Movie: Boys Don’t Cry

Release Date: October 22, 1999

Director: Kimberly Peirce

Starring:Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III, Alicia Goranson, Jeannetta Arnette, Matt McGrath.

Tag Lines: “A true story about finding the courage to be yourself.”

Relevance: I don’t remember exactly when I saw ‘Boys Don’t Cry.’ I just know that after I saw it, I needed a few days for it to sink in. It was a powerful movie with absolutely incredible performances that needed a little extra time to marinate.

Hilary Swank was a relatively unknown actress at the time. The only “big” movie she was in that I knew of was ‘The Next Karate Kid,’ which I have actually never seen. I was blown away by her portrayal of Brandon Teena. Ms. Swank completely lost herself in the role and gave a brave, gut-wrenching, beautiful performance. It is a performance that stays with you long after the credits roll. It haunted me for days. She received numerous accolades for the film and every single one of them was well deserved. The rest of the cast telling this dark, gritty, true life tale were just as impressive if not unnerving, especially Chloë Sevigny, whose performance as Lana Tisdel was flawless.

The fact that ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ was produced and released in 1999, a darker time for LGBTQ people, especially trans-gendered individuals, should be applauded. Going into the film, I did not know anything about the real Brandon Teena. It was not an easy story to tell and not an easy one to watch for the audience. However it is an important story and thanks to Kimberly Peirce, its passionate director, it was crafted into a beautiful work of art.

Today’s Thoughts: “Becky Conner’s in this movie, right?” I watched this today with my husband on our anniversary. Not the happy-go-lucky kind of film one would think to watch on such a happy occasion, but one that at least kept us quiet for its almost two hour run time. And if you have ever watched a movie with my husband, that alone speaks volumes.

‘Boys Don’t Cry’ is still a tough movie to watch, but it is such a well directed and acted one that it should be watched. The performances are just as raw and emotional as ever. Hilary Swank is just perfection in the role. It has to be one of the greatest performances by an actress in the history of film, in my humble opinion. Any student or fan of film acting should watch this and take notes. She’s that good.

“See, that’s Beck Conner.” OK, so my husband wasn’t 100% quiet during the movie. But he was correct, Lecy Goranson is in the movie and does have a pretty decent role. Although not a huge stretch from Becky, she is still rather good in it.

The film still left me and my husband feeling a little dark after watching it. It is a powerful piece of art and I do highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it yet. Maybe just don’t watch it on your anniversary.

Awards: Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Hilary Swank (winner), Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Chloe Sevigny (nomination), Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, Hilary Swank (winner), Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Chloe Sevigny, BAFTA Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Hilary Swank (nomination), Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, Hilary Swank (nomination), Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, Chloe, Sevigny (nomination), Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress, Hilary Swank (winner), Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, Hilary Swank (winner), Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female, Chloe Sevigny (winner), Film Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature Over $500,000 (nomination), Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Producer, Eva Kolodner (nomination), Film Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, Kimberly Peirce, Andy Bienen (nomination), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress, Hilary Swank (winner), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress, Chloe Sevigny (winner), National Board of Review Award for Outstanding Directorial Debut, Kimberly Peirce (winner), National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance – Female, Hilary Swank (winner), National Board of Review Award for Top Ten Films (winner), National Film Registry (2019) (winner), National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress, Chloe Sevigny (winner), National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress, Hilary Swank (nomination), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, Hilary Swank (winner), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best First Film, Kimberly Peirce (nomination), New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress, Chloe Sevigny (nomination).

Ways to Watch: YouTube, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Hulu, DVD Availability.