Read Mixed User Reviews for Boy Erased

4

LamontRaymondDec 1, 2018

I have to agree with the Guardian critic here. It's a plodding picture, and there's just not a lot of character development going on at all. Highly disappointing.

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5

GreatMartinNov 16, 2018

This past summer there was a film about a young lesbian sent to a Christian 'conversion camp' "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" and in my review I wrote: "Before the film started there was a preview of a coming movie called “Boy Erased”This past summer there was a film about a young lesbian sent to a Christian 'conversion camp' "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" and in my review I wrote: "Before the film started there was a preview of a coming movie called “Boy Erased” about the son of a Baptist preacher who is forced to participate in a church-supported conversion starring Lucan Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Cherry Jones. I am hoping this is what I wanted “Miseducation” to be and wasn’t." Unfortunately "Boy Erased" fails in the same way that "Miseducation" did in not going deeper into what happens at these 'conversion' camps except in a fleeting way.

It certainly goes further into the child and his parents with the father being a preacher and the mother and 'obedient' Christian wife. With the father played by Russell Crowe and the mother played by Nicole Kidman, each having their moments, the relationship with their son hits many an emotional note.

Lucas Hedges, as the son, gets every nuance of a boy who doesn't know himself, who goes to a place where people are trying to make him something he isn't. We meet him just before he is sent off to the camp and because the movie is not told in a linear fashion it takes time to find out he was sexually assaulted and his father finding out about that is what starts his going to the camp. Hedges goes through the complete arc of a boy becoming a man accepting himself as he is and expecting others to and if they won't not being in his life.

A cameo by Cherry Jones got applause from the mainly gay audience. Talking about that audience it was one of the biggest crowds I have seen at a matinee without it being a holiday show and most of the after talk in the lobby was about the recent spate of movies being non-linear and photographed so darkly. Also, Joel Edgerton who directed and wrote the screenplay based on the memoir by Gerrard Conley plays one of the camp's therapists carrying on the latest fad of one person doing too many jobs on a film.

The last half hour of "Boy Erased" is worth sitting through the first slow-moving emotionally divorced hour and a half. What positive thing many writers and directors are doing is adding additional information at the end of based on a true story film and this does supply the audience with a lot of information about the results of these camps, what has happened to the people involved and, in this case, how much Russell Crowe looks like the boy's real father!

I am still waiting for a movie to really look at the gay conversion therapy camps, what they do, the physical and emotional abuse they put the children through and all the money they make.… Expand

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5

bataguilaFeb 28, 2019

la historia es interesante, pero todos se hacen victimas, y todo es muy PC al final.

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6

The3AcademySinsDec 8, 2018

In spite of powerful performances from Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, and Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased flounders with it's over padded and overly dramatic script. It's two hour run time feels like three and a half, thanks to many scenes thatIn spite of powerful performances from Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, and Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased flounders with it's over padded and overly dramatic script. It's two hour run time feels like three and a half, thanks to many scenes that either don't go anywhere, or subvert Lucas Hedge's character's journey as opposed to highlighting it or world building.

While you wouldn't think that world building wouldn't be a necessity in a real-life drama, I found that a lot of the character motivations and behaviors were completely alien to me. Russel Crowe's character suffers the most from this, and you never really get inside his head. You also never understand why these gay conversion camps operate in the way that they do. As a result, a lot of scenes are frustrating, or overly talky, or take the cheap way out with an overly dramatic delivery of a line or development of a plot element we never see again. While there were many moments I enjoyed, there were an overwhelming amount of moments that I could have slept through and not missed anything in the movie.… Expand

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6

TVJerryNov 22, 2018

In August, a movie about a teenage lesbian going to gay conversion therapy played theatres (The Miseducation of Cameron Post). With its star power and autobiographical credentials, I naturally assumed this movie would be more effective. I wasIn August, a movie about a teenage lesbian going to gay conversion therapy played theatres (The Miseducation of Cameron Post). With its star power and autobiographical credentials, I naturally assumed this movie would be more effective. I was wrong. Lucas Hedges plays the son of a Baptist pastor (Russell Crowe, the most compelling performance in the film) who's sent to this film's version of conversion. Too much of the story is spent with the leader of the therapy (played by the film's writer/director Joel Edgerton) ranting, with too little time spent to develop the characters. There are lots of close-ups of a mostly-deadpan Hedges that lack emotional heft, although Nicole Kidman, as his mom, does brighten up the screen. Sadly, the solemn pacing and dreary attitude keep this film from ever getting much emotional traction.… Expand

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6

KeithDowDec 8, 2018

The primary intention going into 'Boy Erased' was to see if Lucas Hedges could solidify himself as an unquestionably talented actor and--for the first time--carry a film as its leading man.

