356. The Miseducation of Cameron Post ; movie review

THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST
Cert 15
91 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex, drugs misuse

Neither Mrs W nor I are religious. We just don't understand the concept of blind faith, based on dubious evidence.
However, we are perfectly content that people should follow their own conscience and, to paraphrase the words of the comedian, Dave Allen, "may their god go with them."
Where we draw the line is the type of religious extremism which is highlighted in The Miseducation of Cameron Post.
Desiree Akhavan's film focuses on a camp called "God's Project" at which brother and sister zealots attempt to turn gay students straight.
It stars Chloe Grace Moretz as a teenager who has been discovered making love to a girl (Quinn Shephard) in the back her boyfriend's car.
As a result, she is packed off to a boot camp where teenagers are taught the evils of SSA (same sex attraction).
It makes our skin crawl that people should interpret the bible to persecute others but that is exactly what is happening here and, remarkably, it is based on reality.
Yes, there really are camps in America where such 'therapy' takes place.
Even, more bizarrely, there are parents and relatives who send their children in the hope that they will be transformed.
I digress.
Moretz is terrific as Cameron Post who is both riddled with self-doubt but, understandably, unable to suppress her sexual feelings.
Cameron is more than sceptical over the God's Project ethos and methods but it takes her a while to find allies.
Thus, she has to endure an atmosphere of extreme homophobia - all in the name of god.
Jennifer Ehle and John Gallagher Jr are convincing as the intransigent leaders of the programme - one intense to the point of cruelty and the other more gentle in approach.
Meanwhile, Sasha Lane and Forrest Goodluck play Cameron's kindred dissenting spirits.
It adds up to a film which leaves its audience asking the question: "This couldn't possibly happen in 2018, could it?"
It could and it does.


Reasons to watch: Powerful face-off between religion and sexuality
Reasons to avoid: It goes over the same ground a bit

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 8/10

Director quote - Desiree Akhavan: "With filmmaking, it’s important that if you’re making a queer film, your heads of department and creative team are queer. But with my actors, they were almost all teenagers, and I don’t think it’s my business to ask them about their sexuality." 

The big question - How can this happen in 2018?

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