The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018) Review

"What's worse: karaoke night or living on the streets?"

-Jane

"Tough call."

-Adam

In 1993, high-schooler Cameron Post (Chloë Grace Moretz) is caught making out with another girl at the Homecoming dance and is sent to God's Promise, a conversion therapy camp.  Cameron's roommate, Erin (Emily Skeggs), is committed to getting "cured" and is willing to tell on others to help them be "cured" as well.  Cameron befriends Jane (Sasha Lane) and Adam (Forrest Goodluck), both of whom are just trying to B.S. their way through the camp until they are allowed to go home.  Cameron is stuck trying to figure out who she is as she deals with conversion therapy led by Dr. Lydia March (Jennifer Ehle) and her brother Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr.), who is an "ex-gay" himself.

What Works:

The short answer here is; everything works.  But to get more in-depth, I'll start with Chloë Grace Moretz who kills it as Cameron.  Most of the movie is her saying, "I don't know" or "I'm not sure" in order to avoid the tough questions she is asked.  She has a hard time opening up emotionally and her character gets called out on it several times.  I don't blame her, I wouldn't want to open up in this situation either.  It's interesting because usually we want characters to show emotion, but we really don't here.  Her deflection gives her power over the camp leaders, which is what we want to see.  Eventually she does break down and it's powerful.  The breakdown comes during a phone call with her aunt and the shot lingers on Cameron long after the call ends.   It's heart-breaking stuff as Cameron's guardian, the one person who should have her back, won't let her come home, and Moretz gives a great performance.  

To continue on this thread, there are many uses of long-takes throughout the film where shots go on for much longer than one would expect and I think this works to the film's advantage.  It shows how awkward some of the interactions around this conversion therapy camp are and I find that interesting.  It also shows that this isn't just a movie.  When scenes go on longer than one would expect, it's a reminder that this stuff actually happens and real people live through this.  It's a sobering and effective technique that is well utilized by director Desiree Akhavan.

John Gallagher Jr. also gives an impressive performance.  His character, Reverend Rick, is sort of the good-cop to his sister's bad-cop.  He's the nicer of the two and can really empathize with the campers because he struggled with same sex-attraction in his youth before being "cured" by his sister.  He really means well and wants to help the campers, but we see him break down over the course of the film and we know he was never really "cured".  His breakdown in front of Cameron is one of the best scenes in the film and him not knowing how to answer Cameron's questions is rather heartbreaking.  Rick is a victim himself, but is continuing the cycle of emotional abuse.  It's a great performance from Gallagher.

This movie is subtle.  It never gets too over-the-top with the actions of the camp leaders.  It's a well-written story and what the leaders say sounds halfway legitimate.  With this sort of writing, it's easy to see how vulnerable and confused kids are susceptible to what God's Promise is trying to do.  It's another heartbreaking realization and I have to commend the writers of the film, Desiree Akhavan and Cecila Frugiuele for their excellent dialogue.

Finally, when this film gets dark, it gets really dark and I really appreciate it.  The climax of the film is some amazing filmmaking, which cuts back and forth between one of the campers, Mark (Owen Campbell), as he has a breakdown, having been told he would be able to leave the camp come winter, but having his father change his mind, and Cameron discovering a large amount of blood in a bathroom.  I sat straight up in my seat when this sequence was happening and the truth of what happened in that bathroom is even more horrifying than I could have guessed.  It's a truly effective sequence and the reaction to it it by the other campers is fantastic.  The darkness this film dives into takes awhile to come, but is horrifyingly worth it once it arrives and truly leaves an impression.

What Sucks:

I got nothing for ya.

Verdict:

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is one of the best films I've seen this year.  The writing, acting, and directing are all top notch and I love how subtle it is for the majority of the run-time, but when it gets dark, it doesn't hold back.  It's an effective and heartbreaking story and does absolutely everything right.  Without a doubt, The Miseducation of Cameron Post has got it going on.

 10/10: Amazing