Writer/Director: Joel Edgerton
Starring: Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe
‘A Captivating Drama’
Not many stars in Hollywood have made films that are as precious as Lucas Hedges. Since his rise to recognition in the 2000’s, Hedges has turned into a teen icon. Whether it’s grief-stricken teenagers, troubled actors or historic figures, Hedges has portrayed many powerful characters. Arguably, Hedges’ finest strength as an actor is his commitment towards craft. He’s one of those rare actors that has always poured his heart and soul into each and every role. Hedges has always thrived in the roles of teenagers that face emotional turmoil. He has an uncanny ability to evoke emotions through his expressions without speaking any word. An actor with strong commitment towards craft, Hedges has become an icon in entertainment. Although he’s only just started out his commemorated career, Hedges seems to be destined a bright future. A talented actor that thrives at playing commemorated teens which are emotionally conflicted, Hedges has made celebrated movies which definitely deserve to be appreciated. Throughout his powerful career, Hedges has appeared in many memorable films which definitely without a doubt deserve to be talked about.
I’m a huge fan of Hedges and adore all films that he has produced in his career. However, “Boy Erased” is my favourite. Released back in 2018, Joel Edgerton’s movie provided a strong depiction of gay conversion therapy. Packed with breathtaking production-design, stirring storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s one of the best movies ever made about the LGBTQ community. At the centre of it all is a powerful performance from Lucas Hedges, who plays a homosexual teenager that’s forced to undergo strict gay conversion therapy. Ultimately; what makes “Boy Erased” a masterpiece is universal appeal. Unlike most movies about gay therapy, it tackles strong themes that everyone would relate to. It delivers a powerful message about the importance of finding one’s sexual identity which would resonate with everyone. A riveting masterpiece about gay conversation therapy, there are many reasons why “Boy Erased” is a movie worth seeing.
“Boy Erased” tells a story of a homosexual boy forced to experience gay conversions therapy. Lucas Hedges plays Jared Eamons, a troubled teenager thar has always kept sexual identity a secret. Jared has always gotten along well with his father Marshall (Russell Crowe), who is a devout Baptist pastor. However, Jared’s life forever changes when he’s forced to undergo a gay conversion therapy program. Ousted from his home by conservative Christian parents, Jared is faced with making a difficult decision. He can attend the gay conversion program or be permanently shunned by his family. Faced with a nerve-wracking situation, Jared begins to question his faith in religion. Experiencing a dilemma, Jared questions whether it’s possible for him to overcome homophobia. As all odds are stacked against favour, Jared questions if he can ever embrace sexual identity in a world causing terror.
Joel Edgerton is a newcomer towards stories of LGBTQ communities. Before he directed “Boy Erased”, Edgerton has never made a movie about queer adolescents. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture barriers of gay conversation therapy endured by queer teenagers but he succeeded. Using stunning cinematography, Edgerton captures a queer teenager embarking on a journey to discover his sexual identity. Edgerton effectively uses montages capturing a queer teenager which enters a gay conversion therapy program. For instance, montages elevate the gay conversion scene. During this unforgettable scene, Jared attends a strict conversion therapy program offering advice. One appreciates montages capturing the hardships that queer teenagers go through. Montages are tricky techniques to use in movies. Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” had suggested that montages enhance coming of age dramas about teens. Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri”demonstrated that montages enhance crime movies about vengeance. Nevertheless, it works in this movie. Through stunning visuals, Edgerton captures the frightening hardships gay teens are facing.
Another admirable aspect of “Boy Erased” that is worth discussing is the production-design. From a technical perspective, the movie is extremely well made. From a technical point-of-view, the movie is extremely well-made. Edgerton successfully uses the backdrops of churches to capture teenagers facing a gay conversion therapy program. For instance, the backdrop of the churches elevate the church scene. During this unforgettable scene, Jared’s father delivers a powerful speech about importance of religion towards his son. One appreciates backdrops of churches capturing tense hardships queer teenagers are facing. Churches are tricky to use in movies. Nevertheless, they work very well in this movie. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Danny Bensi’s commemorated music gives the film a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that queer teenagers bear. Through phenomenal production-design, Edgerton captures the hardships of queer teenagers facing a decline.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Boy Erased” is a captivating classic that is compelling. The movie is beautifully written, and effectively uses sequences of silence to capture queer teenagers facing disturbance. Edgerton’s screenwriting strength is his ability to capture the lives of queer teenagers which face a traumatic experience. Throughout the movie, Edgerton uses sequences of silence to capture homosexual adolescents’ experience. For instance, silence enhances the disclosure scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Jared reveals that he is gay to his parents causing a dilemma. One admired sequences of silence capturing the lives of queer teenagers facing a disturbance. Silence is a tough technique to use in movies. As Trey Edward Shults’ “Waves” suggested, silence enhances movies about dysfunctional African families. However, it works immensely in this movie. Through a spectacular screenplay, Edgerton captures painful hardships endured by gay teenagers today.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Lucas Hedges delivers one of his best career performances as Jared. Hedges first gained appreciation for playing teenagers in coming-of-age dramas. With “Boy Erased”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to portray the life of a gay teenager engaging in conservation therapy with a price to pay. It’s a challenging role that required intense commitment but Hedges succeeded tremendously. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and emotional in his most memorable role. It’s a role that gave the actor a chance to showcase strong emotional range he hasn’t shown in his career before. With engaging expressions, he captures the angst, determination and grief of a boy undergoing gay conversion therapy. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most commemorated young actors working in the industry today.
While the movie is mainly a stunning showcase for Lucas Hedges, the supporting cast is also amazing and worthy of appreciation. Russell Crowe is remarkable, capturing the sorrow of a father facing a dilemma when he discovers his gay son isn’t the person he once used to know. Nicole Kidman is riveting, bringing compassion to a mother that becomes concerned when her son reveals his sexual orientation. Lastly, Joel Edgerton merits appreciation. As a minister of a gay conversion program, he brings authority to the movie.
Finally, “Boy Erased” would earn appreciation of everyone for capturing the lives of erased LGBTQ communities without joy. Unlike most films about gay conversion therapy, the movie tackles universal themes everyone will relate to. It discusses strong themes including angst, identity and trauma that would resonate with everyone. Viewers don’t need to be familiar with gay conversion therapy to appreciate the movie. It delivers a meaningful message about sexual identity which would definitely resonate with everyone. Therefore, “Boy Erased” is one of those rare movies about queer boys which everyone would adore.
Fans of Lucas Hedges would definitely enjoy “Boy Erased” and so will movie-goers which seek meaningful entertainment. A captivating masterpiece about gay conversion therapy, it honours an actor that has built a strong legacy today.
Nearly a decade following the release of a groundbreaking film about gay teenagers that engage in conversation therapy facing a painful price to pay, it’s a riveting reminder of a promising young actor that has built a lasting legacy earning a huge fan following for his abilities to portray larger-than-life characters in unforgettable movies paving the way for success which are definitely without a single doubt worth celebrating today.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 