A young boy attempts to use his imagination to escape his abusive father. When his fantasies fail to take him away from his shattered home life, the boy resorts to a potentially deadly course of action.
Big Wheel takes place sometime during the mid 1970’s, complete with accurate costumes and surroundings. Our lead, a 7-year-old boy, and his younger sister, try to find ways to deal with their angry, alcoholic father. The boy rides his big wheel around the neighborhood and has fantasies of being Elton John including his sister and babysitter as back up singers. This fantasy life is not enough as his father looses it one day, nearly strangling the family dog in front of the children. Leading their father to bed, the boy decides to let his father fall asleep smoking a cigarette.
Seeing the boy and his sister wearing their glam outfits and acting out in the boy’s fantasies is both fun and disturbing, as we know the circumstances behind his escape. His final action, to leave his father in a position where he could possibly die, is actually justifiable in the end
