Thoughts on The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Note: I feel bad being harsh on it bc I have friends who worked on the crew!

I think anyone who didn't know this was based on a novel would be shocked to find out that it was. It feels very reduced and structureless. There are non-linear flashbacks here and there but they don't add to much. It seems the idea was for this to be a character study within the conversion therapy, and a charge against institutional religion and homophobia of course. But there's a muddled, cynical, questionable perspective on everything.

Moretz (okay performance)-- her lead feels kind of vacant and barely detailed. Most of the other characters aren't developed at all. By the end Moretz' assertion of "emotional abuse" doesn't feel so true. The movie goes out of its way to sympathize with aspects of the camp.....and the John Gallagher character who works at the camp winds up being by far the most sympathetic. (Also had this problem with Disobedience also from this year-- goes too soft on religion and wants to endear us to its members.)

And then there's the last shot, reminiscent of The Graduate. It makes the opposite points that it wants to make, I think, bc their freedom comes off as fleeting and worrisome-- life's larger unknown problems await them! That final note, maybe they were going for "comfort" but it felt to me like malaise.

Idk 6/10 if that. It's unfortunate bc Desiree Akhavan's debut Appropriate Behavior if anything showed her potential as a candid new filmmaker but this is a step back.