Boy Erased (2018)

When he is outed for being gay, a young boy (Lucas Hedges) is sent by his pastor father (Russell Crowe) and his mother (Nicole Kidman) to a conversion camp where through "therapy", he will revert to heterosexuality. Based on the memoir by Garrard Conley and directed by Joel Edgerton (who also plays the conversion counselor). This could almost be called a horror film because the cruelty, suffering (there's a rape scene that's the most shattering I've seen since THE ACCUSED) and insanity shown defines horrific. As the film's end credits tell us, there are still over 30 states that allow these "therapy" programs to exist and all in the name of God! As cinema, BOY ERASED isn't "art", it's definitely a message movie but a superior one that doesn't go all Stanley Kramer on us. It simply shows us what exists and lets us decipher the lunacy of it all. Hedges (MANCHESTER BY THE SEA) is rapidly becoming one of the best young actors working and the film belongs to him. But the supporting performances are terrific, notably Nicole Kidman as his mother who begins to have doubts about the path they've set for her son. This is powerful stuff and highly recommended. The sensational underscore is by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans. With Cherry Jones, Britton Sear (who'll break your heart) and Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers).