Boy Erased often feels like one of those LGBTQ movies made for straight people. The story is a rather familiar one for many queer people, so familiar in fact that it borders on cliche. Yet it is based on a true experience and I never doubted it was very honest. Based on the real life experiences and writings of Gerrard Conley, a writer who went through conversion therapy as a young man, the film captures a very quintessential story for many queer people. Yet the film, which stars a very queer cast, often feels like it is reaching to the straight audience and making sure they will find it accessible with its big stars and mainstream approach. Instead of affirming the experiences of those who may have survived something like the conversion therapy or the religious abuse presented here, it is for those who may not have had to consider what surviving something like that would be like.
Boy Erased most often felt somewhat removed from its subject. Despite a strong performance by Lucas Hedges, and very strong cameos from other queer actors such as Xavier Dolan and Troye Sivan, their characters' experiences are often what is discussed more than experienced. Much is kept at arms length, like the way those going through the "program" are restricted from real touch. We as an audience are also kept from seeing or feeling queerness throughout. The most graphic scenes are violent. The most queer scenes are safely demure.
There are two scenes, carefully constructed to balance each other, where Lucas' Conley analogue is shown dealing with his sexuality. In the first he is raped. In the second he makes a non-sexual connection. While both are powerful, neither finds the true beauty of queer sexuality. Both are rather safe to watch. This isn't to say they aren't powerful. The rape scene is quite upsetting although inert enough to likely not be triggering for most and Lucas' character is never forced to struggle with that rape. The positive connection is robbed of most of its sexual power, making it quite digestible to a straight audience who might be a bit afraid to see two men do more than hold hands.
Also the film doesn't quite show just how horrific conversion therapy is. We don't viscerally feel the abuse. We are to read it in through seeing Lucas' reaction as well as the way some of the other characters react. Often the characters jump quickly from 0-60 on the emotional scale so scenes morph into drama without a lot of build up. I think the film could have been stronger if we too could feel it as we watched, feel it without being told.
But the film isn't completely inert. There are times when the film finds its emotional centre. Most of that is in when the film shows its relationship between Lucas and his mother (Nicole Kidman). Together they have the most riveting of scenes and they bring to the film the must needed pathos which felt stilted elsewhere. These two redeem much of the film. There are other moments too but often they feel like they drop out of nowhere. Sivan's character for example is mostly background but suddenly offers some words of wisdom that don't feel organic to what we've seen of him. Lucas' relationship with a young woman at the program also feels like it should have been something more yet feels rather meaningless on the screen. I wanted more of Dolan's character, there appeared to something fascinating going on there that just gets discarded when it no longer serves the plot.
I hope I don't sound too hard on the film. I do think there is a lot here for straight audiences to get out of starting to understand some of the queer experience. I also think that for some who have survived this sort of abuse the film might be fairly validating without being too triggering. But the film doesn't reach the emotional power I thought it might. It is still a very good watch and the score, with its almost horror movie sound, is powerful in conveying the feeling of the film. Troye Sivan's music for the film is also quite revelatory, finding a sincere beauty in this boy's experience and his surviving to become the man he does.
Boy Erased
Starring: Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Joel Edgerton, Xavier Dolan, Troye Sivan, Cherry Jones, Flea
Writer/Director: Xavier Dolan
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