Boys Don't Cry

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1:32

Boys Don't Cry

R

Released Sep 2, 1999

1h 59m

Biography

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

85 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biologically female. Resettling in the small town of Falls City, Nebraska, Brandon falls for Lana, an aspiring singer, and begins to plan for their future together. But when her ex-convict friends, John and Tom, learn Brandon's secret, things change very quickly.

Critics Consensus

Harrowing yet stirring, Boys Don't Cry powerfully commemorates the life -- and brutally unjust death -- of transgender teen Brandon Teena.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

It’s not a stretch to say that director Kimberly Peirce’s 1999 Academy Award-winning debut Boys Don’t Cry helped save my life.

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 29, 2024

Full Review

Peter Stack

San Francisco Chronicle

Rated: 3/4

Jun 18, 2002

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Globe and Mail

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 19, 2002

Full Review

Savina Petkova

A Good Movie To Watch

The film features fantastic performances aplenty and very raw storytelling, visualized by neorealist style and low lighting.

Rated: 86/100

Nov 24, 2023

Full Review

Jennifer & Marty

Alabama Forum

With this movie, Brandon's memory lives on forever.

May 5, 2023

Full Review

Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

Kimberly Peirce's film is unarguably one of the finest adult dramas of the year, and arguably one of the best examples of independent filmmaking in recent memory.

Dec 16, 2022

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kim hang l

the movie is so good, it's so real, many scenes are so heartbreaking that I had to skip them, I was so moved when I watched this movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/25/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Truly one of the best films ever made

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/08/25

Full Review

Gianvito A

Amazing movie, great story, great acting, very emotional just wow

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/18/24

Full Review

barbara b

Great movie phenomenal acting

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/04/24

Full Review

Rami A

All I can say is that this film has nothing but excellent acting, especially from Hilary Swank.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/08/24

Full Review

Blu B

All Time Classic. Brutal, raw, and powerful. What's crazy is you jus know a character like Brandon will not have a happy ending because of his flaws which have nothing to do with his sex. And the more things get happier and more positive the more a pit in your stomach builds because you can just feel the dread build more and more. I really can't think of many other films that do that. The acting is truly phenominal and a Oscar worthy performance by Swank rivals the best female performances ever put to screen. No one blends in, nothing is forgettable, and it truly is difficult to watch in the final 30 minutes. It's a coming of age romance, and drama tragedy. Absolutely watch this if you feel you can handle really dark moments because it's story is powerful and will leave you thinking.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/01/23

Full Review

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Kimberly Peirce

Director

Hilary Swank

Teena Brandon

Chloë Sevigny

Lana Tisdel

Peter Sarsgaard

John Lotter

Brendan Sexton III

Tom Nissen

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Why 1999 Was The Ultimate Year for Teen Movies

Boys Don't Cry: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biologically female. Resettling in the small town of Falls City, Nebraska, Brandon falls for Lana, an aspiring singer, and begins to plan for their future together. But when her ex-convict friends, John and Tom, learn Brandon's secret, things change very quickly.

Director: Kimberly Peirce
Producer: Eva Kolodner, John Hart, Christine Vachon, Jeff Sharp
Screenwriter: Kimberly Peirce, Andy Bienen
Distributor: Fox, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Production Co: Independent Film Channel, Hart-Sharp Entertainment, Killer Films
Rating: R
Genre: Biography, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 2, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.5M
Runtime: 1h 59m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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