Pete (2023)

Pete Review

Pete is a 2023 animated short film directed by Bret Parker.

This short film is about the travails of a young trans boy who was born female, but just wants to play on the boys baseball team in school. This is a surprisingly apolitical movie given the current climate of trans activism, which was refreshing to witness. It just depicts what life is like for children who might really be trans without being overly preachy about it.

The ending is quite moving and the decision to depict his mom as not fully understanding what he’s going through, but still respecting his wishes and fighting for his rights was beautiful and quite realistic. There is also this warm, tender animation style that evoked the simple hand-drawn style of fifties animation. It’s a very sweet film that was ultimately a bit too simplistic and not fully delving into its issues. The protagonist also needed to have been developed better.

Pete is a pretty solid, moving flick that depicts the trans experience of children without any preaching, which was refreshing. It’s a simple, but heartwarming tale that featured very charming animation.

My Rating – 4