WARNING: I dont usually like to give the plot that much away, but in this case, the ending has to be given away since most have already heard about what happens.
Rating: * * * * out of * * * *
Rated R: strong violence, a graphic brutal rape scene, nudity, strong sexuality, language, drug use.
Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloe Sevingy, Peter Sarsgaard, Brenden Sexton III, Allison Folland, Alison Goranson, Matt McGrath, Rob Campbell, Jeanette Arnette.
Running time: 116 minutes
"Boys Don't Cry" is a phenomenal story of courage, hope and ultimately tragedy. It was Teena Brandon, whom was known to her friends as Brandon Teena, a guy, who tragically died in 1993. This film follows Brandon from the first time he got his hair cut, to the last seconds of his life. It develops relationships between his friends, his enemies, and his love (Chloe Sevingy). The film is nothing short of astonishing, and after it was over, I sat in my chair, wanting to view the film again.
The movie as said before, follows Teena Brandon, a resident of Lincoln, Nebraska, as she makes the transformation into Brandon Teena, a smalltown boy who goes to Texas looking for some fun. While in a bar he meets a young woman named Candace (Alicia Goranson) whos family/friends start to latch onto to Brandon, and they all become the best of friends. Brandon meets Lana (Chloe Sevingy) who he instantly falls in love with. His buddies Tom and John (Brendan Sexton III and Peter Sarsgaard) are good with him, until they find out that Brandon is actually a woman. What once was a beautiful relationship, turns into an ugly fight for Brandon's life, for now since he is out as a she, they end up brutally raping her.
Before all this tragedy happened however, Brandon lives a happy life with his friends, and with Lana. The love of his life, whom he has an affair with, even though being a girl. He watched over her, cared for her and loved her. They wanted to be together forever, but Teena's life was cut short when she was only 21 years old. Tom and John after raping and murdering Teena, went on trial and are now facing the death penalty and life in jail, in the process they also murdered two more people including a young child.
The film is based on the a true story, and is that of a heartbreaking one. This movie like 1997's "Selena" even though knowing what happens in the end, you dread it. Brandon Teena was not a bad person, she was just confused. She had a disorder known as Sexual Identity Crisis, and didn't know any better. Hilary Swank brilliantly brings Teena back to life on the big screen, she is an amazing actress that in my opinion gives the best performance I have ever seen. She is realistic and tuff in her role to transform from a beautiful woman she is, to the man she protrays. Her performance is both insightful and brilliant.
The supporting cast is almost like a main character as well, since most of them share the same amount of screen time as everyone else does. The guys we latch onto then hate later, John and Tom are played fantastically by Brendan Sexton III and Peter Sarsgaard. They bring both of their characters out, and we feel as if we know the real guys just in the movie itself. Becky off "Roseanne" herself Alicia Goranson gives a great, mild performance, and seems to know who her character is and relates and brings the best out of her. Lana's mom played Jeanette Arnette is wonderfully over the top, but not over enough to become too trite, she brings all the good and bad things out in her character and perhaps the best supporting actress is Chloe Sevingy who is beautifully plays the character of Lana. She is so realistic, and so convicing as the character, that you start to actually see the whole film through her eyes, and how she saw Teena.
Kimberly Pierce wrote and directed this movie, that exceeds words of how good it really is. Its a heartbreaking, emotionally powerful, devistating, sad, moving film that has never has a film had such an emotional impact on me, that once it was over I actually interacted with who I am, and not who everyone wants me to be, or who I should be. The film convinces the audience by showing how brave of a man/woman Teena really was, and how she will influence people all over the world. If you feel like you are someone else, or need improvements upon yourself don't. See this movie and you will understand how much you can give up by trying to be the person you aren't.
Reviewed by Brandon Herring 5/27/00.
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