Boys Don’t Cry
Composite Score: 85
Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III, Alicia Goranson, Alison Folland, and Jeannetta Arnette
Director: Kimberly Peirce
Writers: Kimberly Peirce and Andy Bienen
Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama, Romance, LGBT
MPAA Rating: R for violence including an intense brutal rape scene, sexuality, language, and drug use
Box Office: $11.54 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Boys Don’t Cry is Kimberly Peirce’s feature film about the life and death of Brandon Teena, a transgender man from rural Nebraska. The film stars Hilary Swank in the leading role, supported by Chloë Sevigny as his girlfriend Lana Tisdel, Peter Sarsgaard and Brendan Sexton III as the perpetrators of the crimes against him, John Lotter and Tom Nissen, and Jeannetta Arnette as Lana’s less than supportive mother. It follows Brandon’s story as he travels from Lincoln to Falls City and joins a local group of young washouts, befriending guys like John and Tom and dating Lana in the process. Revelations about Brandon’s sexuality ultimately lead to the tragedy that concludes this true crime dramatization. Swank and Sevigny both received Oscar nominations (Swank in Lead Actress and Sevigny in Supporting Actress) with Swank winning for her portrayal of Brandon Teena. Peirce’s film has received much acclaim not only for the central performances but also for the way that it increased awareness around transgender rights and the perpetuation of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
As long as you know what you’re getting into (a true crime drama about the rape and murder of a trans man in rural Nebraska), the strong R-rated content shouldn’t be much of an issue. It’s difficult to watch, but it’s honest in its treatment, eliciting a response. Additionally, some more modern critics might take issue with Hilary Swank playing a trans man in Boys Don’t Cry, much as some took issue with Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of trans artist Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl, but for its time in the late-90s, I don’t think this film could have achieved the mainstream success and vocalization it did with a trans man in the leading role (or even probably a male actor), so that’s not really a knock against it either. The biggest issue for Boys Don’t Cry is its actual subject matter. It tells a true story, yes, but it’s a true story of trauma and tragedy that perpetuates negative sentiment toward trans people. Much like the slave narratives of violence against black people, narratives about negative reactions and responses to the LGBTQ+ community don’t offer much in terms of positive cinematic experiences for those that they are attempting to represent. Moving as Brandon’s story is, it’s not the only kind of trans story out there, and its ending leaves you concerned and upset but not necessarily high in hope for the future of the trans community, which I think it really wants to offer. It’s a necessary film that comes from a different time and doesn’t necessarily hold up in light of more positive portrayals like A Fantastic Woman or Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
It’s the performances of Swank and Sevigny combined with the film’s more universal treatment of toxic masculinity and patriarchy that have earned it a place of greatness. Sevigny delivers a refreshingly dynamic performance as Lana, offering one of the few unconditional acceptances in a film filled with rejection. Even her character struggles through the revelations about Brandon’s sexuality, but her decision to stand by him speaks volumes, and Sevigny portrays that internal struggle excellently in the film’s final act, giving voice and action to much of the frustration and confusion that the audience might be feeling up to that point. Without her own victimization (though less than Brandon’s) at the hands of John and Tom, I don’t know that this film achieves the widespread success that it has because hers is the story that engages most easily with those themes of toxic masculinity and patriarchy. The response of her mother and the sheriff to John’s and Tom’s initial crimes and the insecurities expressed by John in response to her love for Brandon showcase the failings of the system to protect anyone who isn’t a straight cis-gendered man from sexual violence – be it verbal, physical, or otherwise.
Swank, though, is the film’s star and her Oscar-winning performance shines from start to finish. Taking the audience alongside Brandon from his hopeful first date to his inevitable demise, she plays him with a depth of emotion and complexity of character that you can’t help but root for. Her portrayal of his hopes, insecurities, loves, faults, and everything in between offers one of the most wholistic performances in any biographical picture, and it makes the tragedy of the crime that the film portrays that much more poignant in the eyes of the audience. Without a strong showing from Brandon’s performer, the film doesn’t carry enough resonance to be considered great, but Swank fully defuses that potential by giving one of the best performances of the last twenty-five years.
Strong performances from Hilary Swank and Chloë Sevigny that give voice to the film’s critiques of toxic masculinity and patriarchy make Boys Don’t Cry more than a film about the tragic life of a trans man and elevate it to a place of greatness. The tragedy of the film hinders some of its more progressive content behind what could almost be described as trauma porn, but the performances and thematic explorations leave it as an important film to watch at least once, particularly in the modern context of renewed outrage against the trans community from various portions of society. This film is currently available to rent on most streaming services if you’d like to check it out.
