Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

My Brother Chases Dinosaurs (2019) movie poster

Plot Summary

My Brother Chases Dinosaurs (2019) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 102 mins · Italian
Directed by
Stefano Cipani
Starring
Rossy de Palma, Saul Nanni, Francesco Gheghi, Isabella Ragonese, Alessandro Gassmann, Roberto Nocchi

As a child, Jack was told his brother Gio possessed superpowers, a comforting fantasy his parents created. Now, on the cusp of high school, Jack struggles to reconcile that childhood belief with reality, feeling embarrassed by Gio. This discomfort intensifies when he meets Arianna, the girl he wants to impress, forcing him to confront his feelings about his brother and the family lie that shaped his early years.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 What happens: full plot
  2. 2 Plot questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in My Brother Chases Dinosaurs: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of My Brother Chases Dinosaurs (2019) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Giacomo "Jack" is a curious child who grows up in Pieve di Cento, living with his parents Davide and Katia, and his older sisters Chiara and Alice. One day he learns he will soon have a baby brother, Giovanni "Giò". When Giovanni "Giò" is born, the family discovers he has Down syndrome. At first, Jack is happy, imagining his little brother as a superhero, but as time passes he realizes his parents have led him to expect something different from reality.

Years later, Jack must choose a high school with Vittorio—his best friend. In this new chapter, Jack meets Arianna and falls in love, deciding to enroll in the same school to win her attention. He also aims to fit in with the crowd by joining the band of the two boys he admires most, even as he struggles with a persistent shyness that makes him reluctant to talk about his family situation. The pressure to appear "normal" pushes Jack to keep his brother's existence hidden, and the silence around Giovanni gradually grows into a bigger, damaging lie.

As the year unfolds, Jack discovers that the band he joined has a YouTube channel, a detail he shares with his family. Little Giovanni starts making videos too, helped by Vittorio, and the brothers’ online presence becomes a source of both pride and fear. Jack confronts a troubling moment when some classmates stumble upon the videos; he deletes them and blames a non-existent neo-Nazi group to protect his family from scrutiny. The incident triggers a broader response at home and at school, culminating in a protest organized by the Mazzariol family to challenge the supposed neo-Nazi movement. Jack, Arianna, and their classmates participate in this demonstration, forcing the case into the open and testing the bonds that hold the siblings and friends together.

Throughout the story, the dynamic between Jack, his sister Chiara, and his sister Alice, alongside his parents, frames a quiet but powerful exploration of honesty, belonging, and the courage it takes to tell the truth. The film uses intimate moments—between a boy and his best friend, between lovers, and within a family—to paint a portrait of adolescence colored by love, fear, and the sometimes painful clarity that comes with growing up.

Last updated: February 20, 2026 at 12:22

Was this helpful?

Plot questions answered

My Brother Chases Dinosaurs Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about My Brother Chases Dinosaurs (2019): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Jack hide his brother Giò from his classmates?

Jack hides Giò because he feels ashamed of his brother's Down syndrome and fears his new high school friends will reject him. As he tries to fit in with the cool crowd and impress Arianna, he becomes increasingly insecure about his family situation. His silence grows into a larger lie that he struggles to escape.

Foreshadowing: Jack's embarrassment began in childhood when he realized his parents' fantasy about Giò being a superhero didn't match reality.

  • jack
  • gio
  • down syndrome
  • shame
  • high school
  • friends
Q2

Why did Jack's parents tell him his brother had superpowers?

Jack's parents created the superpowers fantasy to help young Jack accept his new baby brother, especially after learning Giò would have Down syndrome. It was a gentle way to help the family embrace Giò as special rather than different, though the fantasy eventually became harder to maintain as Jack grew older.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Jack as a curious child excited about his baby brother.

  • parents
  • superpowers
  • fantasy
  • down syndrome
  • childhood
Q3

What happens with the YouTube videos in the movie?

Jack discovers his band has a YouTube channel and tells his family. Vittorio then helps Giò create his own videos, which gain attention. When classmates find Giò's videos, Jack panics and deletes them, fabricating a story that neo-Nazis were responsible to cover his tracks.

Foreshadowing: Jack's secret about Giò begins to unravel once Giò gains an online presence.

  • youtube
  • videos
  • gio
  • vittorio
  • band
  • delete
Q4

Why does Jack blame neo-Nazis for deleting the videos?

Jack blames a non-existent neo-Nazi group to explain why Giò's videos disappeared without admitting he deleted them himself. He hopes this lie will protect his family from scrutiny and spare them from the embarrassment of being exposed as his own action.

Foreshadowing: Jack's pattern of lies to protect himself and his family builds throughout the film.

  • neo-nazi
  • videos
  • lie
  • cover-up
  • embarrassment
Q5

Why does the family organize a protest against neo-Nazis?

After Jack's false story about neo-Nazis, the family organizes a community protest to challenge the supposed hate group. The Mazzariol family leads the demonstration, with Jack, Arianna, and his classmates participating, unaware that the threat was fabricated.

Foreshadowing: Jack's lie escalates beyond his control when the family takes his story seriously.

  • protest
  • neo-nazi
  • family
  • community
  • mazzariol
Q6

What happens when the truth comes out at the protest?

