Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
88%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
50 wins & 38 nominations total
Harrowing yet stirring, Boys Don’t Cry powerfully commemorates the life — and brutally unjust death — of transgender teen Brandon Teena
Boys Don’t Cry is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and question everything you thought you knew about gender and sexuality. Hilary Swank’s performance is so good, you’ll forget she’s not actually Brandon Teena. The film’s use of lighting and scenery perfectly captures the feeling of being stuck in a small town with no way out. And let’s not forget about the soundtrack – it’s a banger. Overall, Boys Don’t Cry is a must-watch for anyone who wants to see a powerful story told with heart and humanity.
Production Company(ies)
Bluemark Productions, C-Hundred Film Corporation, Civilian Pictures,
Distributor
Fox, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Austin, Texas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence including an intense brutal rape scene, sexuality, language and drug use
Year of Release
2000
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 59m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 2, 1999 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 18, 2000
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III, Alison Folland, Alicia Goranson, directed by Kimberly Peirce, written by Kimberly Peirce, Andy Bienen, biography, drama, LGBTQ+, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Peter Stack, Stephen Hunter, Steven Rosen, Ernest Hardy, Gemma Files, Janet Maslin, Sheila Reid, Brandon Judell, David Walsh, Alyssa Bereznak, David Steinberg, Hilary Swank as Teena Brandon/Brandon Teena, Chloë Sevigny as Lana Tisdel, Peter Sarsgaard as John Lotter, Brendan Sexton III as Tom Nissen, produced by John Hart, Eva Kolodner, Jeff Sharp, Christine Vachon, R rating, transgender, Falls City, Nebraska, ex-girlfriend, ex-convict friends, aspiring singer, Dolby, Surround, Flat (1.85:1), Fox, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Worldwide gross: $11,540,607
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $20,016,211
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,711
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,182,793
US/Canada gross: $11,540,607
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $20,016,211
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,418
US/Canada opening weekend: $73,720
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $127,861
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,842
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $2,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $3,468,832
Production budget ranking: 1,962
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,867,966
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $14,679,413
ROI to date (est.): 275%
ROI ranking: 493
Chloë Sevigny – Lana Tisdel
Peter Sarsgaard – John Lotter
Brendan Sexton III – Tom Nissen
Alison Folland – Kate
Alicia Goranson – Candace
John Hart – Producer
Eva Kolodner – Producer
Jeff Sharp – Producer
Christine Vachon – Producer
Kimberly Peirce – Director, Writer
Andy Bienen – Writer
Director(s)
Kimberly Peirce
Writer(s)
Kimberly Peirce, Andy Bienen
Producer(s)
John Hart, Eva Kolodner, Jeff Sharp, Christine Vachon
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
50 wins & 38 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (81) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (73) | Rotten (8)
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Peter Stack
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Driven by performances of such luminous humanity that they break your heart.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4.5/5
Stephen Hunter
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
One of the year’s best American films!
January 1, 2000
Steven Rosen
Denver Post
TOP CRITIC
Swank is impressive in the lead role.
January 1, 2000
Ernest Hardy
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
With its constant juxtaposition of blazing nighttime highwayscapes and the flat Nebraska skyline, Boys Don’t Cry manages to perfectly evoke both a life spent in aimless forward motion and the stifling boredom Brandon was so desperate to escape.
January 1, 2000
Gemma Files
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
Stunning.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4.5/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Hilary Swank shows a depth of talent that is rare in even the most seasoned thespians.
May 16, 2022
Sheila Reid
Women in the Life
Now comes the cherry on the immortality cake, Kimberly Pierce’s brilliant dramatic rendition of the tale of the girl who would be a man and love as one.
October 6, 2021
Brandon Judell
Bay Area Reporter
Pierce was honest enough to take a hard look at the set of circumstances surrounding Brandon’s death. One might say that through her artistic integrity she stumbled on the general tragedy surrounding the individual tragedy.
February 16, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site
Scene after scene takes place on several emotional levels at once, with love, hate, confusion, courage, yearning, hopelessness, strength, and desperation all thrown into the mix.
May 21, 2020
David Steinberg
Transgender Tapestry
Despite being one of the first major films to grapple with being transgender in America, Boys Don’t Cry is neither self-congratulatory, heavy-handed, nor exploitative.
March 25, 2019
Alyssa Bereznak
The Ringer
[VIDEO ESSAY] Kimberly Pierce’s remarkable 1999 filmic version of Brandon Teena’s last days is a scalding indictment of the kind of consciously ignorant intolerance that runs disgracefully through America’s Heartland and Southern states.
May 28, 2012 | Rating: A
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com…
Plot
Based on actual events. Brandon Teena is the popular new guy in a tiny Nebraska town. He hangs out with the guys, drinking, cussing, and bumper surfing, and he charms the young women, who’ve never met a more sensitive and considerate young man. Life is good for Brandon, now that he’s one of the guys and dating hometown beauty Lana; however, he’s forgotten to mention one important detail. It’s not that he’s wanted in another town for GTA and other assorted crimes, but that Brandon Teena was actually born a woman named Teena Brandon. When his best friends make this discovery, Brandon’s life is ripped apart.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Hilary Swank’s performance as transgender teen Brandon Teena is “superb” and “deserved the Oscar” according to audience reviews.
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