Boys Don't Cry

Rating:
Summary: Boys Don't Cry (they lie)
Review: I may have been a little harsh when I originally gave this movie only one star, and then spent several paragraphs criticizing it. The film is not that bad. Perhaps I'm more infuriated by the viewers' responses to it. I am disgusted when reviewers say that Brandon Teena did nothing wrong when Brandon did lie to girls and steal. And I am mad that Lisa/Candace wasn't mentioned in the end. This movie doesn't even serve any purpose in my opinion. Of course it's not enjoyable and the so disgustingly negligent it voids out any merit this "project" had. Not to mention it is so obviously agenda-driven, more than anything else and I for one don't like to watch those kind of movies or read those books because they provide no insight, they just make everyone feel crummy about themselves, angry, or feel self-righteous. Watch the documentary instead.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Example Of How Messed-Up Society Now Is!
Review: I am not close-minded when it comes to movies involving violence, sexuality and profanity. I have no problem with watching such issues, however, I cannot tolerate people saying that we are supposed to admire someone who steals jewelry and vehicles and lies to trusting girls who have no idea what they're getting into. I thought Lana was pretty understanding considering what this person did to her. I admit, I can feel sympathy for Brandon, but that's it. SPOILERS I think the real victim of this tragedy was Candace, who unwittingly got involved in Brandon's little game of deception, and she also paid the price for Brandon's mistakes. We never found out in the movie what happened to her because, one can only assume, Hollywood doesn't care about some "mundane" incident as that, and thinks only of Brandon. Why did they lock up the guys for Brandon's death, but said nothing about what happened for Candace's (I'm assuming she died, they didn't even make an effort to tell us). I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't even accused of shooting her, because that wasn't, so they say, a HATE CRIME. If political correctness leads to this movie, then it does more harm than good.

Rating:
Summary: A Film every one should see at least once!
Review: The film is shocking. It's uncomfortable to watch because all during the film we know of Brandon's oncoming fate. And when it comes we see her courage, as we witness one of the disturbing and unbearable scenes ever filmed. All the actors are wonderful. Especially Hillary Swank who actually becomes Brandon in an un-apologetic performance. It is one of the best acting jobs ever. Cheers to the director for not trying to explain the complexities of why Brandon is the way she is. Also cheers for not making the movie sappy, or sympathetic. Instead we get a brutal, un-flinching look at a true story, and a movie that as time passes by will be considered among the most powerful ever made.

Rating:
Summary: A new Yentle
Review: While I would never mistake Hilary Swank for a man I did find the acting in this movie to be brilliant. I didn't think I'd like the movie when it first started out. I hated the "white trash" moronic Southern style the movie started out with. I just know that if I lived near ANY of the people in this movie I'd pack my bags and move! Anyway, the movie really picks up when Hilary Swank is found out to be a woman and what happens to her is just horrible. Her death is very disturbing and even more disturbing is the mother who was murdered right in front of her infant child. There is some lesbian love scenes in this movie which might make some feel uncomfortable but they are necessary to strengthen the story.

Rating:
Summary: A MOVIE WITH A MESSAGE!!!!
Review: YOU WILL NOT VIEW THIS MOVIE AND NOT HAVE IT HAVE SOME SORT OF EFFECT ON YOUR LIFE. THIS FILM BRINGS TO LIFE THE HARSH REALISM THAT SOCIETY HATES. IT ACCURATELY DEPICTS THE CLOSE-MINDEDNESS OF SOCIETY TOWARDS CERTAIN PEOPLE. THIS FILM, BASED UPON THE LIFE OF BRANDON TEENA, IS A POWERFUL FILM TO BEHOLD.
IN A SOCIETY THAT IS FULL OF RACISM AND VARIOUS OTHER FORMS OF HATRED, THERE ARE THOSE OF US WHO EXPERIENCE THE HATE FIRST HAND.
THE MAIN CHARACTER IN THIS MOVIE WITNESSES THIS FIRST HAND AND AT THE SAME TIME TRIES TO COME TO GRIPS WITH HER OWN LIFE!!!
THIS FILM, IN MY OPINION, IS SO POWERFUL BECAUSE OF IT'S REALISM.
I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE CANNOT CHOOSE WHO THEY FALL IN LOVE WITH!!
THIS FILM, WITH MANY SEQUENCES THAT ARE VERY HARD TO WATCH, SHOW IN DETAIL THE HATE THAT SOCIETY SHOWS TO SOME PEOPLE.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU ONLY VIEW THIS FILM IF YOU ARE OPEN-MINDED.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT WOULD SIMPLY TOSS THIS MOVIE OUT OF THEIR "TO SEE" LIST SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE STORY.
THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE, AFTER VIEWING THE FILM, THAT MIGHT EVEN
SAY THAT THE MOVIE IS TRASH.
HOWEVER, ANYONE THAT WOULD SAY THAT, IS TOO CLOSE-MINDED AND THEY NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH "THE REAL WORLD."

EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE ABOUT HOW THEY ARE TO LIVE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE INDIVIDUALS' CHOICE TO MAKE...AND ALTHOUGH WE MAY NOT CHOOSE THE SAME SEXUAL PREFERENCES FOR OURSELVES, WE MUST LEARN TO RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S CHOICES!!!
THIS MOVIE HAS A DEPRESSING FEELING THROUGHOUT AND IT FEELS AS IF THE MOVIE MAKES THE AUDIENCE FEEL EVERY EMOTION THAT THE CHARACTERS ARE FEELING.
THE MOVIE WAS INTERESTING FROM BEGINNING TO END. I JUST HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE THE MESSAGE THAT IT BRINGS.
IT IS A MESSAGE TARGETED TO THE MANY PEOPLE THAT SHOW HATE TO OTHERS BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER SEXUAL CHOICES OR DECISIONS.
IN OTHER WORDS, AS INDIVIDUALS, WE NEED TO RESPECT EACH OTHERS CHOICES OF LIFESTYLE, SEXUAL PREFERENCES, ETC.
I BELIEVE THE MESSAGE IS THIS:
WE ARE WHO WE ARE, AND WHO WE MUST BE, IS WHO WE ARE!!
WE MUST BE OURSELVES!!!

WITH A STORY AS COMPELLING AND TOUCHING AS THIS, IT IS SURE TO STIR UP SOME EMOTIONS WITHIN YOU. THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT ALL.
SO DON'T LOOK AT THIS MOVIE AND LAUGH, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SEE IT WITH AN OPEN MIND!! IT DESERVES JUST THAT- AN OPEN MIND!!!
THE DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE BY HILLARY SWANK IS CAPTIVATING AND CHLOE SEVIGNY SHOWS US HER ACTING TALENTS AS WELL!!
THE ACTING IS TOP-NOTCH BY THESE TWO ACTRESSES, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR AND WON NUMEROUS AWARDS!!
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ROLES WILL BE RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED.
THE DRAMA IS IN PLACE AND IT TARGETS YOUR EMOTIONS.
SO IF GOOD DRAMA IS YOUR THING, THEN SEE THIS FILM...AND AFTER IT TOUCHES YOUR LIFE, MAYBE THE EXISTING HATE WILL GO AWAY!!
THIS IS A MASTERPIECE IN IT'S OWN RIGHT AND IT HAS LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION ON MY LIFE. IT MAY DO THE SAME TO YOU!!
FEEL THE PAIN - SEE THE HURT - PUT YOURSELF IN HER SHOES-
BECAUSE THEN, AND ONLY THEN, WILL YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: oh god, what do i say?
Review: i've pretty much stopped writing reviews, but this movie drew me back into the ring. i usually have a strong point of view with things i read or watch, and can critique them comfortably, but not with this one. all i know is that i felt disturbed, and slept horribly, after watching it. i think it kicked up some real deep stuff in me. but i still give it five stars, because its quality shined through.

incidentally, i almost stopped watching it entirely a couple of times during the film. this was a film that like FEW others i could call TRULY DEPRESSING. the crux of what made it feel depressing for me was that it was about a human being who was so STUCK in their life. there felt like so few options for brandon, like his/her only choice was to live a lie. it's like he/she so wanted to be something he/she wasn't that she/he just had to pile on lie after lie. that's what killed me. it was a story about a person who just SIMPLY DID NOT FIT IN OUR SOCIETY. that's i guess what this film was about. it was a major criticism about our society - a society that just accepts people who fit into narrow little windows of sex, sexual orientation - and certainly gender. god, if i can't even comfortably choose a pronoun (he/she) for brandon, how would it feel to BE brandon...or teena?

i really do think brandon was neither a man nor a woman, a boy nor a girl. he/she was a person somewhere in the middle, and because of our society's small-minded ways brandon just did the best he/she could...and picked a team and started playing. she felt more like a man and tried going that way. i myself am a therapist, and wondered how i would have dealt with a patient like brandon. suggested a sex-change? suggested more self-acceptance? suggested anything? cried?

one other thing that got me, and that i found painful, was that brandon's problems were not just about gender - and his/her gay friend summed it up nicely about the consequences of his/her destructive criminal/lying/irresponsible tendencies, from what i remember. "brandon, you're either gonna end up in jail for a long time...or dead." the moment when the carpet got pulled out from under me emotionally in the film was when brandon was in court waiting to face sentencing for car theft...and he/she turned around and walked out. it was like placing the kiss of death on herself.

so, i know this is a rambling review. i hope it's helped someone somewhat, and i know it's helped me to write it. i just found this film so disturbing, and it just shines the light for me on the fact that we live in a world that makes it VERY VERY hard for some people to live a happy, well-adjusted life. i guess in our own ways it's hard for all of us.

got bless brandon...i wish you'd had better luck.

