Bruised Boys

Authors: Douglas Reese
Location: Clarksville, OH

"Bruised Boys"

Director: Gary Ross
Screenplay: Gary Ross and Jeff Nathanson
Producers: Nathan Lane and Gary Ross
Score: John Williams

Principal Cast:

Zac Efron – Nathan McGee
Haley Joel Osment – Lance Howell
Thomas Haden Church – Multry Howell
Cate Blanchett – Vivian Howell
Frances McDormand – Jennifer McGee
Evan Rachel Wood – Sarah Lockwood
Jack Nicholson - Bradley

Tagline: "They have a choice…”

Synopsis: A dramatic-romantic comedy about two teenagers who fall in love. Nathan McGee is struggling to come out about his homosexuality because of his girlfriend Sarah. Lance Howell also hides his sexual preference from his gay-hating parents Multry and Vivian. When the two meet on the Internet, the two fall in love – without even seeing each other. Not knowing it’s only puppy love, the two struggle with coming out. Plus, to make matters worse for the two, Nathan’s mother Jennifer is dying of cancer, and Lance’s homophobic father Multry just discovered his son’s homosexuality. The two boys then decide to meet…

What the press would say:

Controversial for two of the film’s scenes. 1) a flashback in which Efron’s character Nathan has, looking back at when he was sexually molested by Jack Nicholson’s character Bradley. It doesn’t shy from its detail – but it doesn’t show what happens to Nathan.

Bradley just gives a disturbingly powerful –and haunting – four-minute monologue. 2) Zac Efron and Haley Joel Osment’s characters end the movie with a five-minute sex scene that goes so into detail, some people have fled the theater! But still, the film was showing the raw romance between these two characters. Filmgoers will most likely understand the film’s true meaning. But the controversy didn’t stop the film from being a critical success! Many critics praised Zac Efron’s performance the most. Although most people see him as the Disney channel heartthrob, here he proves that he is mature enough to bring forward a moving performance. Roger Ebert hailed, “It’s in his eyes, his words, the way he speaks, the way he moves his hands. He acts NOTHING like his character in High School Musical; instead he proves he’s an adult. Shame on Oscar if he does not get a nomination!” Haley Joel Osment received good reviews. Peter Travers says, "Osment does something different here. He brings a more heart filled performance rather than a creepy one like he did in The Sixth Sense. BLISTERED BOYS has a performance from Osment that packs realism and humanity!” Thomas Haden Church plays Osment’s homophobic father, coming to a conclusion that his son is gay. Church is almost a villain, but he is also a good father figure deep down. Cate Blanchett is Osment’s mother whom really, as she bluntly puts it: “hate(s) fags!” McDormand’s performance as Efron’s dying mother is “sensational” hails Richard Roeper. She loves her son so much, she is the only person who Efron has told about his sexuality and she understands like a good mother should. Evan Rachel Wood is used in one scene here and she plays it superbly! Jack Nicholson stars in a disturbing four-minute monologue role that can get him Supporting Actor, if his creepiness doesn’t let him lose grip on it. But his performance is truly harrowingly unforgettable! As for
BRUISED BOYS Roger Ebert says, “It’s a true movie and that’s what its goal was to do. And it works on a comedy level, on an emotional level, on a great movie level. One of the year’s ten best films!”

So please give this thrilling picture:

Best Picture
Best Director – Gary Ross
Best Original Screenplay – Gary Ross and Jeff
Nathanson
Best Actor – Zac Efron
Best Actor – Haley Joel Osment
Best Supporting Actor – Thomas Haden Church or Jack
Nicholson
Best Supporting Actress – Cate Blanchett or Frances
McDormand
Best Film Editing