There is a conversation happening throughout Hollywood right now: filmgoers and filmmakers are wondering who has the right to tell queer stories. It’s a complicated discussion that requires nuance and open-mindedness, as well as the general understanding that there are no easy answers. Barry Jenkins, a straight man, directed Moonlight, arguably the best-received and most significant LGBTQ+ film to date. Conversely, Jean-Marc Valée (also straight and cisgender) helmed Dallas Buyers Club, a film that had problematic depictions of transwomen and straight-washed its protagonist.
And then you have complicated situations like last year’s Call Me by Your Name, a film written and directed by two gay men (James Ivory and Luca Guadagnino, respectively), starring two straight men (Timothee Chalamet and Armie Harmmer), and based on an (arguably problematic) book by a straight man, André Aciman. While the most important solution is to give LGBTQ+ people a seat at the proverbial table, there are many other facets to consider. Namely, who is this film being made for? And, if the person telling the story is straight, is their point of view fair?
The latest film to join this debate is Boy Erased, an adaptation of Garrard Conley’s memoir directed by Joel Edgerton, who is straight. This film is one of the first and, at the very least, the most high-profile film about conversion therapy, a controversial (and debunked) process in which organizations will attempt to “turn” impressionable LGBTQ+ youths straight.
This deeply abusive system — which, at the time of writing this, is illegal in 14 states — is something of a quiet horror in the United States. While many LGBTQ+ people have advocated to end the abusive cycles, it is still not a commonly discussed topic. On that basis alone, Boy Erased is an important film — it will shove this issue into a spotlight it had never received before.
This very fact seems to be Edgerton’s driving force in the filmmaking process. He’s clearly, and understandably, disturbed by what goes on in conversion therapy, and wants to make audiences aware of this major problem. While Edgerton’s direction is, unfortunately, somewhat pedestrian (a shame given his last film, The Gift, was a shockingly twisted little thriller), he deserves credit for letting the abuse largely speak for itself. This is a movie designed to get people talking.
It is also, however, a film that is very clearly made for a straight — particularly a straight, religious — audience. LGBTQ+ viewers won’t be shocked by any of the content shown on screen, nor will they need any of the persuading that Edgerton includes in his script to feel disgusted by the abuse. There is also a key ingredient to this story that is missing: a queer perspective on the emotional aftermath the abuse leaves on its characters.
Garrard Conley’s onscreen counterpart, Jared (played by Lucas Hedges), is never really given the chance to react to his trauma. Instead, the dialogue quickly summarizes it through monologues and dialogue. Furthermore, we never get to see Jared interact with another gay man in a way that feels honest, romantic, or even substantially positive. His only two love interests are relegated to minimal dialogue and given first names only. Let’s be clear: Edgerton directs the film well, and did not do anything irresponsible while telling this story. But there is something lacking here that, truthfully, only a queer storyteller could have told, whether that be through the screenplay or the director’s chair.
But there is, truthfully, a lot to celebrate about Boy Erased, and one cannot understate its importance in the cinematic landscape. The film follows 18-year-old Jared, who, after being outed to his family in the most traumatic and upsetting way possible, is shipped off to conversion therapy for an unspecified amount of time.
His father, a pastor played by Russell Crowe, wants badly for his son to “fix his ways” and embrace life as a straight man. His mother (Nicole Kidman), meanwhile, is more accepting and empathetic with her son, but afraid to disagree with her husband. Their family dynamic is the most compelling part of the film, and the way Edgerton explores their bonds makes for all the best moments. The final confrontation between Jared and his father is particularly stunning, and is reason enough for seeking out the film.
The other half of the film focuses on Jared’s time at conversion therapy, which is run by a group of cruel men who have already undergone the process, led by Victor Sykes — a character that Edgerton himself plays. These scenes are effective for the sheer power behind what is happening onscreen. I give the film credit for giving equal weight to the psychological torture the counselors put these teens through, as well as the physical abuse and humiliation. These scenes are tough to watch but unflinching. That said, Jared’s peers are woefully underdeveloped — which would be fine, if only critical emotional beats didn’t require us to have a deep love for them.
Obviously, we sympathize with their plights and feel sorrow for what they have to go through. But, had we been given more time to know them as individuals, those moments would have been more effective. Additionally, Edgerton casts quite a few stars here and, while there isn’t a bad performance in the bunch, it feels somewhat distracting. Troye Sivan is a surprisingly compelling actor, but his performance as one of the “patients” feels more like a publicity stunt. Similarly, Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) shows up as the most sadistic of the counselors, but his performance is distracting above all else.
The core trio of actors are all quite wonderful, however. Time and time again, Hedges proves to be an incredibly talented actor who manages to bring so much sensitivity to his characters. He’s stunning here, and brings the sort of internalization that the script is lacking. He slowly winds up his anger and frustration and, in his explosions of emotion, wisely underplays it — as a result, they feel like reactions, not Oscar clip moments.
Russell Crowe also does a wonderful job of making his character feel like a real person, and even finds glimmers of humanity in someone we’re bound to dislike for a majority of the runtime. Kidman, with the showiest role, relishes every chance she gets to show off her talents , but when it comes to delivering a monologue, she’s virtually peerless.
It will be interesting to see how Boy Erased plays to different audiences. This film likely won’t strike the chord that Call Me by your Name and Moonlight struck with LGBTQ+ audiences, simply because the film will be preaching to the choir. But it’s also bound to be a major moment for many straight audiences, especially those who might not be aware of what conversion therapy is. It’s an undeniably powerful viewing experience and, when the photos of the real life Jared/Garrard appear accompanied with statistics about conversion therapy, it makes quite an impact. But, mileage will vary on how deep that impact is.
Still … it’s for the best that this movie exists. The survivors of conversion therapy, as well as those we’ve lost, deserve to have their stories told.
Rating: 7/10
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