Boy Erased (2018) - Top 5 Facts!
#5: It's an LGBTQ+ film
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The plot of “Boy Erased” is one that is familiar to far too many people in the LGBTQ+ community. Jared Eamons., the protagonist, is a teenage boy living in small town America who comes out to his parents. Considering the fact that his dad is a baptist pastor, you can imagine how that goes over. Despite the relatively modern setting, Jared is sent to a gay conversion program by his parents in an attempt to “fix his problem”. The movie addresses this difficult subject matter head on, not shying away from any of it.
#4: It’s Based on a True Story
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In 2016, Garrard Conley published his memoir entitled “Boy Erased: A Memoir” in which he details his experience growing up in Arkansas with fundamentalist parents who sent him to conversion therapy after finding out he was gay. Conley has gone on to be an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and speaks publicly about his experiences at Love in Action, an “ex-gay” program. The film does take some liberties with the subject matter, but for the most part, the story told in the movie follows a similar narrative to the memoir.
#3: It Stars Lucas Hedges
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Lucas Hedges may not yet be a household name, but his resume is already quite impressive, and if you’ve been keeping up with the latest indie films, you’ll definitely recognize him. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 2016’s “Manchester by the Sea” and he had parts in two of 2017’s biggest movies: “Lady Bird” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”. He is taking up the role of lead actor in “Boy Erased” however, and we’re pretty confident that he’s got the acting chops required for such an important part.
#2: It's Already Generating Oscar Buzz
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Considering the subject matter and the movie’s star, it should come as no surprise that “Boy Erased” is already in the unofficial running to become an awards season darling. Aside from Lucas Hedges in the main role, the film also stars Hollywood heavyweights Nicole Kidman as Jared’s mother and Russell Crowe as his father. It’s also being released in November of 2018, which poises it to receive the maximum attention for awards consideration. There are a lot of other great movies coming out this fall, but this one will definitely hold its own.
#1: The Plot Is Surprisingly Timely
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If you think that gay conversion programs are a rare and niche occurrence, you are unfortunately mistaken. Many states still allow conversion programs to exist, despite the reports and research that have shown the programs to be ineffective and even abusive. For people who live in progressive urban communities, it may seem hard to believe that these practices are so prevalent in their own country, but a film like this one can help to shed light on an issue that doesn’t get as much attention as it needs.
