Movie Review: Boys Don't Cry (1999)

Did you ever watch that movie where you felt uncomfortable about the subject matter? There are lots of films to choose from. The Horror genre alone has enough to make anyone gag at the very idea of some of the films. A Clockwork Orange (1971) is considered by many to be a film that they never want to watch. How about Pulp Fiction (1994)? One of my friends was actually told by someone not to see the film whilst she was pregnant because they believed that she would have a miscarriage. Hell, even for some people, Psycho (1960) is very heavy. This film is one of those movies that made me feel uncomfortable about subject matter.

Boys Don't Cry is a fantastic Drama film by Kimberley Pierce about sexual identity crisis. The movie analyzes many themes that a large majority of people just simply
don't want to talk about, mainly revolving around hermaphrodites (people with both genitalia) and transvestites (people born of one sex who believe that they should be another). The film explores the reality that these people are also human beings and should be treated equally, yet there will always be others who will hate them and sometimes that hatred can lead to an awful event happening.

The real Brandon Teena pictured in 1993.

The film is especially striking when you consider that it is based around the true story of Brandon Teena. The awful clarity you have when you find this out at the end of the film is extremely powerful and a little disconcerting. This is a movie that makes the viewer genuinely interested in the history of Brandon Teena and whether the events that happen in the movie differ from real life. But, with a matter as serious as this, there are practically no changes.

Plot of the movie in a nutshell: Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) is a trans man. In search of adventure whilst trying at the same time to avoid the police, he comes across Falls Town, a county in Nebraska. There he meets John (Peter Sarsgaard), Tom (Brendan Sexton III), Candace (Lecy Goranson) and, most importantly, Lana (Chloë Sevigny). He begins to hang out with these four and slowly falls in love with Lana, as she does with him. However, keeping his real sexual identity a secret proves to be difficult and Teena slowly falls into a massive web of lies.

The chemistry between Swank (right) and Sevigny (left) is
part of what makes the film so good.

The acting in this film is absolutely fantastic. Hilary Swank won an Oscar for Best Actress and I really don't blame the Academy; Swank is excellent in her role as Brandon. She slips into it as if it's a suit and it fits perfectly. The rest of the cast are equally as good, in particular Peter Sarsgaard as John Lotter, who really captures the mind of a man who isn't in control of himself. Chloë Sevigny was also excellent as Lana and the chemistry between Swank and Sevigny breaths life into the film.

The writing is also excellent. Without the combined efforts of Pierce and Andy Bienen, I really don't think this film would have worked, especially when exploring themes as delicate as these. The dialogue is subtle in its depictions of the characters, slowly building them up. The relationship between Lana and Teena is the main focus but we also see how John loses his grip on reality more and more, as Teena and Lana grow closer to one another.

An example of great use of surroundings and lighting in the film.

The score by Nathan Larson is subtle and just fits the scenes perfectly. It's not the sort of score that many want to buy after watching the film but it illustrates the scenes and helps convey the emotions which the viewer is expected to feel. However, the real shiner in the production is the editing by Tracy Granger and the cinematography by Jim Denault, which are fantastically woven together to create an almost dream-like state.

Boys Don't Cry is a powerful film about freedom, courage, identity, empowerment, love and hatred. It's not the sort of film that you would watch with your friends, let alone your parents, but at the same time it is an absolute must-see for any fan of independent movies or drama films.

FINAL VERDICT: 5/5