The Mudge Boy

Duncan Mudge faced the heartbreaking loss of his mother due to a sudden heart attack while she was cycling. This event left a profound impact on Duncan, setting the tone for his strained relationship with his father, Edgar.

Following his mother's death, Duncan shares a troubled life with his grieving father on their poultry farm. The farm serves as a backdrop for Duncan's solace found among the chickens while their emotional distance widens due to Edgar's ongoing depression.

While riding his bike on a rural path, Duncan stops to engage with a cow owned by Perry Foley. This innocent interaction leads to an unexpected and significant conversation that begins to shape Duncan's social life.

The next day at church, Duncan stumbles upon Perry in a peculiar and uncomfortable situation. This discovery initiates Duncan's deeper involvement with Perry's chaotic lifestyle, which contrasts sharply with his own.

At a convenience store, where he is inflating his bike tires, Duncan meets Perry and his friends. Tonya, a member of Perry’s group, shows compassion towards Duncan as he mourns, inviting him to join their unruly crew.

In the barn later, Perry opens up about his own sexual exploits, which creates an atmosphere of intrigue mixed with discomfort. Their conversations reflect their struggles with family and personal identity.

Duncan and Perry connect over their troubled family backgrounds, especially after Perry reveals a cut on his lip inflicted by his father's abuse. Their shared vulnerabilities pave the way for a deepening friendship.

The boys venture to a nearby lake, an innocent setting that is charged with their evolving feelings. As they enjoy swimming, it becomes a turning point in their friendship, filled with both joy and underlying tension.

Back at the farm, Perry probes into Duncan’s family situation, sharing his own feelings of abandonment. Their exchanges reveal the emotional struggles they both endure in the absence of stable father figures.

During their time in the barn, Perry goads Duncan into trying on his mother’s wedding dress as a prank. This moment, initially light-hearted, escalates into a traumatic experience that unsettles Duncan profoundly.

After the prank, Duncan is left reeling emotionally, grappling with the complexities of his grief and confusion. His inability to communicate with his father deepens the rift between them.

In a moment of desperation, Duncan's father attempts to burn his late wife’s belongings as a means of coping. This act symbolizes the overwhelming grief that both Duncan and Edgar are trying to navigate.

At night, Duncan and Perry find themselves in a tractor discussing their feelings, which leads them to share an unexpected kiss. This moment marks a complicated intersection of friendship and budding attraction.

Encountering some cruel pranks from Perry at the convenience store, Duncan reaches a breaking point. In a shocking display of frustration, he bites off the head of a chicken, an act that signifies his internal struggle and rage.

Returning home after the incident, Duncan is enveloped in his father's embrace, an emotional release that allows him to finally break down in tears. It's a cathartic moment that sets the stage for healing and reconnection.