Boys Don't Cry

Movie Response

Boys Don't Cry

First I just want to say that if I didn't have to watch this movie for class, then it wouldn't normally appeal for me to watch it. I didn't have anything against this movie; I just personally do not like watching movies that have a negative vibe like it did at the end of this movie. I know that this movie was supposed to be based on the true story of Teena Brandon, however, after watching this movie, I looked up the true story and it turned out that the movie was really faithful to the actual real life events that occurred.

At first, as I was watching the movie, I was confused as to why Teena wanted to dress up at as a man and be called Brandon. I thought that maybe she was just lesbian that didn't like dressing like a girl and wanted more of the masculine look. But then I found out that she was just having issues with not feeling right being a woman. She felt that she was stuck inside the wrong body. That's why she wanted to dress up as a man, and later on actually be able to get the operation that would make her a man physically.

Throughout the movie, I really wanted her to go back home and leave those people she met at the bar. Personally, I could tell that those people were not, "good people." They seemed like they didn't have their life straight. It seemed like Teena/Brandon wanted to leave, but for some reason, she decided to stay. I think it was mainly because she felt that she was accepted by them, mainly because they thought she was a guy.

When Brandon started liking the girl Lana, I knew then going back home was not on his mind anymore. I didn't expect for Brandon/Teena to actually use an artificial penis and be able to have "sex" with Lana. At this part of the movie, I was certain that Lana would realize that Brandon was girl, but she didn't. Brandon/Teena actually pulled it off as though he was a man. I couldn't believe it. Whatever the relationship Brandon had with Lana, I knew it would not last. Although, I kind of felt happy for her/him in a sense that, he/she was able to find someone who liked her, and continued to like her after finding out that she was woman.

There were two incidences in the movie that made me feel uncomfortable. The one was when John and his friend forcefully made Lana look at Brandon/Teena to realize that he wasn't a man, but in fact a woman. I felt so bad for Teena because she was violated. I can only imagine what she was feeling when that happened to her. To be exposed like that in front of someone whom she had grown close to. I was please to see, though, that Lana didn't turn around and