Customer Reviews

Boys Don't Cry [VHS]

5 star:		(179)
4 star:		(55)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

This movie really made me think about sexual differences and what it means to have a sex change or to want one, or to be trapped in a gender you don't want. It was very effective to have us see Hilary Swank (who plays Brandon Teena/Teena Brandon) with short hair and male facial expressions and gestures without giving us a glimpse of her as Teena. (Actually we did get a brief glimpse in a photo.) Swank looks like a boy, acts like a boy, in fact works hard to be a boy; indeed that is (sadly) part of what this movie is about, what it means to be a boy in middle America as opposed to being a girl. And then when we have the scene with the tampons and the breast wrapping and we see her legs, the effect is startling, an effect possibly lost on those who knew that the person playing Brandon was a woman. It was when I saw her legs and could tell at a glance that she was a woman with a woman's legs that I realized just how subtle, but unmistakable are the anatomical sexual differences, and how convincing Swank's portrayal was.

I was reminded as I watched this of being a young person, of being a teenager and going through all the rituals and rites, unspoken, unplanned, without social sanction, that we all go through to prove our identity, because that is what Brandon was so eager to do, to prove his identity as a boy. I thought, ah such an advantage he has with the girls because he knows what they like and what they want. He can be smooth, and how pretty he looks. It was strange. I actually knew some guys in my youth who had such talent, and the girls did love them.

The direction by Kimberly Peirce is nicely paced and the forebodings of horror to come are sprinkled lightly throughout so that we don't really think about the resolution perhaps until the campfire scene in which John Lotter shows his self-inflicted scars and tosses the knife to Brandon. Then we know for sure that something bad is going to happen.

Hilary Swank is very convincing. Her performance is stunning, and she deserved the Academy Award she won for Best Actress. She is the type of tomboy/girl so beloved of the French cinema, tomboyish, but obvious a girl like, for example, Zouzou as seen in Chloe in the Afternoon (1972) or Elodie Bouchez in the The Dreamlife of Angels (1998), or many others. Indeed, one is even reminded of Juliette Binoche, who of course can play anything, or going way back, Leslie Caron in Gigi (1958). Chloe Signvey, who plays Lana Tisdel, the girl Brandon loves, whom I first saw in Palmetto (1998), where she stole a scene or two from Woody Harrelson and Elisabeth Shue, really comes off ironically as butch to Swank, yet manages a sexy, blue collar girl next door femininity. She also does a great job. Peter Sarsgaard is perfect as John Lotter, trailer trash car thief and homophobic redneck degenerate.

Very disturbing is the ending. If you know the story, you know the ending. Just how true this was to the real life story it is based on is really irrelevant. I knew nothing about the story, but I know that film makers always take license to tell it the way they think it will play best, and so it's best to just experience the film as the film, independent of the real story, which, like all real stories, can never be totally told.

Obviously this is not for the kiddies and comes as close to an "X" rating as any "R" movie you'll ever see. It will
make most viewers uncomfortable, but it is the kind of story that needs to be told.

This is an excellent film, however the subject is heart wrenching. The film isn't about a girl masquerading as a man or about a confused lesbian. These terms have unfortunately been equated with the film and are inaccurate. Brandon was an FTM, a transgendered person/transexual who was pre-op. The film does deal with Brandon's affirmation of his (yes--editors-HIS)true SELF (read Jung). Chloe Sevigny portrays a young woman who is able to see beyond the physical and into Brandon's true SELF. Unfortuately, 2 disturbed men, who have many issues in themselves, in their limited vision and supposed masculinity are challenged by Brandon's transgenderness. They project their own insecurities out on Brandon--brutally raping and murdering Brandon, a young mother, and an African American (not shown in the film). Warning: this film is emotionally upsetting and demonstrates the issue of violence on many levels--all folks can relate. In many respects, this film ranks on the levels of Schlinder's List and Platoon. Please make sure you see the film with someone so you can talk afterwords. Trust me, I conducted a panel after a showing of the film for an audience of 40-50 individuals. Let the pain in and feel it. It's the only way you can truly understand the film.

It's too bad that Kimberly Peirce was not nominated for an Academy Award for her direction. The film is EXCELLENT!

Congratulations to the filmmakers and financiers of this bold film, and also to the Academy for giving it prominence.

"Boys Don't Cry" succeeds as a portrait not only of a sexual identity crisis but simply as a portrait of one woman's compassion (Chloe Sevigny) for another human being--it succeeds where "My Own Private Idaho" failed because "Boys" is an aesthetically cohesive work of art. Director Kimberly Pierce is astonishly gifted. Her attention to detail, composition, and her ability to use locations and static objects as metaphors for what is transpiring in the minds and lives her her characters is remarkable. The editing is also another noteworthy feature (although the use of flashbacks in Act III is unnecessary and detracts from one of the film's most powerful scenes).

