Saved: Review of Boy Erased

TIFF EXCLUSIVE

Boy Erased

Director: Joel Edgerton

By Alex Watson

Joel Edgerton's career as a director so far shows he is unafraid to tackle sensitive subjects. Adapting Garrard Conley's hard-hitting memoir Boy Erased, Edgerton gives a powerful commentary about the effects of LGBTQ people forced into conversion therapy. He also addresses the fears and often irrational actions of parents concerned more with their image than accepting their children. With a breakout turn from upcoming star Lucas Hedges, this is one of the most powerful films that 2018 has to offer.

Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) is a young man who is the son of  Pastor Marshall Eamons (Russell Crowe) and doting mother Nancy (Nicole Kidman). While away at college, he is outed as gay to his parents who offer him a  compromise- either be disowned or attend gay conversion therapy. Forced to attend a program under the leadership of the outspoken Victor Sykes (Joel Edgerton), Jared quickly becomes disillusioned with the message being given and has doubts over whether it will cause any real change.

"You cannot be born a homosexual. This is a lie, its a choice," comments Sykes at one stage. Throughout Boy Erased, Edgerton is able to tread a very fine line with his message on conversion therapy. Jared is a young man who encompasses the All-American boy, he is popular, athletic and comes from a loving but devout Baptist family. Edgerton jumps back and forth between timelines to give an impression the past that has plagued Jared. One of the more harrowing sequences comes from when Jared meets fellow college student Henry (Joe Alwyn) and a blossoming romance quickly turns into a sexual assault. Starting in almost rom-com style, this switch from a meet-cute to a life-altering event is shocking. From here, Jared's life begins to unravel. Under Sykes rule, the attendees are frequently put through the emotional wringer and are often derided. Sadistic instructor Brandon (Flea) is particularly savage- forcing students to line up in order of how manly they seem.

Everyone is simply trying to do the right thing, Sykes while abusive and narrow-minded is under the illusion that he is fixing people. However, this approach brings up some moments which are almost unbearable. Such as when fellow classmate Cameron (Britton Sear) is forced to be beaten by his family with bibles to 'strike out the demon'. The slow camera shots and dark orange glow of the room make this look almost like a horror film. Thankfully, Edgerton resists the urge to make these people cartoonish villains and instead he shows people more bound by tradition than hate. Marshall is a proud father who is wary of his families image and is unable to shake the old ways but never once is he made out to be hateful or prejudicial. Nancy is also an old-style mother who 'falls in line' but throughout her awareness about the horror of the situation grows to the extent where she can barely disguise it. Jared at first agrees to this treatment due to his love of the family, but frequently he finds himself plagued by self-doubts and his growing backbone skulks the screen like a tiger. He is never a big talker, but throughout his quiet manner, you can sense his frustration and confusion building.

Boy Erased is a frightening commentary on the real effects of being forced into the closet. In the program, the students are all just trying to push through, but the threat of being kept long term is one that is utterly horrifying. Edgerton smartly casts Quebecois director Xavier Dolan as the conflict Jon who 'salutes' rather than touching others and Australian singer Troye Sivan who encourages our hero to 'fake it till you make it!' These people are always to refer to their homosexuality as a sin and this repression and mental abuse is shown as harming lives rather than saving them. While this type of story might be familiar and in some cases almost a Hollywood staple, Edgerton is able to project a much need bite into proceedings with overselling the potential redemptive themes. One beautifully acted scene towards the end sees Jared finally lays out to his father how their relationship should be and guaranteed there will not be a dry eye in the house! "I don't want to pretend anymore' our hero says and right there is the official slogan the movie is looking for.

Lucas Hedges has already been making a name for himself with his turns in movies such as Manchester by the Sea. Here, he ensures that his name will be among the nominees come Oscar time. His performance is one of great reserve and he fully amplifies the pain and confusion that Jared feels. He also finds room to also give him a likeable yet smart-ass feel as the movie increases and by the end, this character has become fully rounded. Nicole Kidman also gives her all in the supporting department and Nancy's love for her son is frequently tested by never once broken. Russell Crowe has a hard task portraying the unshakable religious father but he adds a human element to this role which shows how a father's love often conflicts with his morals. As the hard-headed Skyes, Joel Edgerton delivers a performance that at times is at risk of being a caricature, but mercifully he elevates his performance to show a man convinced his is doing God's work but his short-sighted approach is only succeeding in driving away those he wants to save. A little tidbit about him at the end credits will raise a smile.

