I've read a couple of the negative comments on this film and was struck by one theme; the complaint that they couldn't relate to any of these people. I think that's incredibly short-sighted. This movie is about someone who was struggling with questions about their own identity, and society's attitude towards it. We may not be exactly like Brandon Teena/Teena Brandon, but who among us hasn't, at some point in our lives, struggled with some kind of identity question, at who we are and how we fit in, especially in today's world, when we're bombarded with how we're supposed to fit a "perfect" mold, and are left aside when we don't?
So in addition to Brandon's story, we get the parallel story of Lana, played beautifully by Chloe Sevigny, who is fast emerging as one of our best young actresses. Like Brandon, Lana struggles with questions of identity. She works in a factory on the night shift, and lives in a small town where there's nothing to do(except the odd karaoke night) and no one new to be with. She's headed for the stereotypical role we apply to woman at her stage in life, and while she knows she doesn't want that, she sees no way of escaping. Then she meets Brandon, and for the first time, sees a hope of escaping. For her, the talk of Memphis and singing for a living is more than just a dream, it's a way to open up new worlds for her. This, perhaps, is why she denies to herself who Brandon really is.
That feeling, initially, is also why Lana's friends, including John and Tom also deny to themselves who Brandon really is. He brings something fresh and different to their world, just by being so gung-ho to join (even after Brandon screws up so many times early on when trying to ride on the back of a truck, we can see John cheered by his perseverance). And as one reviewer up here pointed out, if Brandon did deceive everybody, it was a willing deception; they so wanted something new they wore blinders until things came to a head. And yet while this was a horrible crime, director Kimberly Peirce manages to convince us that these weren't terrible people; they just did a terrible thing.
Of course, I have to mention Hilary Swank in the main role, especially since I was going to pass this up because of her initially. I had seen her in a couple of movies(BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) and wasn't impressed, plus she was on Beverly Hills 90210. But she's amazing here. You can always sense the longing Brandon has to be accepted, as we all do, to be accepted for who we are.
So in addition to Brandon's story, we get the parallel story of Lana, played beautifully by Chloe Sevigny, who is fast emerging as one of our best young actresses. Like Brandon, Lana struggles with questions of identity. She works in a factory on the night shift, and lives in a small town where there's nothing to do(except the odd karaoke night) and no one new to be with. She's headed for the stereotypical role we apply to woman at her stage in life, and while she knows she doesn't want that, she sees no way of escaping. Then she meets Brandon, and for the first time, sees a hope of escaping. For her, the talk of Memphis and singing for a living is more than just a dream, it's a way to open up new worlds for her. This, perhaps, is why she denies to herself who Brandon really is.
That feeling, initially, is also why Lana's friends, including John and Tom also deny to themselves who Brandon really is. He brings something fresh and different to their world, just by being so gung-ho to join (even after Brandon screws up so many times early on when trying to ride on the back of a truck, we can see John cheered by his perseverance). And as one reviewer up here pointed out, if Brandon did deceive everybody, it was a willing deception; they so wanted something new they wore blinders until things came to a head. And yet while this was a horrible crime, director Kimberly Peirce manages to convince us that these weren't terrible people; they just did a terrible thing.
Of course, I have to mention Hilary Swank in the main role, especially since I was going to pass this up because of her initially. I had seen her in a couple of movies(BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) and wasn't impressed, plus she was on Beverly Hills 90210. But she's amazing here. You can always sense the longing Brandon has to be accepted, as we all do, to be accepted for who we are.