Although Hilary Swank is undeniably amazing, it is the character played by Chloe Sevingny that gives this film its emotional resonance. Her role is not a supporting role but a lead role--in fact she is technically the protagonist (undergoes classic character change)and has nearly as much screen time as Swank. Sevingny's performance is absolutely brilliant.

One warning: I walked into this film unaware of how disturbing it would be and was blindsided. This is a gritty, no holds barred film about a sensitive subject.

Although I doubt this was Kimberly Pierce's primary intent, the film also stands as a powerful argument in favor of hate crime legislation. There is an emotional plea for tolerance at the core of this movie, and people on the political fence may find that this film moves them in the direction of conceding that hate crimes comprise a separate category.

Not only were all the performances in Boys Don't Cry fantastic, so was the directing by Kimberely Pierce. She directed the film in a modern light, giving Boys Don't Cry and almost "underground" aestectic quality. She used dark midwestern landscapes and splashed them with strikingly bright colours of a city's neon lights. Nebraska never looked so alternative.

Oscar winner Hillary Swank and nominee Chloe Sevigny both give standout performances, humanizing their characters making us believe we are watching a real life situation unfolding. The girl from the tv show "Roseanne" also gives a great performance, along with the actress who played the mother. The 2 guys in the film who played the white trash thugs give me the creeps. That's how good this movie is, it honestly makes you love and hate the characters with passionate intensity.

As for the reviewer who only saw the film as "teena brandon hanging out in bars looking for lesbian sex", well you obviously missed the point of the movie. It's not a trivial "feel-good date movie". It has a deeper, more important theme. Boys Dont Cry is a story about a lost soul searching for his/her identity. While her search is battling against a world with little campassion or understanding of her needs and feelings as a human being. The strident voice of middle American intolerance is Brandon's ill fated downfall in life. He only wanted love, because everybody needs love.

Having just seen the film, I have to say "Boys Don't Cry" is one of the most amazing films I've ever seen. Swank's performance could have gone horribly wrong, and yet she kept the tour de force up for the entire two hours of this mesmerizing film. What I liked about it was:

1. The direction: Remember, this is a first film. Kimberly Pierce had worked five years to bring her script to the screen, and does so in a refreshing, UNPRETENTIOUS way I really related to. Like "In Cold Blood" and "Badlands" she focused on the life of these midwestern characters in such a genuine way that I wouldn't be surprised how people might not be blown away by it. In fact, it is a SUBTLE approach that I find more effective in films, I'm all for special effects as in "The Matrix" and the aesthetic elements of say, "American Beauty," but Pierce's ear for dialogue and her vision of Falls City as this vast wasteland where young people don't have much of a future and are filled up with frustrations was inspiring. She told a HUMAN INTEREST STORY against BIGOTRY in such a DECENT way that even the VILLAINS came out as being all too human. The narrative structure, while not flashy, was quite complex and hard to get away with. There was a flow to the film that gave it the heart that was needed to accurately represent the characters. It's a SHAME that Pierce fell to the wayside in the awards season--simplicity seems to be overlooked because most people don't realize that attaining such an ability is the hardest thing in the world.

2. The acting: Hilary WAS a boy. Her movements, her countenace, everything. Our complicity with her character made me realize just how strong a performance she gave. Every second, in her face, I could see the fear of being found out. All the complexities of Brandon Teena came alive with a movement of the lips or with a certain look. The need to please everyone while at the same time compensating her mere existence with lies and deceit. It is a very demanding role that she pulled off magnificently. And more importantly, it is a new kind of role. I've seen the controlling/hysterical woman Annette Bening played (Faye Dunaway in "Network" to name one). But in the type of role Swank had to play she had little to work with (Jaye Davidson's Dil in "The Crying Game" comes to mind) and yet she avoided becoming a pitiful figure, and managed to give Brandon an inner beauty that wasn't preachy or contrived. CHLOE SEVIGNY was incredible. As a matter of fact, she impressed me even more than Swank. It is a subtle, powerful performance that also rises above any other "girlfriend" type role I have ever seen. She endowes Lana with the ability to really love and care for Brandon and is truly the ray of hope in an otherwise dark movie. PETER SASGAARD is also a stand out as John Lotter, because he was so human. An insecure, childish, violent man who is also capable of showing a lot of affection for his daughter. The undercurrents of BRENDAN SAXTON III's performance are also worth mentioning simply because it shows without a lot of words the confusion he must have felt when he found himself attracted to this "guy." There are so many layers to this film that I could go on and on praising it. Of course I have one problem with it:

1. THE FACTS: Like "The Insider," "The Hurricane," and a million other films, BDC plays with the facts. Another person was murdered in that house, an African American male. I feel that for the film's sake, it was VITAL to focus on the Lana/Brandon relationship, but being familiar with the case, I thought they could have handled the misrepresentation of the third victim better.

