mtslord

This film is an adaptation of a play - and it shows. It all takes place in one small house, and there are really only two characters, Jessie and her mother. Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft do an incredible job in their respective roles. The writing is fantastic. Jessie is intent on killing herself, and tells her mother what she is planning, in order to explain herself. Her mother, of course, is appalled, and struggles to convince her to change her mind, and also to try to understand why Jessie wants to do something so drastic and final. Both roles are emotionally laden, and extremely well-drawn. The result is a film that is complex, interesting, sometimes funny, and heart-wrenchingly sad. It is, no doubt, a tear-jerker, but it is well worth seeing.

"Boys Don't Cry" is a disturbing, painful film, but appropriately so. It explores issues of gender identity, relationships, and the limits of tolerance in small-town America. It doesn't paint a pretty picture, which is even more painful considering that the story told is based on real events. Brandon Teena is, as has been oft-repeated by now, an extremely compelling character. He/she believes he/she is a man trapped in a woman's body. He is attracted to women, but does not identify as a lesbian, and is determined to live as a man which is the only time that he feels right. During the course of the film, he pursues relationships with several women, and in these relationships, he is gentle and compassionate, and reveals his very big heart. Of course, as Brandon is staying in a small town and not maintaining a particularly low profile, the secret is eventually discovered, and his "friends" turn out to be capable of a great deal of violence, and Brandon is raped (an act done to her as a woman to try to enforce her gender.) The rape and her reaction to it are probably the most compelling, interesting, and important parts of the film.

Also important is the fact that while Brandon is ultimately doomed, some of the friends that he had made were able to transcend their discomfort over his gender identity crisis, and show him love and compassion even after the secret was out.

Finally, Hilary Swank fully deserved the Academy Award that she won for portraying Brandon. She is fully believable in a role that must have been incredibly difficult and painful to play.

This movie is thoroughly entertaining. De Niro and Crystal are hilarious. The plot is not particularly convincing or realistic, and De Niro's anxiety problems are resolved much more quickly than is really feasible - but who cares? It's a fun movie. One substantive complaint... I would have liked for Lisa Kudrow's character to be a little bit more developed. Nevertheless, I recommend this for fun, light entertainment.