Rating:
Summary: Painfully hard to watch.
Review: This was a film that worked on my emotions like no other film has before. It's a devastating story about a woman with a sexual identity crisis, named Teena Brandon who dressed up like a guy, took hormone shots, and called herself Brandon Teena. She befriended two rednecks from a small town in Nebraska, and found herself a girlfriend named Lana. Once her true identity is discovered, the film takes you on an emotional roller coaster.

The performances here are perfect, especially those of Hillary Swank (who won her first Oscar for her performance in this film)and Chloe Sevingy (who was nominated for an Oscar). First time director, Kimberly Pierce, has made a film that will not be forgotten. My only complaint was the graphic sexual scenes. If they make you uncomfortable, then foward through them. That's what I did. Many may not be able to stomach this film because of the no-holds barred grittiness of it. It's heartbreaking, and I could not get it off of my mind. I suppose they had to make it violent and brutal, so they could accuratly portray the horrible things that happened to Teena Brandon and her friends.

Truly a sad story. See it if you think you can handle it. You won't be able to shake this one off for a while.

Rating:
Summary: You'll probably feel a bit sick.
Review: This is a horrible movie and it's very hard to watch. I would never see it two times, one time is enough. It's a good movie, though. After watching this you will know more and you will feel more. It's like you have experienced it all. It's worth a little bit of sickness.

Rating:
Summary: Boys Don't Cry
Review: When I first heard about this movie at the 2000 Academy Awards, I knew that I wanted to see it badly, even though I had only a small idea what it was about. It would be about a year and a half before I actually saw it. And the whole way through the movie, I was stunned. I couldn't believe the things that were said and shown in the movie. But I wasn't disgusted or horrified or offended. And that's because everything shocking that was done in this movie was done in a tasteful and non-glamorizing way. And that's how director Kimberly Pierce did a superb job. Not to mention the Oscar-winning acting job by Hilary Swank and Oscar-nominated (should have won) acting by Chloe Sevigny. This movie follows the life of Teena Brandon (Swank) pretending to be Brandon Teena. It shows her/him (whichever way you want to look at it) arriving in a town that hates gay people and trying to fit in as best as he/she can. After a little while, he/she meets Lana (Sevigny). Lana seems like a quiet but strong person and Teena/Brandon is so intrigued by her that they start dating and Lana soon gets the same feelings. Brandon does his best to cover up his tracks but some of the local hicks soon stumble onto the truth and are horrified. So they take Teena out, beat her up, rape her, and eventually kill her. The last half hour/45 minutes are the most important but also sometimes the hardest to watch. The graphic rape scene will probably have a lot of viewers reaching for their eject button on their VCRs but you really should watch the whole movie. As I said, this movie is not glamorizing anything and it's not necessarily in-your-face stuff so don't be intimidated by some of the material. Watching Swank acting in this role, I can only imagine what it must have been like to live this life all through the filming. It must have been hard on her physically and psychologically and that along with her excellent acting is what got her the Oscar. Now, Sevigny went through almost as much and why she didn't win the Oscar baffles me. She worked just as hard and deserved some recognition. So, in the end, you must see this movie. It's controversial for it's subject matter but it's really one of the best movies ever made. If you really have a true appreciation of movies and film, you won't be disgusted or offended by it at all. This really is acting at it's best, directing at it's best, and a movie at it's best.

Rating:
Summary: I'd give it zero stars if it was possible
Review: How many things wrong with this movie, let me count the ways-
Let's see-a woman, masquerading as a man, who is raped and killed? This would be just some little story no one paid any attention to, ever, but when Hollywood gets its claws into it, you see Drew Barrymore at some award show praising his/her "bravery." Bravery? Bravery! There are scientists out there everyday saving people's lives, humanitarian workers, authors, freedom fighters, doctors, pro bono lawyers, journalists, photographers, really helping the world but money, attention, time and awards are given to a film with such a big nothing? Did this person contribute anything to the world? Books, writings, a legacy-none. Would have been a big nobody if she/he wouldn't have been killed.

Another galling thing about this movie is that its another case of Hollywoodization of a true story, like Beautiful Mind or Schindler's List. The real Lana dropped Brandon/Tenna/liar as soon as she found out she/he was missing one important thing in a boyfriend. Those two hicks who murder him/her/it made these really showy apologies at the trial-then laughed about them.

I watched this on Bravo because I didn't want to waste the time renting it. I was mildly curious and got quite a eye full even from the cut Bravo version. This movie made me ill-and not just for the rape/sex/humiliation/brutal murder scenes. It was so heavy handed, so preachy-your talking about a bunch of rednecks in Nebraska-these people behaved like they were in Soho. It rams down our throats the point that we have to accept this behavior. We don't. Under different circumstances, he/she would have been in a mental institution or at least having one hell of an operation.

Chloe "fashion icon" bothered me the most-like any girl in Nebraska is going to look or talk like that. Ever. Same goes for the others-just like the holier than thou New York "art" crowd moved to Nebraska and decided to make a movie about their "hero" or "heroine" or whatever.