During the protest, Jack's deception is exposed. The rally that was meant to fight a neo-Nazi threat instead becomes a moment where Jack must confront the reality of his lies and his shame about Giò. This public confrontation forces him to face his family and peers honestly.

Foreshadowing: The lie peaks at the protest, where Jack loses control of his narrative.

  • protest
  • truth
  • exposed
  • confrontation
  • lie
Q7

How does meeting Arianna affect Jack's behavior?

When Jack meets Arianna, he becomes determined to impress her. This motivates him to join her group and the popular boys' band, but it also intensifies his desire to hide Giò. His fear of losing her approval drives him deeper into secrecy and lies.

Foreshadowing: Jack's quest to fit in begins even before he meets Arianna, but she becomes a key motivation.

  • arianna
  • impress
  • love
  • high school
  • fitting in
Q8

Why does Jack join the band of the popular boys?

Jack joins the band because he wants to impress Arianna and be accepted by the most admired students at his new school. His shyness makes it difficult to talk about his family, so he uses the band as a way to appear cool and gain social status.

Foreshadowing: Jack's desire to belong started with joining Arianna's group before extending to the band.

  • band
  • popular
  • kids
  • impress
  • social status
Q9

How does Jack's relationship with Giò change by the end?

By the film's end, Jack moves from shame and secrecy toward acceptance and honesty about his brother. The protest and its revelations force him to confront his feelings, leading to a more mature and loving relationship with Giò based on truth rather than fantasy or denial.

Foreshadowing: Jack's journey began with childhood fantasy, progressed through embarrassment, and culminates in acceptance.

  • brother
  • relationship
  • acceptance
  • growth
  • honesty
Q10

What role does Vittorio play in the story?

Vittorio is Jack's best friend who supports him through high school decisions. Importantly, he helps Giò create videos and remains loyal even as Jack's lies escalate. Vittorio represents the genuine friendship Jack fears losing if his family secret is revealed.

Foreshadowing: Vittorio's support for Giò contrasts with Jack's shame.

  • vittorio
  • best friend
  • support
  • gio
  • videos
Q11

Why does Giò start making YouTube videos?

Giò starts making videos after learning about the band's YouTube channel. With Vittorio's help, Giò creates his own content and gains an online following. The videos represent Giò's desire to express himself and connect with others, unaware of the trouble they cause Jack.

Foreshadowing: Giò's innocent creativity becomes the catalyst for Jack's downfall.

  • gio
  • videos
  • youtube
  • expression
  • vittorio
Q12

What are the consequences of Jack's lie?

Jack's lie creates a chain reaction: it leads to a unnecessary community protest, wastes everyone's time and energy, damages trust with friends and family, and ultimately forces a painful public confrontation. The lie intended to protect his family instead causes greater embarrassment and conflict.

Foreshadowing: The lie grows from small silence to a massive deception that affects the entire community.

  • lie
  • consequences
  • protest
  • trust
  • family

Movie threads

More Movies Like My Brother Chases Dinosaurs, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes My Brother Chases Dinosaurs tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Coming of Age Stories Shaped by Family Secrets like My Brother Chases Dinosaurs

Young protagonists grappling with hidden truths that redefine their world. Explore movies like My Brother Chases Dinosaurs that focus on young protagonists confronting family lies or hidden realities. These similar coming-of-age stories feature tender and awkward moments as characters navigate the gap between childhood innocence and complex truths, leading to heartfelt self-discovery.

  • uncomfortable truths
  • awkward
  • reflect
  • tender
  • coming of age
  • family lie
  • Tone: bittersweet, reflect
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a young protagonist, often on the cusp of a new life stage, who uncovers a foundational family lie. The story charts their emotional turmoil as they reconcile their childhood perceptions with a more complicated reality, culminating in a pivotal moment of confrontation and matured understanding.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they center on the specific, relatable emotional conflict of a child discovering their parents' or guardians' well-intentioned deceptions. They share a focus on internal growth, moral complexity, and the bittersweet mix of disillusionment and acceptance that defines this formative experience.

Bittersweet Films About Sibling Bonds and Acceptance like My Brother Chases Dinosaurs

Stories exploring the complex, loving, and challenging dynamics between brothers and sisters. Find more movies like My Brother Chases Dinosaurs that focus on the heartfelt journey of sibling relationships. These films often involve characters learning to see past differences or initial embarrassment to find profound connection and acceptance, blending uncomfortable moments with tender resolutions.

  • sibling relationship
  • uncomfortable
  • conflicted
  • tender
  • hopeful
  • acceptance
  • Tone: bittersweet, tender
  • Pacing: steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative revolves around a central sibling relationship, often tested by one character's differences or by the other's social anxieties. The plot follows a path from initial discomfort or embarrassment through a series of challenges, leading to a climax that forces a re-evaluation of the bond and culminates in a hard-won, sincere acceptance.

Why they belong together: These movies share a core thematic focus on the unique, unconditional, yet often complicated love between siblings. They are united by a bittersweet emotional tone, balancing the pain of conflict with the warmth of reconciliation, and a steady pacing that allows for genuine character development.

Every angle

My Brother Chases Dinosaurs (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about My Brother Chases Dinosaurs in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app