By Based on Garrard Conley’s memoir of the same name, Boy Erased follows a young man’s experiences through a gay-conversion programme in Memphis, Tennessee. Enrolled by his Baptist preacher father in Love In Action in order to “fix” his sexuality, Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) joins a number of other men and women from fundamentalist families deemed behaviourally misguided and suitable for “treatment”.
Joel Edgerton, who, as well as producing and directing the film, writes and stars in it, presents a damning document of a fire and brimstone Christian practice to alter a person’s sexual preference. Inspired by the programme founded by Frank Worthen, John Evans, and Kent Philpott in 1973, through Jared’s enrolment we see its chilling predilection for presenting someone’s homosexuality as a moral wrong.
Through psychological manipulation and exercises extracted from actual mental health treatment techniques, programme attendees are not only made to feel guilt and self-pity but are taught to point a finger at parental neglect and thus develop an unnecessary hatred for others that might not have existed before. It’s all in the name of God; ultimately avoiding being a minion of Satan in hell.
Edgerton stops short of holistically criticising religion as a belief system – Nicole Kidman, for example, is excellent as Jared’s well-meaning mother whose faith has helped her lead a benevolent life and raise an intelligent and compassionate son – rather he targets his wrath at those seeking to manipulate the bible in order to discover an antidote to their own crises of identity and social anxieties, indoctrinating others into their warped belief system.
As Jared’s father, holding the sacred text in the air, tells his congregation in the film – “I can guarantee you, every question you have, you’re going to find an answer in this book” – we’re reminded how religious scripture can provide “answers” but that one interpretation is not necessarily the same as another. In other words, you’ll find the solutions you desire to the questions you want answered and can disregard anything that may detract from that.
The title of the film, taken from Conley’s memoir, is brilliant. It’s a perfectly simple summation of what these gay-conversion programmes are, at least as presented in the film. They seek to destroy individualism by making existence wholly about being subservient to God. Sexuality has no purpose unless it fits a prescribed understanding involving a man and a woman producing offspring. And gender and identity are defined by personal characteristics that must conform to a similar set of factors and constraints. While life is seemingly cherished by adherents to fundamentalist thinking, one’s uniqueness is not. Being different is not acceptable; individuality is a myth.
That’s the chilling takeaway from Edgerton’s film and Conley’s real-life experience. It features very strong performances from the entire cast, especially Kidman and Crowe who standout despite playing a supporting role. And the sometimes-actor, Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ bassist, Flea, is particularly unnerving as a homophobic mentor. Meanwhile Edgerton, with a disquieting calm, holds our attention through a self-serving compulsion to slowly, agonisingly tease out the perceived sins he consciously sets out to find in his vulnerable targets.
Directed by: Joel Edgerton
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