Boy Erased Review

Based on the memoir by Garrard Conley, the 2018 film "Boy Erased" follows Conley, portrayed by Lucas Hedges, as he is enrolled into a gay conversion therapy program by his Christian parents, portrayed by Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe. This film explores an interesting dynamic of mutually exclusive events, and how people may try to "fix" things out of a righteous cause, to come to a realization that it is not something practical. Conley goes through some very difficult trials, and spends a lot of time really trying to figure out how he feels, and how he wants to live his life, while being pressured by family, as well as the therapy group, to change how they feel. Joel Edgerton, who also wrote and directed this adaptation, portrays the leader of the conversion therapy group, who goes to a tormenting extent to try and get people to change, but doing so by flawed means. The acting in this movie is very good, especially from Crowe, Kidman, and Edgerton (who all happen to be Australian, uniquely enough.). Lucas Hedges is good, however, he doesn't really breakthrough until the second act as a very dynamic presence, partially due to his character building up a lot of emotion, that boils up to a dramatic release later on in the film. Some of the film is told in a non-linear style at points, as Conley remembers certain events from college as he is going through the therapy, that begin to reveal his true feelings. Some of the pacing in the middle of film seems to lag in certain spots, but isn't too much of an issue throughout, as the film is compelling. While there certainly are some serious questions posed throughout, the overarching message is rather blatant, although in a story such as this, it might not be very easy to work around that, and isn't a problem. "Boy Erased" can be a very touching film for some people, and was definitely methodical in its making, delivering a good movie with a righteous message.  A-