Cinema: Boys Don't Cry

Directed by Kimberly Peirce

Teena Brandon blew into town, stuck a sock in her crotch and said she was a guy: Brandon Teena. Who believed her? Everyone, especially the lonely girls dazzled by the notion of a sweet, sympathetic man. This true-life Nebraska fable--M. Butterfly mixed with In Cold Blood--proved that love is blind and hate is too. Boys Don't Cry, a fiction film, underlines the awkwardness of cowgirl courtship as Brandon (Hilary Swank) and best friend Lana (Chloe Sevigny) probe for each other's guilty secrets. But the movie lets down the material. It's too cool: all attitude, no sizzle--horror under glass. This time, art...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!