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The Boy with Pink Trousers

The Boy with Pink Trousers

Being yourself is a right that requires courage and respect.

2024114 minMidcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Director
Margherita Ferri
Starring
Samuele Carrino, Claudia Pandolfi, Corrado Fortuna, Andrea Arru

On 20 November 2012, 15-year-old Andrea Spezzacatena took his life, becoming the first reported case in Italy of bullying and cyberbullying leading to a minor's suicide. The triggering incident was his choice to wear a pair of red trousers, a gift from his mother, which turned pink due to a washing mishap.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Boy with Pink Trousers?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list The Boy with Pink Trousers on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Boy with Pink Trousers?

The Boy with Pink Trousers earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Boy with Pink Trousers worth watching?

The Boy with Pink Trousers' Midcredits score is the 77th percentile of all films, from 20K ratings across 4 sources. 64% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

77th percentile

Better received than 77% of films

80th percentile among Drama78th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)81st
Approval (how many liked it)71st

71 /100

81st percentile of all films

84th percentile among Drama80th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

64% liked it

71st percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Drama72nd percentile among 2020s
64% rated it 7–1036% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 10 wins / 3 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

88th percentile

20K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Drama89th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 15% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$10M

85th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a dramatization of a real-life cyberbullying tragedy aimed at raising awareness among teenagers.

Fans praised

  • emotional impact that moves to tears
  • important anti-bullying message for teenage audience
  • real-life basis adds weight and urgency

Detractors panned

  • flat, superficial depth and lack of realism
  • overly glossy, Disneyfied tone mismatched with tragedy
  • one-dimensional characters — Andrea as flawless angel, bullies as cartoon villains

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive55

moves some viewers to tears but others find it forced

Pacing50

first half drags with parental subplot, second half slightly more focused

Plot and story45

faithful to real events but structurally simple and episodic

Acting40

often emotionless and superficial, especially in supporting roles

Ending40

resolution feels preachy rather than cathartic

Atmosphere35

pristine school setting undermines the grit of real bullying

Characters30

protagonist idealized as perfect victim, bullies lack nuance

Originality30

derivative of after-school specials and Disney Channel dramas

Watch experience

What is The Boy with Pink Trousers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It is intense and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicTense
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Sentimental · 8% of filmsMelodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its tragic subject with earnest seriousness, though critics note it leans into soap-opera melodrama and sentimental music.
The rideThe film maintains a melancholic and tense emotional register throughout, with the heaviest moments concentrated in the later bullying escalation and the protagonist's suicide.
StructureThe story follows a conventional chronological arc from the incident of the pink trousers to the tragic outcome.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsHaunting · 14% of filmsInfuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers with the devastating impact of the real-life tragedy, a haunting sense of loss, and anger at the bullying that led to it.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA teenager is driven to suicide by relentless bullying after a laundry mishap turns his trousers pink, a tragic fate beyond his control.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% (this title) · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Coming of age · 5% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of filmsPrejudice · 3% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film focuses on the devastating impact of bullying on a teenager's sense of self and the betrayal he faces from a friend.
StanceThe film warns viewers about the lethal consequences of bullying and cyberbullying.

The world

Early 21st centuryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalForeground music · original score · Francesco Cerasi
SettingRome, Italy, 2012, a high school and family home.
MusicThe score is used to heighten the emotional impact, with swelling sentimental cues.

Content guide

Is The Boy with Pink Trousers okay for kids?

As of October 4, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (38/100), sexual content at minimal (14/100), language at moderate (48/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • AustraliaM
  • South Korea12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (39 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Boy with Pink Trousers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Boy with Pink Trousers?

Cast

Samuele Carrino
as Andrea Spezzacatena
Claudia Pandolfi
as Teresa Manes
Corrado Fortuna
as Tommaso Spezzacatena
Andrea Arru
as Christian
Sara Ciocca
as Sara

Crew

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What are movies like The Boy with Pink Trousers?

Movies like The Boy with Pink Trousers include New York (2009), O (2001) and Super Dark Times (2017). Of the 5 closest matches, most are films set in high school, and most are teen dramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with The Boy with Pink Trousers?

159 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: teenager. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.