Boy Erased - Well-Directed & Performed Just Lacks In Drama

Certificate – 15

Directed By – Joel Edgerton

Starring – Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Joel Edgerton, Xavier Dolan, Traye Sivan.

Running Time – 115 Minutes (1 Hour 55 Minutes)

★★★✩✩

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I didn’t know what to expect when going into the screening of Boy Erased only that it had some great performances with people thinking Kidman should’ve been nominated for supporting actress Oscar.

It came out in the US in October and is now out on home entertainment and download so you could find a legal way to watch it at home now.

The story focuses on Jared (Hedges), a son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, who is outed by his parents (Kidman and Crowe) at 19-years-old. Jared is faced with an ultimatum, either attend a conversion therapy program or be exiled by his loved ones.

IMAGE VIA UNERASED FILMS/ UNIVERSAL

This film works because of Edgerton’s beautiful directing and this is the first I’ve seen him direct and you can see he’ll have a wonderful career and it’s fantastically written as it gave every character depth and meaning.

Hedges does a great job leading the film especially alongside Oscar-winning actors as it was easy to feel empathy for this man going through this awful experience. However, what the film did superbly was not making Kidman and Crowe horrible parents as they were well-meaning but ultimately deluded and oddly enough saw a lot in my own parents in them.

Some of the best dramatic moments were between Kidman and Hedges.

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On the other hand, despite all this work for the writing, acting and filmmaking, the drama was lacking and I sadly couldn’t connect to the film on the human level.

It doesn’t stop from stating this conversion therapies are horrific, awful places and incredibly alarming them still happen in America and the sexual violence against Hedges character is graphically depicted is hard to watch as it should be.

What Boy Erased does is highlight Edgerton’s talents as a filmmaker, the cast tells this important story brilliantly. I would’ve liked to see more of Jared post-program dating, finding love and getting his story in the papers.

Verdict

Boy Erased is a well-told story and well-acted, it just lacks in the human drama.