He wasn't very compelling in 'Manchester By theThe primary intention going into 'Boy Erased' was to see if Lucas Hedges could solidify himself as an unquestionably talented actor and--for the first time--carry a film as its leading man.

He wasn't very compelling in 'Manchester By the Sea' (despite an Oscar nomination!). Alternatively, he was terrific in 'Ladybird' and 'Mid90s.' So what's the final verdict after seeing his latest performance? Hedges is undoubtedly a top-notch actor and his recent string of well-developed roles in equally fantastic films is no fluke.

Everything else about 'Boy Erased' is a bit more pedestrian than we had hoped, but we still remain appreciative of the fact that Joel Edgerton was able to bring such a important project to fruition as it's writer, director, and supporting actor. For those who really enjoyed this film, we also recommend seeing 'The Miseducation of Cameron Post,' which is the better version of the two.… Expand

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6

amheretojudgeJan 16, 2019

Reviewing The Course.

Boy Erased Edgerton's vital project is equally admirable, if not energetic, to the voice it raises. This seen-this-seen-that structure of the script may have something new to offers but has stereotypical characters andReviewing The Course.

Boy Erased

Edgerton's vital project is equally admirable, if not energetic, to the voice it raises. This seen-this-seen-that structure of the script may have something new to offers but has stereotypical characters and repetitive concept that is clearly off putting. Still scoffing off the limitations, Edgerton's textbook procedure is effective, it is well crafted and genuinely invested tale. One of the primary reasons, why it works is the inevitability of the antagonist, since there is no physical appearance to it, it gets impossible to eradicate it and the annoyance that our characters goes through, is communicated thoroughly through stellar performance and brilliant execution. Fighting the long lasting battle, that is against narrow minded people, usually the solution is to take the South direction, but before its last act, the makers have managed to offer the simplest of solution.

But this is simply another extra branch of the film, it's core lies on the analysation of a personal relationship which is put on trial in here. The class involves the usual suspects, one who is friendly, one of them a bully and one whose innocence gets snatched away. Soaking all the dripped material from all the tactics ever introduced in this genre, Edgerton has made a qualifying film. He never stretches things, each sequence of the film is an essential development to the storyline.

From meaningful conversations with Kidman on a car to writing down notes on the paper, and just because of this tone of the film, that isn't commercial at all- if anything it is a bit more artsy than it accounts for- it leaves the audience satisfied. Hedges resisting the stupidity of the people surrounding them is a surprising package that keeps giving you back reasons to hold on to him.

Personally I prefer Hedges when he has to swallow all the accusations without any counter arguments, rather than in his last act where he jets his rage around the surrounding and enlightens the tale to a much faster pace. Crowe on the other hand owns his body like never before, he is firm, rigid and too behemoth to be able to move aside by anyone, he is one big wall that Hedges has to climb. Kidman on the other hand plays almost a double agent, the apt host for Hedges to penetrate these narrow minded people and walk past them ahead.

Edgerton, himself, plays the miniature physique of the antagonist, but still a nail biting challenger that amps up the charge and makes us want to punch him, this is his big win. With only little going on, in narration it helps Edgerton immensely to stay on the track and follow protagonist's perspective without leaving his lead and despite of it, the narration never grows dull for ticking for around two hours. Unfortunately, the film isn't layered as it thinks it is, it has a definite layer of essential ingredients, but is also wafer thin. Boy Erased manages to rub off the darker thoughts but also is primarily a mundane work.… Expand

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5

Bertaut1Feb 23, 2019

Clearly comes from a place of respect, but it's emotionally unengaging

Boy Erased is one of those films it seems almost churlish to criticise for its formal aspects, given that it obviously comes from a place of deep respect, has laudableClearly comes from a place of respect, but it's emotionally unengaging

Boy Erased is one of those films it seems almost churlish to criticise for its formal aspects, given that it obviously comes from a place of deep respect, has laudable intentions, and says something undeniably important. Written and directed by Joel Edgerton (who also stars and produces), the film is based on Garrard Conley's Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith, and Family (2016), the true story of his experiences with conversation therapy in Arkansas in 2004. However, simply because a film has good intentions, it doesn't necessarily follow that it's a good film, and Boy Erased is such an example. Primarily because of its insistence on keeping the audience emotionally distanced from the characters, it never gets anywhere near the kind of emotional highs and lows one might anticipate from such inherently sensitive material.

