🎬 𝐁𝐨𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 (𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖)

Boy Erased (2018) is a powerful drama directed by Joel Edgerton, based on the memoir by Garrard Conley. The film follows Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges), a teenager from a conservative Christian family who is sent to a gay conversion therapy program after being outed to his parents. His father, Marshall (Russell Crowe), a Baptist preacher, and his mother, Nancy (Nicole Kidman), struggle to reconcile their religious beliefs with their love for their son. Hoping to "cure" him, they enroll Jared in a program run by Victor Sykes (Joel Edgerton), a strict and oppressive figure who claims homosexuality can be eradicated through faith and discipline.

At the conversion camp, Jared and other participants are subjected to psychological abuse, shaming tactics, and rigid gender norms designed to suppress their identities. The program enforces strict rules, forcing attendees to confess their "sins" and endure emotional and sometimes physical humiliation. Jared befriends other participants, including Cameron (Britton Sear), who is pushed to the breaking point under the pressure of the program. As Jared experiences these injustices, he begins to question the legitimacy of conversion therapy and the ideology it promotes.

Through flashbacks, the film reveals Jared’s journey before entering the program—his struggles with self-acceptance, a traumatic experience with a classmate, and the moment his parents learned about his sexuality. These memories highlight the inner conflict he faces, torn between his identity and the expectations placed upon him by his family and faith. His mother, initially supportive of the therapy, gradually begins to see the damage it causes, realizing that her love for Jared should not be conditional on religious doctrine.

As Jared gains the courage to challenge the program, he ultimately decides to leave, standing up to Sykes and rejecting the harmful ideology forced upon him. His mother supports his decision, but his father remains conflicted, unable to fully accept Jared’s identity. The film concludes with Jared reclaiming his life, forging his own path, and advocating against conversion therapy, while his relationship with his father remains unresolved but open to change.

Boy Erased is a deeply moving and necessary film that sheds light on the harmful practices of conversion therapy and the emotional toll it takes on LGBTQ+ individuals. Lucas Hedges delivers a heartbreaking performance, supported by Nicole Kidman’s compassionate portrayal of a mother’s evolving love and Russell Crowe’s nuanced depiction of a father caught between faith and family. The film’s message is one of resilience, self-acceptance, and the importance of unconditional love, making it a vital exploration of identity, faith, and the power of personal truth.