Review – Boys Don’t Cry

The forces of the independent film world come together to tell this grim story about a trans man who falls in love in rural Nebraska, not exactly an environment famous for its tolerance of alternative sexuality. The acting is good, the script well-crafted, and the production values high for an indie (managing to avoid most of the arty conceits that frequently dog such productions). If the film suffers from a serious fault (aside from the extremely graphic depiction of rape, which I guess was integral to the plot), it’s the obvious tension that infects the entire story. Will the other characters discover the protagonist’s secret? If and when they do, how will they react? Further, those who know a little about the true story that served as the basis for the film go into it with the knowledge that it isn’t likely to have a happy ending. Tension aside, however, this is a good if more than a little depressing morality tale. Worth seeing