Telling the story of 19-year-old Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges), who is sent to the Love in Action conversion therapy program by his father Marshall (Russell Crowe), a Southern Baptist preacher, after Jared admits to having homosexual thoughts. With his mother Nancy (Nicole Kidman) unsure if they are doing the right thing, Jared settles into the program, which is run by the fundamentalist Sykes (Edgerton).

Offering a window into the world of conversion therapy, although the film admirably resists the urge to vilify Marshall, Nancy, even Love in Action itself, Edgerton is unequivocal in condemning a system that compartmentalises anything with which it disagrees as "taboo". Love in Action is predicated on making young people feel guilty regarding the "sin" of their sexual impulses, whilst at the same time reinforcing the infallibility of church doctrine. This instils a deep-rooted sense of torment for people who are already confused - if a person's predilections are directly in contradistinction to church dogma, then such predilections must be immoral and against God.

In terms of acting, as Jared, Lucas Hedges has a difficult task, playing a character that becomes increasingly withdrawn and emotionally shut down as the film progresses. Kidman plays Nancy as a woman who subscribes to the notion that the man is the head of the household, accepting Marshall's decision without openly questioning him. However, it's obvious she's not entirely comfortable. Instead of playing Marshall as the token villain, Crowe plays him as fundamentally conflicted. He loves his son and is devastated by what has happened. He genuinely wants to help Jared, and he wants to understand, but is prevented from doing so by a lifetime of faith and his absolute conviction of his own moral certitude.

However, despite the strong performances from both Kidman and Crowe, the film fails to depict the texture and nuances of the family dynamic. All three family members are types rather than fully fleshed out individuals. Along the same lines, none of the Love in Action students are granted any kind of arc or personality beyond that of the archetype they represent, as the film often falls back on the generic tropes of the pseudo-prison film.

It's also somewhat problematic that the only homosexual sexual activity depicted in the film is a rape. It's a powerful scene in and of itself, brilliantly shot in a single static take which forces the viewer to watch what is happening unmediated by editing or blocking. However, it's unsettling that Edgerton never shows us any consensual and pleasurable homosexual content. True, the film is not about sexual activity, but it remains problematic that the only time we see a homosexual character acting on their impulses is a rape scene. What is one supposed to take from that?

Another problem is that, as a whole, it's an extremely cold film, remaining always distanced, either unwilling or unable to really get into the psychological trauma inflicted upon the attendees. Perhaps Edgerton was trying to avoid exploitative or manipulative emotion, but whatever the case, he has made a film that is itself emotionless, keeping the audience one or two steps removed.

Boy Erased is a laudable film dealing with an important subject, but it's also emotionless and with paper-thin characters. Edgerton's even-handedness is certainly to be commended, as is his refusal to cast the parents or Love in Action as the villains, and his avoidance of emotional manipulation is praiseworthy up to a point. However, there comes a moment in the film where you realise that you're as close to these characters as you're going to get, yet they have still only been summarised. The film will probably go on to be an important document in the ongoing attempt to eradicate this cruel practice. It's well-intentioned, compassionate, and respectful. It's just not an especially good film.… Expand

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6

CityOfGeekFeb 10, 2020

Gay conversion therapy is abuse. No dancing around it. It’s awful, demeaning, dangerous and should be outlawed. This true-story drama concerns a young college student sent to gay conversion therapy after he’s outed by another gay collegeGay conversion therapy is abuse. No dancing around it. It’s awful, demeaning, dangerous and should be outlawed. This true-story drama concerns a young college student sent to gay conversion therapy after he’s outed by another gay college student who raped him. As he is the son of a Baptist preacher, this news doesn’t come home well and the boy and his mother go for two weeks. We see how awful these places are – diminishing the self-confidence of young people, telling them they are worthless and beating them with cherry-picked Bible verses. It’s heartbreaking how much hate is thrown at them. Edgerton, who previously directed the disturbing in a different way The Gift, gets the message across without being too “preachy” at those opposed to homosexuality, trying to give a reasons why and their battle against themselves (especially in Crowe). I will say, Hedges keeps getting nominations, but I don’t see it. I find him an uncharasmatic block of wood actor, starring out with a clinched jaw and little emotion until he gets to yell in everything. He reminds me of Jesse Eisenberg minus the Jeff Goldbumness.… Expand

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