Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Play-based drama has language and nudity.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Boys in the Band
What's the Story?
It's 1968 and Michael (Jim Parsons) is throwing a 32nd birthday party for his old friend Harold (Zachary Quinto) as THE BOYS IN THE BAND begins. A collection of friends attend, including Michael's depressed ex-lover Donald (Matt Bomer), a buoyant Emory (Robin de Jesus), Hank (Tuc Watkins), who's recently left his wife and kids for the non-monogamous player Larry (Andrew Rannells), and Bernard (Michael Benjamin Washington), whose past includes the shame of living in the closet as well as the indignities of racism. Michael's college roommate Alan (Brian Hutchison), who Michael suspects of being closeted, arrives unexpectedly with his own private challenges. As the guests drink and smoke, past conflicts arise and old resentments are called up.
Is It Any Good?
The film gives a brutally honest look at the interpersonal relationships among a group of gay friends. While the original stage version of The Boys in the Band was ground-breaking for 1968, director Joe Mantello's adaptation may seem dated to younger audiences born in more accepting times. Given the widespread homophobia of 1960s society, the show's ultimate message is that the trauma of living under these conditions creates anxiety and self-loathing. This trauma is reflected in the way that marginalized people treat one another, even among members of their own chosen families—a true tragedy. While undoubtedly dark, the movie is well acted, with de Jesus standing out with a nuanced performance. The Boys in the Band remains an important, self-reflective work of drama in LGBTQ+ history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the self-loathing that permeates The Boys in the Band. How did being socially outcast from mainstream 1960s society impact the characters in the film?
How have attitudes changed toward LGBTQ+ communities since 1968? Why is this important, both to queer people and society in general? What challenges remain in combating fear and intolerance?
Do you think acceptance of difference, in family and in society, is a social good? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 30, 2020
- Cast : Jim Parsons , Matt Bomer , Andrew Rannells , Robin de Jesus , Brian Hutchinson , Michael Benjamin Washington
- Director : Joe Mantello
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s) , Gay Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Gay Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 121 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for sexual content, language, some graphic nudity and drug use
- Last updated : May 30, 2024
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