"Boy Erased": Movie Review
A whopping 36 states still have gay conversion therapy legalized in the United States.
This is an example of being on the wrong side of history.
"Boy Erased" is based on the popular memoir by Garrard Conley and his ultimately harrowing experience with gay conversion therapy. Inspired by those events, the film looks at the moral and ethical implications of religion, family, and the small decisions that can dramatically impact an individuals life.
With an all star cast and an essential subject matter, "Boy Erased" is something special. The film is not just a lesson in what we did do wrong, it's what we are doing wrong. Though the events in Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) life are troubling, there is an eventual light at the end of the tunnel. And Hedges nails the role of Eamons, a young adult caught in the harsh realities of the world.
The parents of Eamons, played by Nicole Kidman and Russel Crowe, are outstanding. Nothing feels contrived or fabricated, leaving me to feel everything was put together to feel as real as possible.
With an extremely hard hitting subject matter, "Boy Erased" unfortunately doesn't hit the incredible high notes until the very end. The first two thirds of the film are strong with substance, but weak with character building. And the way it flashes back and forth between present and future only weakens it's emotional resonance.
However, great acting, a relevant subject, and a third act that will leave you breathless is enough to ignore its impending weaknesses.
With an all star cast and an essential subject matter, "Boy Erased" is something special. The film is not just a lesson in what we did do wrong, it's what we are doing wrong. Though the events in Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) life are troubling, there is an eventual light at the end of the tunnel. And Hedges nails the role of Eamons, a young adult caught in the harsh realities of the world.
The parents of Eamons, played by Nicole Kidman and Russel Crowe, are outstanding. Nothing feels contrived or fabricated, leaving me to feel everything was put together to feel as real as possible.
With an extremely hard hitting subject matter, "Boy Erased" unfortunately doesn't hit the incredible high notes until the very end. The first two thirds of the film are strong with substance, but weak with character building. And the way it flashes back and forth between present and future only weakens it's emotional resonance.However, great acting, a relevant subject, and a third act that will leave you breathless is enough to ignore its impending weaknesses.
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