In short, it was an amazing movie. Best one I've seen since "Election." But unlike "Election," it doesn't deal with already explored themes. This is unexplored territory Ms. Pierce was going into, and she came out--as far as I'm concerned--as an extremely promising filmmaker who will hopefully continue to tell socially relevant stories in this f&#*ed up world in which baseball fans give a standing ovation to a bigott and even wear t-shirts that say "JOHN ROCKER FOR PRESIDENT"

Reasons to see this movie: 1. Hilary Swank's performance isoutstanding. I have racked my brain thinking about the last severalyears' Oscar winners for best actress and she absolutely outshines them all, hands down. 2. It's not just a gay film, or a transsexual film, or a anti-bigotry film, although those are important elements in the film. In its own way, it's very much a love story. You can't always help who you fall in love with, regardless of sex, ( or race or religion or whatever.) It's Romeo and Juliet, it's the Crying Game, it's the Hatfield and McCoy's, it's West Side Story. As Lana finds out the truth about Brandon, she realizes that she (unlike other characters, notably Tom, John, and Lana's mother) can't just switch off the deep feelings she has for Brandon, just because it doesn't fit in with society's expectations. 3. See it and learn the lesson that we should accept our diversity and live with our differences in a humane manner.

This movie is without a doubt the saddest movie ever made.It'snot exacltly a feelgood date movie.It's possibally the most beautiful love story ever told.The scenes involving Brandon and Lana are genuinly touching.Hillary Swank did such an amazing job as Brandon Teena,a female posing as a male who was brutally raped and murdered because people couldn't accept him.She definately deserved her awards.Chloë Sevigny, was also amazing as brandon's sympathetic love interest Lana.Although the movie changed some key facts that happened in reality,the movie still possesses a horrifying beauty and terror that will genuinly shock you if you have a heart at all.One thing that really caught my attention was the soundtrack.It's amazing.classic Skynyrd sets the perfect mood as does the Cure classic "Boys Don't Cry".But the most heartfelt song is "The Bluest eyes In Texas"It was the PERFECT choice for this movie.I highly recomend this movie.Just make sure you have some tissues handy...it was one of those movies that left me staring at the screen as the credits rolled.THAT'S how good it is.I was always totally openminded about homosexuality but this movie made me stand up for it...Now the whole Matthew Shepard thing just seems even more sickening.This movie just really touched me.I felt angry and sad, both at the same time.Angry at how closeminded the"Land of the free" has become and sad because they were truly two in a million.Maybe boys dont cry...But I know I did.

"Boys Don't Cry" was one of the most emotionally gripping films of this past year. Hillary Swank has already won the Golden Globe and every other major film critics award for Best Actress (i.e. New York, L.A. and Chicago Film Critics, etc.) and she certainly deserves all the recognition she's receiving. Her performance as the doomed Brandon Teena is riveting. Combining a sweet akwardness and shy vunerability is what makes Swank's performance so compelling. She is definitely my favourite to win on Oscar night. And if she does win l would just like to say to all those skeptics out there who doubted her talent, "I told you so." Equally compelling is her co-star, Chloe Sevigny, who portrays Brandon Teena's girlfriend. The two have some amazing scenes together which display the raw talent of each of their award-winning performances. Even though this is a small, independent film, l believe it needs to be seen by a larger audience. Go see the film if you haven't already. Be warned that the film does take a dark, violent turn near the end but l guarantee you you will most definitely be left feeling the powerful impact of this true-life story.

Don't get me wrong, I love Annette Bening, but after seeing"Boys Don't Cry" you will have no doubt why Hilary Swank wonthe Oscar. Besides, for me somehow the hatred and desolation that can exist in small-town America is a story that needs to be told more than yet another of well-money suburban ennui. END

To think that this movie almost didn't get made boggles the mind. Kimberly Pierce does a superb job in her debut film, she definately went unrecognized and deserved an Academy Award nomination in both the writing and directing categories. Hilary Swank gives the most remarkable performance of the decade. I was just so excited when she won the Academy Award. I was a bit disappointed when Chloe Sevigny lost out the supporting actress Oscar to Angelina Jolie. This understated movie was definately overlooked in the best picture category.