Review of Boys Don't Cry (2000) by Robert H — 27 Apr 2014

Written and directed by Kimberly Peirce, (Stop-Loss (2008) and Carrie (2013)), this tragic romantic drama is based on the true story that occurred in the early 1990's in Nebraska, and Peirce had heard about what had happened, and was inspired to write a screenplay, it makes for a powerful but dark love story, with a twist though, but it has some good performances, and it has a very human quality.

Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) is a female to male transgender man, born Teena Ray Brandon, who is wanting to lead a normal life, but he is finding that hard, and moves to another part of Nebraska to start again.

It's here where he meets ex-convicts John Lotter (Peter Sarsgaard) and Tom Nissen (Brendan Sexton III), and their friends Candace (Alicia Goranson) and Lana Tisdel (Chloë Sevigny). Brandon falls in love with Lana, and they begin a relationship, Lana almost finds out about Brandon's secret, but he covers it up by claiming that he was born a hermaphrodite, and will have it corrected soon.

But, John and Tom soon find out the real truth about Brandon. Made for only $2 million, it stuck a chord with moviegoers, and it rightfully won Swank an Oscar for her role as Brandon. It's not a film for everyone, but writer/director Peirce was very lucky to have the right cast for this film, and they're the glue holding this tale together.