the personality for the character from pieces of me.”
Authenticity is a throughline across the production, including Ropp’s decision to give Brian a roller backpack. Wang shares that he also used one in high school without realizing it was considered “embarrassing,” while Ropp admits he had one too before ditching it after being made fun of; though he still questions why the bag has such a reputation.
“So, I didn’t understand why everyone was like, ‘This is a really great detail to show. This is really funny,’” Ropp says. “I was like, ‘Why? Why is that funny? It’s efficient.’”
Wang’s character wheels his bookbag into English class as he pursues an inappropriate crush on his teacher. Morales, who has previously played educators, including in Language Lessons, which screened at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival and won the Audience Award, portrays a very different kind of teacher here.
“I had so many scenes with Ben, who’s an incredible actor and scene partner and so fun to play off of,” Morales says. “It’s always fun when someone’s obsessed with you and loves you because then you get to go home feeling that way. Although, this particular situation was very inappropriate, and I was glad to shut it down.”
The film’s comedy is anchored by Patterson and Park, who lean into their characters’ over-the-top excitement when Brian brings a friend over for the first time. The pair share that they improvised heavily, building off each other to push every take further. Fortunately for audiences, much of that improvisation made it into the final cut.
As writers and comedians, Patterson and Park say they look for the same qualities that make a strong coming-of-age film.
“For my taste, it’s about specificity and authenticity,” Patterson says. “And then two more: humor and heart. I think this movie has all of those things.”
Before running for student body president, Brian auditions for his high school production of Julius Caesar. Dressed in a toga and putting on a thick Shakespearean accent, he makes it through the audition, but doesn’t quite get the reaction he was hoping for from the directors.
Wang says he’s personally had his share of embarrassing auditions while applying to drama schools. At one audition, he was asked to sing a song, which he hadn’t prepared for. He had recently watched Cabaret, so he decided to sing the opening track, “Willkommen,” only to realize after the first line that he’d made a mistake.
“I remembered the rest of the song was in German and French,” Wang says. “Instead of doing the sensible thing, which is [singing] a different song… I was like, ‘I’m just going to make some shit up.’ Because how would this guy who has a doctorate in theater know that I’m singing the wrong lyrics?”
Brian showcases the joy of independent filmmaking and highlights how strong cast camaraderie elevates the material. Although it does not yet have a confirmed theatrical or streaming release date, the coming-of-age film continues to build anticipation following its festival debut.
Macy, who plays Brian’s therapist, was happy to be a part of a project that spotlights serious issues through the lens of high school students in a sincere way. He also reflects on what he would say to teenagers who feel as out of place as Brian.
“Calm down,” Macy says. “It’ll all pass. I wish I’d said that to myself. Bring your roller [backpack], wear white socks. Do anything you want because it’s all nonsense. There’s so much pressure in high school.”
Brian premiered March 14 at the SXSW Film & TV Festival.
