iza

*This review may contain spoilers.* Oh honey why aren’t you touching your homosexual-fleshed horror movie? Well, I was definitely scared more than not. I quite literally said “is this propaganda,” was I conditioned to react with terror and sickeness whenever intimacy was shown between the boys? Yeah, whole watch I was: scared, throwing hypotheticals to my friend beside me, and sick. Lost count of how many times I said “I’m gonna throw up” in a terrified way as well as in a sad way. But its hard for me to point to what exactly was the monster in the movie. I’d say most clearly the multiple monsters were the adults who failed the children but also the *concept*. Seriously, this was a punishment of romance. It felt so scary because the boys themselves are scared. Another thing the boys are though is that they’re thoroughly captivated by one another. That captivity carries on to the watcher as well. I was immersed and felt their sharp emotions of distraught and desire to connect. (terrified too did I mention) No matter how you may feel about the movie, its definitely something to be seen. It stands as an addition for more stories out there about homosexuality because yes, different stories deserve to be told and certainly one about the lasting effects of trying to rid queerness away. The disregard and brutality towards a connection between boys (because they were *boys*) is representation needed. It should be seen how inhumane that “treatment” is on people. The journey of fear, guilt for desire, and sorrow we see is what all those suffering from “conversion” efforts have to endure. Its unjustifiable, no matter for what reason, trying to alter someone despite knowing the consequences it’d have on the one to be “changed” is selfish. Its not for the sake of the one being “healed” its for one’s own peace of mind. The mother is such a perfect example. “I can’t lose you too,” its more about her and her wants. I loved the ending. They’ll never be alone, Ryan and Naim will always have each other, they have to have each other. Even if they’re alone, it’ll be the other they’ll see. Melodramatic maybe but they’ll *always* be there. Its a nice touch on how its almost nearly impossible to ever get over any form of conversion therapy. You can’t get away and you’re most vulnerable when you’re alone(with your thoughts).