Featured Blu-ray and DVD Review: The Miseducation of Cameron Post
May 21, 2019
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The Miseducation of Cameron Post got off to a fast start earning first place on the theater average chart during its opening weekend. However, it couldn’t maintain this momentum as it expanded and it never really escaped the art house circuit. Is the film just too art house? Or did the word-of-mouth hurt its chances?
We first meet Cameron Post and Cole Taylor at a Bible class. The pastor talks about how teenagers are the prime target for the Devil and how that what seems like fun now is just a pathway to sin. The pair head to Cameron’s house after Bible study and as soon as they make sure no one else is home, they begin to make out.
In the next scene, Cameron is being helped by her aunt, Ruth, as Cameron is getting ready to go to prom with her boyfriend. As we can tell from the previous scene, she’s not really interested in him and is rather stiff around him. Instead, she sneaks off with Cole, smokes some pot in the back of Cole’s car, and unfortunately gets caught by her boyfriend while the two are making out.
When Cameron’s aunt finds out, she sends Cameron to God's Promise, a gay conversion therapy. They are first greeted by Jan Fonda, one of the “patients” before meeting Reverend Rick Marsh, who runs the place with his sister, Dr. Lydia Marsh. Reverend Rick is outwardly happy and tries to be very supportive. Dr. Lydia is less so.
However, any more details beyond that goes into spoiler territory. We don’t even get 15 minutes into the movie before we hit spoilers, but that’s because the movie isn’t a traditional heroes journey and the film is all about how Cameron and the other patients at God's Promise deal with what happens to them there.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a tough movie to watch, but in a good way. It deals with a very difficult subject and the execution makes it even harder to watch. If the film was too heavy-handed or exploitative it would have become unintentionally funny. As it is, we really empathize with Cameron and the other residents at God’s Promise. The writing by Cecilia Frugiuele and Desiree Akhavan, and the directing by the latter, help accentuate the drama without going over the top.
Additionally, the movie is aided by a number of strong performances, including Chloë Grace Moretz as the titular Cameron Post. She is also surrounded by a number of great performances from the supporting cast, including John Gallagher, Jr., who plays Reverend Rick. In the wrong hands, this character would have been a cartoon villain, but the writing and acting prevent that from happening. Sasha Lane, Forrest Goodluck, and the rest of the supporting cast are also stellar.
The only real extra on the DVD / Blu-ray is an audio commentary track with the co-writer / director, Desiree Akhavan, and the co-writer / co-producer, Cecilia Frugiuele. There is also a 6-minute long behind-the-scenes photo gallery and two trailers. That’s not a lot, even for a limited release. It is doubly disappointing for a release labeled “Special Edition”.
The Miseducation of Cameron Post tackles a very difficult subject, but does so in a way that avoids exploitation. It is difficult to watch, but definitely worth watching. There are almost no extras on the Special Edition DVD or Blu-ray, but it is still worth picking up, if you missed the first release.
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