Beach Rats (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Frankie wears a hat to disguise his identity while using the Brooklyn Boys webcam platform. He is secretly exploring his attraction to men while fearing exposure to his friends and family. The hat serves as a physical barrier allowing him to maintain his double life without being recognized.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes establish Frankie's pattern of hiding his true self, as he also deflects from personal questions during his dates with Simone.

• frankie
• hat
• webcam
• disguise
• secret identity

Frankie uses his relationship with Simone as a cover to convince himself and others that he is straight. He is deeply in denial about his true attractions and tries to force himself into a conventional relationship to hide his internal conflict. Simone represents the version of himself he wants to present to the world.

Foreshadowing: During their date, Frankie awkwardly asks Simone about kissing girls, revealing his insecurity about his own desires.

• frankie
• simone
• relationship
• denial
• sexuality

Frankie copes with his father's death by using the leftover medication alongside his friends. His grief is complicated by unresolved feelings toward his father and the chaotic home environment. The drugs provide an escape from his emotional turmoil and the mounting pressures of his double life.

Foreshadowing: The film establishes early on that Frankie uses substances to avoid dealing with his difficult home situation.

• frankie
• father
• medication
• death
• grief

Frankie runs out of drugs and desperately needs more. He proposes that his friends pose as gay men on Brooklyn Boys to score weed from other users. This plan reflects his increasing desperation and willingness to blur ethical boundaries. His friends reluctantly agree despite their discomfort.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Frankie's drug use escalating as his personal life becomes more chaotic.

• frankie
• friends
• drugs
• chat site
• desperation

Frankie's friends accompany him to meet Jeremy with the intention of robbing him for his drugs. When Jeremy arrives, they ambush and brutally attack him, leaving him unconscious in the waves. The violence stems from their greed and perhaps their underlying discomfort with Frankie's secret life, which they now witness firsthand.

Foreshadowing: The friends initially refuse to let Frankie meet Jeremy alone, insisting on joining to steal weed.

• jeremy
• beach
• attack
• friends
• violence

After the traumatic attack on Jeremy, Frankie returns home and deletes all his online profiles and selfies. This act symbolizes his attempt to erase the evidence of his secret life and start fresh. He is trying to bury his true self again, choosing denial over self-acceptance.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Frankie maintains his online persona in secret, which ultimately leads to the violent climax.

• frankie
• online
• delete
• identity
• escape

Frankie struggles with internalized shame and confusion about his sexuality. When confronted by Jeremy at the beach, he insists he is not gay and only has a girlfriend. His denial stems from fear of rejection by his friends, family, and himself. The toxic environment around him offers no space for self-exploration.

Foreshadowing: Frankie's evasive answer to an older man about his attraction preferences earlier hints at his deep-seated confusion.

• frankie
• sexuality
• denial
• acceptance
• confusion

Simone gradually pulls away after witnessing Frankie's erratic behavior and the collision between his secret life and reality. When she sees him in compromising situations with men in public, she recognizes that she cannot reach his inner truth. Her departure reflects his inability to be authentic in any relationship.

Foreshadowing: Simone initially gives Frankie a chance after his apology, but his lies and instability ultimately push her away.

• simone
• frankie
• relationship
• breakup
• distancing

Frankie insists on meeting Jeremy alone because he genuinely wants to connect with someone his own age who is openly gay. However, his friends demand to come along, claiming they need to steal Jeremy's drugs. When they argue, Frankie ultimately agrees to bring them, leading to the deadly ambush.

Foreshadowing: Jeremy privately asks Frankie to meet him alone, which raises suspicion among Frankie's friends.

• frankie
• jeremy
• beach
• meeting
• ambush

The film ends with Frankie alone at the Coney Island boardwatching fireworks, his face contorted in anguish and confusion. This mirrors the opening scene where he first meets Simone, emphasizing his cyclical journey. He has gained nothing from his explorations and remains trapped in his denial, leaving him isolated and unresolved.

Foreshadowing: The opening fireworks scene establishes Frankie's loneliness before his failed attempts at connection.

• frankie
• ending
• fireworks
• anguish
• cycle

Frankie's awkward question about same-gender kissing reveals his own curiosity and confusion about his sexuality. He is trying to understand his attractions through Simone, indirectly probing his own desires. This moment highlights his internal struggle to make sense of feelings he cannot openly acknowledge.

Foreshadowing: Frankie's online activities with men foreshadow his true interests, which he cannot directly address.

• frankie
• simone
• kissing
• girls
• curiosity