Plot.
Poster of Boys Don't Cry

Boys Don't Cry

1999 · Film · 118 min

  • Crime
  • Drama

Plot

A young transgender man explores his gender identity and searches for love in rural Nebraska.

About Boys Don't Cry

Boys Don't Cry is a 1999 American biographical drama film directed by Kimberly Peirce, and co-written by Peirce and Andy Bienen. The film is a dramatization of the real-life story of Brandon Teena (played by Hilary Swank), an American trans man who attempts to find himself and love in Nebraska but falls victim to a brutal hate crime perpetrated by two male acquaintances. The film co-stars Chloë Sevigny as Brandon's girlfriend, Lana Tisdel. After reading about the case while in college, Peirce conducted extensive research for a screenplay, which she worked on for almost five years. The film focuses on the relationship between Brandon and Lana. The script took dialogue directly from archive footage in the 1998 documentary The Brandon Teena Story. Many actresses sought the lead role during a three-year casting process before Swank was cast. Swank was chosen because her personality seemed similar to Brandon's. Most of the film's characters were based on real-life people; others were composites. Filming occurred during October and November 1998 in the Dallas, Texas area. The producers initially wanted to film in Falls City, Nebraska, where the real-life events had taken place; however, budget constraints meant that principal photography had to occur in Texas. The film's cinematography uses dim and artificial lighting throughout and was influenced by a variety of styles, including…

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Cast

  • Hilary SwankBrandon Teena
  • Chloë SevignyLana Tisdel
  • Peter SarsgaardJohn Lotter
  • Brendan Sexton IIITom Nissen
  • Alicia GoransonCandace
  • Alison FollandKate
  • Jeannetta ArnetteLana's Mom
  • Rob CampbellBrian
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