I Wish You All the Best Parents Guide

I Wish You All the Best is Rated R by Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for language, sexual content, and teen drug and alcohol use.

Roger Ebert once said that movies rarely make him cry out of sadness they move him when they show kindness. I understand that completely. That’s why I found myself wiping away tears through most of I Wish You All the Best. The film, adapted from Mason Deaver’s novel, tells the story of Ben (Corey Fogelmanis), a 17-year-old who identifies as non-binary and is cast out by their devoutly religious parents. In the aftermath, Ben reaches out to their estranged sister, Hannah (Alexandra Daddario), a woman exiled from the same household years earlier for her own perceived transgressions. The moment Hannah and her husband, Thomas (Cole Sprouse), open their door to Ben, it feels like a rush of oxygen love offered without hesitation, without condition.

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The film unfolds from there as a quiet, deeply human meditation on how respect and acceptance can help a person reclaim themselves. What we witness is not transformation in the flashy, cinematic sense, but something gentler the slow blooming of a person finally permitted to exist. Writer-director Tommy Dorfman approaches this with uncommon grace, and Fogelmanis gives a performance of such delicate control that even the smallest physical shifts feel seismic. You can see Ben’s body unlearn shame in real time: the shoulders loosen, the spine finds its natural curve, the walk gains confidence, and eventually, there’s even a spontaneous little dance on the sidewalk a moment of pure, unscripted joy. The light returns to his face, and you feel it as if a curtain has lifted.

But this isn’t a fairy tale, and Dorfman knows better than to make it one. Ben is still a teenager, fumbling toward adulthood, struggling to understand what it means to love and to be loved in return lessons that never come easy, even for those without such emotional scar tissue. Hannah and Thomas provide safety and structure, but they also ask Ben to meet them halfway: to take responsibility, to contribute, to engage with the world. A job at a local senior center gives Ben a sense of purpose and, fittingly, the chance to care for others. There’s something tenderly poetic about that setting: these older adults, some adrift in memory, helping a young person learn presence. Meanwhile, Thomas, a high school teacher, bends a few rules to enroll Ben in classes and pairs them with Nathan (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), a fellow student whose warmth and curiosity spark something tentative and hopeful. Friendship, attraction, maybe even love it’s all new terrain.

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Among the film’s many bright spots is Ms. Lyons, an art teacher played with luminous eccentricity by Lena Dunham. She’s the sort of teacher who sees students as people first, and in her company, Ben begins to translate the inexpressible into color and texture. Their art class scenes have a rare intimacy two souls connecting through creation. Watching Ben collage pieces of identity into something whole is quietly thrilling, not just because it’s cathartic, but because we can see what it means for them to finally see themselves. When Ben now embracing the name B presents their work, it’s more than art. It’s an act of self-definition, and it’s radiant.

What keeps the film honest, though, are the details those small, lived-in truths that protect it from drifting into sentimentality. Dorfman and her cast understand that kindness only resonates when the world around it feels real. The story acknowledges generosity that borders on idealism, yet it also gives weight to moments of doubt and failure. There’s even a late attempt at reconciliation from Ben’s parents a scene that could have easily rung false but doesn’t, because the film frames it not as redemption for them, but as empowerment for Ben. They offer their parents the same grace they’ve been shown, but this time on their own terms. Boundaries become a form of love too, and the film honors that.

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Dorfman, best known for her role on 13 Reasons Why before publicly transitioning at 28, directs with a tenderness that feels deeply personal. Every frame seems to carry her empathy. She doesn’t pity her characters; she cherishes them. That compassion unforced, unblinking, profoundly humane gives I Wish You All the Best its quiet power. In a time when stories about identity often come wrapped in slogans or spectacle, Dorfman offers something rarer: a film that believes, simply and wholeheartedly, in the transformative force of being seen.

I Wish You All the Best 2025 Parents Guide

Violence & Intensity: There’s no physical violence, but the emotional impact of Ben’s parents rejecting them can feel intense. The scene is brief but upsetting, particularly for sensitive viewers. Later, there are moments of anxiety and sadness as Ben struggles with self-acceptance, though the tone stays compassionate and hopeful.

Language: Mild to moderate. Expect a few uses of “damn,” “hell,” and possibly one or two stronger words in moments of anger. No slurs are used toward Ben or other LGBTQ+ characters, which is a relief given the subject matter. The tone of dialogue leans sincere and heartfelt.

Sexual Content / Nudity: There’s no nudity or explicit scenes. A few tender moments hint at a developing teen romance mostly holding hands, flirting, or a single brief kiss. The film treats intimacy with restraint and emotional maturity.

Drugs, Alcohol & Smoking: Minimal. An adult character may drink a glass of wine at dinner, but there’s no drug use or partying.

Scary or Disturbing Scenes: The opening confrontation between Ben and their parents can be emotionally heavy, as can moments where Ben struggles with identity and rejection. Nothing graphic or violent just honest, sometimes painful emotions that ring true for older teens.

Positive Messages / Role Models: Compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness are at the film’s heart. Hannah and her husband, Thomas, model unconditional love and accountability. Ms. Lyons, Ben’s art teacher, encourages self-expression and empathy. The story reinforces that being true to yourself and setting healthy boundaries can coexist with kindness toward others.

Parental Concerns”: Parents should know that while the movie is gentle and affirming, it deals with themes of parental rejection and emotional trauma. Younger children may not grasp the nuance, and some families might find the subject matter sensitive. The tone, however, is not confrontational it’s tender, compassionate, and ultimately hopeful.