Wealthy New York City teenager Balthazar "Balthy" Malone (Jaeden Martell) has a crush on a classmate who organizes gun control protests. To gain her attention, he creates dramatic social media videos pleading for stricter gun laws. When an online troll (Asa Butterfield) begins mocking his videos, Balthy becomes convinced that he is communicating with a potential mass shooter and impulsively decides to travel to Texas to confront him in person. What starts as a misguided hero's journey evolves into a complex encounter between two young men from vastly different worlds, each struggling to find their place in a divided America. 

First-time director Oscar Boyson masterfully balances dark comedy with unexpected emotional depth, creating a film that walks a razor's edge between absurdist humor and genuine sadness. Martell and Butterfield deliver remarkably nuanced performances, bringing authenticity to characters who could easily have become caricatures. The supporting cast, including Jennifer Ehle and Chris Bauer, grounds the film's more outlandish elements in emotional truth. What makes Our Hero, Balthazar, such a compelling addition to the conversation about America's gun culture is its refusal to provide easy answers or clear villains. Instead, it presents a deeply uncomfortable exploration of adolescent identity, online performance and the dangers of self-righteousness on both sides of the political spectrum. A bold, thought-provoking film that challenges preconceptions while remaining surprisingly tender at its core, this audacious debut delivers a uniquely American coming-of-age story for our polarized times.—Jarod Neece

Oscar Boyson