Some may see this type of film as a guaranteed road to Oscar glory- but you can't deny the sheer power of storytelling in Boy Erased. On performances alone, this has serious awards contention.

One Giant Leap: Review of First Man

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First Man

Director: Damien Chazelle

By Alex Watson

In just four movies, Damien Chazelle has emerged as one of the most innovative directors in Hollywood. His Neil Armstrong biopic First Man now pushes him into the stratosphere. Capturing the sheer danger involved with the 1960's 'Space Race', Chazelle brings us an astonishing take on one of the most important historical events. Rather than get bogged down in patriotism, he gives us an authentic look at ordinary engineers trying to pull off a monumental task.

Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is a civilian pilot who is considered to be something of a wildcard. Eager to push the boundaries, Armstrong joins the NASA Space Program which quickly sees him set against other experienced pilots such as Ed White (Jason Clarke) and Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll). While his reputation will slow skyrocket, there are also several tragedies that emphasize the hard mission that lies ahead. What follows will cement his name in history. 

First Man immediately hooks its audience from the first frame as we see a young Armstrong as a test pilot. Bringing his vessel up on the edge of space, he soon gets caught in a nightmarish scenario as he continually rises towards the great unknown. The sheer tension and exhilaration is but a taste of what is to follow. Armstrong is a quiet and slightly introverted man who is reeling from a personal tragedy. Preferring numbers to people, this picture perfectly channels his dislike of the public eye but shows the sheer tenacity he brought to the job. Considered a liability in the air due to several 'mishaps' he faces some stigma from his superiors. Shot in an almost subdued colour ratio by DP Linus Sandgren, Chazelle lets the pace roll along slowly and gives his audience time to understand its protagonist. His wife Janet (Claire Foy) is wary of the task her husband is trying accomplish, but her fears and concern are loudly voiced.

The 1960's Space Mission was one of great tragedy and Chazelle never lets the audience forget the good men who lost their lives. The Apollo I disaster is the most horrific of them all and NASA at this point is literally playing with fire. As the deaths stack up, so do the fears of both the men and wives involved with the project. The director refuses to go easy on his audience when it comes to technical details and the mathematics and jargon come thick and fast throughout to give us a glimpse of how thorough and precise each person would need to be to prevent even the smallest error. The moon landing is highlighted as the main goal, but the movie's most unbearably tense scene comes from when Armstrong's Gemini 8 attempts a test docking sequence. Those how are claustrophobic may want to look away because never once does Chazelle take the action out of the crowded cockpit and rarely leaves the face of Armstrong and as the spacecraft spins faster out of control, so do the nerves all audience members. Set to regular composer Justin Hurtwitz's screeching score, any hope we have a relaxed and peaceful film vanish into the depths of space. During the sequence, there was no green screen involved and the reactions on the cast members are very much real!

As First Man nears its final mission, there is a sense of strain building as Neil is forced more into the path of the press. Unlike the more jovial and charismatic Aldrin, Neil loathes the attention and public scrutiny that the space race is considered costly and wasteful. The potential threat to their lives is made overwhelming clear.  One scene even sees Chief Deke Slayton (Kyle Chandler) is forced to listen to a death announcement pre-written for the Apollo 11 crew. When we finally reach the moon, the audience is finally allowed to exhale. This picture, however, always keeps Armstrong in its sights and it is a very fascinating portrayal of a man considered an All-American Hero. His bravery in the face of adversity is utterly enthralling, but few of us understood the personal cost it involved.

Ryan Gosling in his second outing with Chazelle perfectly channels Neil Armstrong. A fiercely private man with no time for silly questions or intrusions, Gosling shows us a man fighting an internal battle and having to keep himself in check when good men are dying all around. At times a surly and far too literal human, Gosling shows us a lighter side to his character around his family combined with an intense fear of disappearing into the great unknown. This could well be Gosling's year for Oscar glory. Claire Foy however, emerges as the one who wins the audience sympathy and as Janet Armstrong she captures the audiences growing concerns as her husband prepares to embark on a possible suicide mission. So frequently this type of character is underwritten, but in this piece, Janet is given room to grow and we see firsthand the toil it creates on her family life.

First Man is a remarkable piece of work about an event that was so well documented. At only 33, Damien Chazelle has already earn a place among the elite.