It is no secret that America has its share of homophobia and racism abounding in all corners of every state. I am sure in Falls City, Nebraska, it is no different. The girl who passed herself off as a boy named Brandon Teena probably knew that such homophobia existed but that did not stop him (I will refer to Brandon as a male) from being true to herself. And so commences the bristling, highly effective "Boys Don't Cry," a debut film by director Kimberly Peirce based on a true story. An incredibly mesmerizing film, Peirce certainly shows a gift for handling actors and raw emotions.
The highly magnetic Hilary Swank stars as Brandon Teena, formerly Teena Brandon, who moves to Falls City despite the hesitations and warnings from her cousin. Brandon makes fast friends in Falls City with some beer-swilling, truck-driving, pot-smoking young people. Two of them (Peter Saarsgard and Brendan Sexton III) are former jail buddies with nothing on their minds except drinking and putting their hands through flames. But there is one Brandon has his eye on - the dour-looking female teen who loves karaoke, Lana (Chloe Sevigny). She drinks heavily and works in a factory, but is immediately smitten by Brandon because he is so unlike any other males she has encountered in this dead-end town. Brandon respects her, and suddenly, Lana seems to overcome her sullenness and becomes full of life - as if a diamond had sprung and sparkled her sensibilities.
Brandon has a troubled past to contend with, however, and it inevitably catches up with him. He has robbed, cheated and lied but all for a positive cause in a way, to stay true to himself. Brandon wants to do away with girlish sensibilities - he cuts his hair short and places a sock in between his legs. And he gets away with it! He asks girls out in roller-skating rinks and treats them like queens. Lana is the latest girl to be comforted by Brandon, and even if there is the danger of her finding out what his real gender is, we know she will still love him.
"Boys Don't Cry" has two magnificent performances that will touch the heart and rivet the soul. Hilary Swank is clearly amazing in that she looks like a boy and we respond to her as such - her beaming smile glows and makes Brandon that much more sympathetic a character. We know there is an inevitable tragedy he will face, and so the tension builds because Brandon means well and is harmless.
Chloe Sevigny also undergoes a miraculous transformation, from her binge drinking habits and dourness to a pleasing beauty with an angelic face waiting to be loved. Ever since her dramatic turns in "Kids" and "Trees Lounge," I have fallen in love with Chloe - her presence evokes compassion, much like the late Audrey Hepburn. It is a quality unheard of in most young actresses today, but Chloe has it down pat.
"Boys Don't Cry" is raw and painful, and is not intended for general audiences, but those who can deal with the subject matter will be rewarded with the performances of Swank and Sevigny. They embody the film with sweetness and raw, naked emotion - their relationship is as real as any love story I have seen of late. If I have any complaints about the film, it is only that I wished to see how Brandon tried to adapt from day-to-day as a boy - there is one scene where he has to buy tampons but otherwise, he seems to be able to deal with the situation remarkably well. Still, director Peirce knows that the heart of the film is Brandon, the rebel without a cause. His only concern is to have a sex operation and to live with Lana in Memphis. He has ambitions and dreams ("You hallucinate 24 hours a day," says one character about Brandon) but his main focus is to be free and to live. The fact that he couldn't is what makes "Boys Don't Cry" such a moving, poetic experience.
For more reviews, check out JERRY AT THE MOVIES at http://buffs.moviething.com/buffs/faust/
E-mail me with any questions, concerns or complaints at faustus_08520@yahoo.com or at Faust667@aol.com
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