Review of Boys Don't Cry (1999) by Harry W — 16 Aug 2013

Boys Don't Cry is possibly a film more appreciated by female audiences for its messages of freedom and empowerment, as well as issues about a sexual identity crisis, yet I appreciated it for its gripping and blunt telling of a true story and astounding acting with particular praise deservingly aimed at Hilary Swank.

The story of Brandon Teena or Teena Rae Brandon is not an easy one to tell and introduces the shocking realism of many complicated emotions and thoughts to the film industry. It does so excellently with masterful depth and real heart put into the story by director and screenwriter Kimberly Peirce who in a beating passion for this story takes the opportunity by storm and creates a horrifically brutal tale about themes of freedom, courage, identity and empowerment.

And it's Hilary Swank who connects the audience to Brandon Teena flawlessly. Even though today she's a household name due to her two Academy Awards for this film and for Million Dollar Baby, looking at Boys Don't Cry is to look at an actor that has never been seen before, or better yet, to look at Brandon Teena himself. To look into the eyes of a woman who is truly a man trapped in a woman's body, the eyes of a man trying to escape the woman's body is not something that can be taken lightly. Knowing what goes on in Brandon Teena's head is not something that anybody can understand better than he could himself, but in becoming Brandon Teena Hilary Swank is able to come closer than any other person in the universe could dream of. To come that close and to embody the role as perfectly as physically possible is a challenge incomparable to anything else, and in achieving that an Academy Award is damned well in order. Luckily, The Academy could realise that.

And understanding the woman that changed his life, Lana Tisdel, Chloe Sevigny captures the hot blooded passion of an expressionist given up on a world that will not accept her and has reduced herself to becoming perceived as mere white trash. But the way she changes as she engages with Brandon Teena as Boys Don't Cry progresses is exquisite. They share such an immaculate chemistry and are such well conveyed complex characters that their love scene can only be viewed as two people with passion for each other, not a white trash woman and a transgender man having a session of lesbian love. Chloe Sevigny's presence helps Hilary Swank bring her character down to who she truly is instead of what people perceive her as, and does the same thing for herself. Chloe Sevigny contributes her best work.

The combination of Kimberly Pierce, Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny all make Boys Don't Cry a triple entendre of crying freedom with each respective part they're taken in bringing this biopic to life deserving an Academy Award nomination at minimum. And although the dynamics may make it an acquired taste to many, acquiring the taste makes it durably a stunning viewing experience and one with a story truly worth telling.