by Joe Hammerschmidt
[NOTE: This film previously reviewed as part of the 2018 Seattle International Film Festival.]
When a significant amount of time passes between one’s viewing of a film, and when it comes time to write on said film ahead of its scheduled local release, much of what one may remember still toward the filmed work in question may have ebbed, leading one to ask what drew them into the film in the first place. In the case of most films see during SIFF, generally, it’s attributed to the fate of what the organizers opted to schedule in-theater. Regardless, out of the 50 film adventures I had embarked on during the festival this year, each had at least one memorable thing, or moment, or scene that could serve as a takeaway.
In the case of Desiree Akhavan’s The Miseducation of Cameron Post, that honor belongs to its lead actress, 21-year-old Chloë Grace Moretz. Once more, she is a crude, if not poignant anti-hero simply breaking free from conformity. The territory isn’t new, it’s just the scenario; it’s played a little messily, and not at a consistent level. There’s also the possibility you, as the viewer, may not remember much of what occurred afterward. But there may still be plenty to find captivating, if not disturbing for its subject matter.
Adapted from a 2012 novel by Emily Danforth, Akhavan’s tale is engrossed in pure early 90s culture, for better or worse. Not quite to the extreme shown last year with the 00’s in Lady Bird, the subtle reminders of where we are still appreciated, to reflect on how far society has advanced toward LGBT acceptance. Remote summer camps which focused on “gay conversion therapy” were all the rage; and high-schooler Cameron Post (Moretz) is the latest to fall under that conniving trap after being outed at prom. She gets caught with the prom queen in her car, her aunt overreacts, she gets sent to an exceedingly religious encampment known as God’s Promise. Sounds simple enough, and it stays that way with Post eager to escape, convinced from the start whatever techniques are inflicted, they just won’t work. Total bull, and she may be the one to uncover the truth; just not in a hard-biting detective manner.
The medical professional responsible for their care, Dr. Lydia (Jennifer Ehle), is considerably impossible to reason with. Yet she’s not entirely aggressive with her patients, only stoic if not a trifle menacing, like she’s scheming for a diabolical plot with zero payoff. Ehle portrays the character as professionally as could be expected, but her endgame is left to the imagination for which direction it goes. Her sister, the overwhelmingly positive Reverend Rick (John Gallagher Jr.) may appear a brimming bowl of strawberries and sunshine, but make no mistake, he’s holding onto some classic traits one may notice easiest in a recovering addict. He tries to promote the intended message to Cameron, her roommate Erin (Emily Skeggs), mutual friend Adam (Forrest Goodluck), between the three of them an alliance forms to quietly chip away at the false promises “The Lord” may offer through Rick and Lydia’s instructions; as well as fellow frustrated campers Mark (Owen Campbell), Jane (Sasha Lane), and Bethany (Marin Ireland).
Akhavan, in only her second directorial effort, doesn’t necessarily aim for a rather high standard, opting more to stay below the cinematic radar to allow for a little added rawness and/or intensity around the youth cast. That would only make sense if one’s directorial goal involve the intent to sell frustration at a broken system in an otherwise disorganized world. It almost looks a little too easy, with Moretz in the front passenger seat, Goodluck and Lane the valuable copilots responsible for showing all manner of emotional eclipses. The film’s lead star, who’s kept herself quite busy in varying genres; Kick-Ass 2 for action; Laggies for a poignant dramedy; and last year’s November Criminals for a potboiler crime thriller. At such a young age, her variety for rather different roles has never ceased; Cameron Post proves this even further, keeping her actions controlled yet very visible, in one among her finest characters.
She’s the strongest peg in a rather uneven wall of construction, Danforth’s manuscript serving as the crude blueprints, whose reading of might have allowed a better understanding of the events at hand. The term “fake it til you make it” makes a rather triumphant statement toward Cameron’s demeanor in ensuring survival; those very words could almost apply to Akhavan’s direction. It’s not necessarily faking anything, there just appears to be a lack of general guidance in the plot’s trajectory, where we do wrap around characters’ relatability with razor-sharp precision, but again we’re at a loss as to the where and the why.
The film’s open-endedness, all too predictably, dictates its constriction. It can adapt to the ebbs and flows of deep emotional trauma, notably in those scenes where the downfall of one’s mental fortitude against manipulation of biological urges is categorized and shown at a high range of 100%. Yet the scenes that can’t stack in the same rows, rather fluffy moments involving prayer-driven jazzercise (in two of the more awkward scenes throughout), hokey summer camp sing-alongs, and quiet moments in therapy talk sessions, don’t necessarily compliment the more poignant aspects, as they could more easily hinder what had been built up when all emotional corners are bared.
There are just small annoyances, like where the film’s real redeeming value falls; it will be different for everyone. While “straight camps” have slowly phased out in state-by-state legislation, there’s no denying its potential importance as a high school learning tool down the line. Cameron Post will prove impactful to many, with a deep connection that could still speak to kids struggling with their identity, and the possibility that forcing it away could lead to later consequences. It’s a film that plays uncertainty through a wider lens, opening extended opportunities for a serious dialogue over the why. Its determination to stay truthful, while also very rough on the sides is enough of a reward on its own; added with an excellent cast aware of the added challenge to keep it as convincing as possible, it can excel beyond given expectations, and leave those in their seats grateful for where and how far we’d go for acceptance, whether right or wrong. This film just manages to prove which is which. (B-)
The Miseducation of Cameron Post plays for a limited engagement at Seattle’s SIFF Cinema Uptown, beginning this weekend, Friday 8/10; film not rated; 90 minutes.
