Boys Don't Cry
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Movie Reviews of Boys Don't Cry
Movie Review: Watch It Over & Over Again
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very important movie and I recommend it to anyone (over 18 only because of the violence and sexuality).The true story of Teena Brandon, "Boys Don't Cry" will make you sick, sad, and intrigued at the same time. Having grown up in a small rural town full of tunnel-visioned people, I can relate with the movie from the stand point of being different and sticking out like a sore thumb.
Yes, this film has been "Hollywood-ized", but the true story it is based upon has been told without apology or disclaimer. Because it is an independent film, it doesn't have the big-budget look, and it really doesn't need it. The story gets told honestly, and with a story like this, it wouldn't have been right any other way.
Hillary Swank deserved her Oscar for this, and you will believe her portrayal of a woman trying her darndest to be a guy. Many times, I forgot that she was a woman, but not in a campy, impersonator-type way. She looks like a young, baby-faced boy/man, and has the mannerisms, look, and lingo down.
This is a tragic tale and Teena Brandon was definitely a messed-up individual, however, her gender-identity really takes a back seat to her up-bringing, her choice of friends, her habitual lying, and troubles with the law. Because of the combination, she is ignored by her family and the legal-system; the two entities anyone should be been able to count on. In the end, these are the things that kill her - the two morons who pull the trigger are just the vehicle. Still, you will end up hating the killers and see their backwards, red-necked male-macho baloney for what it is way before the movie heats up.
This is more than just a transgender movie, it is a complex tale that includes a cast of characters you have probably known once or twice in your life. And that, hopefully, will make you think about and compel you to see this movie more than once. It's message deserves that you do.
Movie Review: Emotionaly powerful docudrama
Summary: 5 Stars
A warning first: The NC-17 rating was justifiably earned due to the very graphic violence of the rape scene. This one is clearly not for the kiddies, and those who have been raped in the past should not watch this one alone as it is very realistic.
Having said this, I have three words: watch this movie.
Hillary Swank is brilliant in her portrayal of Brandon Teena, a female to male transgendered person who was raped and murdered in Nebraska in 1993. In fact, her performance was so good that I thought a man protrayed Brandon Teena, or at least an actual female to male transsexual who was also a good actor. Her performance is accurate and powerful, and clearly she had done some research into the role.
For those not familiar with the story, I can tell you it is fairly accurately portrayed in every detail. Brandon Teena was born Teena Brandon. In 1993, Brandon Teena was living in with Lana Tisdel, when he was exposed as having been born female by John Lotter and Marvin Nissen, who stripped him in front of Lana. They then took Brandon Teena outside, drove for a distance, and repeatedly beat and raped him.
When Brandon Teena reported the rape to law enforcement, they were insulting and hostile. Eventually, the arrested Lotter and Nissen, but they were quickly released despite the violent nature of their crimes. The two then hunted Brandon Teena down and murdered him, as well as Lisa Lambert and Philip DeVine, a couple Brandon was staying with at the time. Refusing to accept Brandon as anything but an "it," law enforcement thought DeVine, a disabled black man, was the true target. Both Nissen and Lotter are members of white supremicist groups.
The story is powerful and needs to be told, repeatedly, if this sort of bigotry is to be stopped.
Movie Review: Torturous but worth enduring.
Summary: 5 Stars
Every so often a true story makes its way to our screens. More often than not it's a tale of a battler winning against insurmountable odds, or of the way tragedy can bring a community closer. "Boys Don't Cry" is a true story of a very different kind.In 1993, Brandon Teena was raped and murdered following the discovery by his friends that he was a female - Teena Brandon. Six years later the exploration of the relationships and events leading up to the murder creates one of the most uniquely rewarding cinema experiences of recent years.
Sitting through the film is a harrowing experience to say the least. We know the outcome - even with no prior knowledge of the story it is clear from the outset that there is no happy ending in sight - and throughout the film all we can do is wait while Brandon speeds toward his death. Frightening in its certainty, it creates a palpable tension which doesn't leave the viewer until ong after the film.
Hilary Swank's portrayal of Brandon is indeed a superlative performance. Her transformation for the role is complete and riveting. Chloe Sevigny - playing Brandon's girlfriend Lana - is arresting also and is likewise worthy of praise. The remaining cast (particularly the two male leads) imbue their roles with tangible dimension, creating a realism seldom found in contemporary cinema.
Kimberly Peirce's direction artfully reinforces the underlying themes of the work. This is the first film I've seen in which time-lapse photography is used for thematic effect rather than as a visual stunt. Peirce thankfully avoids sensationalism. Any graphic scenes are handled deftly, illustrating not only her reverence for the story but her ability to create truly visceral cinema.
Many will find it a torturous experience, but undoubtedly one worthenduring.
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Movie Review: Food for thought...
Summary: 5 Stars
I watched this movie when I was 17 - young enough for this poignantly bittersweet (or should I say sweetbitter) story to stamp its unforgettable mark in my mind. Hilary's acting was stellar in this - yet in real life she's not at all like that butch lesbian girl she plays in this movie, and so I found it hard to re-adjust my impression of her after seeing her in other movies and in magazines with long hair and being feminine and all... The acting was so good that I honestly detested every single guy that appeared in this movie for being the horrible ba****ds that they were, even though (I know, I know) they are just actors and the real ones are out there and I don't even know how they look. But still... ironically if I'd met my husband back then I'd probably not even give him a second look.
This is one of those movies you either want to watch or can't be bothered to. If you're a guy who really can't be interested in spending some of your time watching a film about 1)a really butch Hilary Swank and 2)a tearjerking movie, then save yourself the trouble. This is a chick-flick in many respects - its theme is about lesbianism, and the fact that this was based on a real life story of Brandon Teena in a stuffy-minded town in Nebraska made it all the more depressing. I walked away hoping in my heart that she's happy now wherever she is. But then this didn't have to happen to her. So all the more it affirms the fact that life's not fair.
This movie is also studded with surrealistic blurry images which actually made the budding love story between Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny even more compelling... The soundtrack was excellent and suited this movie's scenes so well. Watch it if you like a semi-romantic and tragic drama... you'll never forget this. I never did.
Movie Review: So sad, a disgusting story...
Summary: 5 Stars
"Boys Don't Cry" was a sad and disgusting story, about a young girl name Teena Bredan, who is facing a sexual identity crisis. Although she doesn't want to admit it to herself, she is a lesbian, and she is a girl. The whole movie was a brilliant renactiment of the true story.
Teena Bredan is a girl, who wants to be a man. She is having trouble figuring out who she is and is having a sexual identity crsis. She goes to a bar one night and meets Candance, played by the girl who played Becky in Rossane for the first seasons (I don't know her name), who befriends her/him and brings him to her home. Brandon becomes friends with everyone instantly, he doesn't tell anyone that he is really a girl. After weeks of getting to know these people and living with them,he develops a relationship with Lana, played by Chloe Sevigny, who was also brillant in this film. Lana soon finds out that Brandon is not a full man when they start to become sexually active. She pauses for a moment, but realizes that she loves Brandon, no matter what. This is when things start to go wrong. John, Lana's ex boyfriend, and his friend, soon find out about Brandon. They are white trash who have never been outside of anything and don't follow the law. They end up brutally raping Brandon and then shooting Candance and Brandon in the end. The two people that Lana truly cared about in life.
This story was one of the most disgusting that I've heard . As I was watching, I thought to myself, how could someone be so cruel to another person, how could someone be so crazy? How could you ruin to love? Who in the wrold is really that close minded. This was a true tale of pain, love, suffering, confusion, wanting to live a good life, and trying to find yourself.