Lucas Hedges shines in Joel Edgerton’s solid gay conversion drama
Gay conversion therapy is a sensitive topic to handle but also one of the favorite of this season: after the triumph at Sundance Film Festival of female-driven The Miseducation of Cameron Post, by Desiree Akhavan, Joel Edgerton’s Boy Erased arrives surprisingly as its strongest competitor.
The film, which premiered yesterday at Rome Film Festival, is based on the memoir of Garrard Conley, but Edgerton decided to change the names of the characters while adapting the screenplay.
Boy Erased is the story of 18-year-old Jared, a boy who comes from a very conservative christian family: his father is a pastor who also works in a car dealership, his mother assists her husband in his religious activities. We meet Jared as he’s heading to a gay conversion facility, following his father stubborness, but we’re not told the full story at the beginning: we’ll have to wait to find out that something happened to Jared in his college room and that someone informed his family.
However, the core of the story is the christian-based program which, outrageously calling upon its patients’ faith and weaknesses, tries to change their sexual orientation. To every member of this unfortunate community the therapy feels different: someone surrenders to its absurd rules, others act properly to check out of the facility as soon as possible; Jared lives day by day, questioning the effectiveness of the program, its real goals and gradually accepting himself for who he is.
Edgerton’s film works beautifully thanks to a perfect balance of parents-son fights, disturbing masculinity lessons and introspective moments. Lucas Hedges wonderfully portrays Jared’s doubts and he also shines as the antagonist to the hypocrite and cruel mentor of the gay conversion program, played by Edgerton himself. Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman, who play Jared’s parents, are the crown jewels of a multifaceted cast which includes young singer and LGBT icon Troye Sivan, actor-director Xavier Dolan and bassist Flea from The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Actors turned directors do not always convince the critics, but Edgerton shows undeniable qualities as a filmmaker and, no matter how painful is the theme, Boy Erased provides much food for thought as well as some moments to smile.
