"He loved his family. She, her divinity"

Title: Prayers for Bobby
Year: 2009
Genre: Drama, Biography
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Writer: Katie Ford (teleplay), Leroy Aarons (book)
Runtime: 90min
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Henry Czenry, Ryan Kelley, Austin Nichols, Carly Schroeder, Shannon Eagen, Scott Bailey, Dan Butler, Susan Ruttan
Produc.: Daniel Sladek Entertainment, Once Upon a Time Films, Permut Presentations

Inspired by true events, Prayers for Bobby tells us how Mary Griffith (Sigourney Weaver), a religious fundamentalist who refuses to accept her gay son, ends up leading young Bobby (Ryan Kelley) to suicide. 

I saw this drama long ago, when I yet, did not have the blog, and given that now I have the movie in my video library, it occurred to me to watch it again, to refresh my memory to comment it. 

Prayers for Bobby starts at one, with the most dramatic moment of the film. Bobby, in his 20´s and with so much ahead, decides that it is no longer worth living, if by being a homosexual he does not deserve to be accepted, neither by God nor by his mother. Bobby throws himself from a bridge, to be runned over and die instantly. 

The unexpected event has obviously got a strong impact on those who loved him, but not to all, in the same way. Precisely as his mother has difficulties separating this matter from her religious belief, she is not capable of dealing with the fear that Bobby might not be accepted in heaven.

The film is not just about the conflict between a mother and her child, but rather is the starting point, for Russell Mulcahy to denounce the social problem of discrimination. 

By the way, I think it important to clarify that I am not opposed to the freedom of belief, and that believeing is a choice as any other. However, I do consider that, with or without gods, it is essential for one to be able to reason for itself, which is exactly what Mary does not do. 

So devoted is Mary that she lets herself to be guided, in every way, by her faith. She keeps reciting biblical passages and measures people, judging them by her dogma. Suddenly the younger son of hers turns out to be gay, which is contrary to all that, for her, is good and pure, and therefore a sin, so Mary feels that Bobby has strayed from the right path. Her religious fanaticism prevents her from trying to understand him and respect him for what he is, and acts like someone who only wants what she believes to be good at God´s eyes. 

On the other hand, with the secret having being revealed, Bobby Griffith is anything but supported. Instead of understanding, he finds himself with a mother for whom his homosexuality is unthinkable and awuful. A unacceptable offense to the divine plan, which has to be erased, and never accepted. Neither his father is of big help for his poor ability to communicate and for being unable to stop a woman who is solving the issue in a bad manner. It is only then, months after Bobby's death, that Mary finds answers, but when the situation is already irreversible. 

Russell Mulcahy criticizes here the church, but properly, always taking the trouble of showing us its nuances. He also seeks for us to know that, despite its faults, catholicism has also got values. 

Mary, for example, goes to Portland, where she meets Reverend Whitsell (Dan Butler), who tells her of not taking so literally, what says in the Bible. Whitsell explains her that its possible interpretations may vary according to the times, the social groups and according to each person, although most importantly, he gives her to understand that for God, a mother should love her children without conditions. 

Despite this, there is also an extreme negative side. In the mass celebrated in Bobby´s honor we hear Reverend Owens speaking, and who really leaves much to be desired. The incredible thing is that this man has got the courage to say the the kid has been tempted to then sin, when the only sinner here had been his mother, for not supporting him. No one, when Bobby lived, had bothered to ask him if he had chosen his orientation, while, in the same way, now he is so easily accussed of impure. His death is, of course, a terrible loss. But Bobby died a sinner: first, for being gay, and secondly, for taking his life. 

In any case, Prayers for Bobby aims, above all, to expose the flaws of catholicism, being discrimination against homosexuals, only one of the important topics. 

Mary, in her fanaticism, is incapable of reasoning, and she has chosen to understand to the letter the biblical texts, regardless of its consequences. And one thing, in religious terms, is to convey certain values and form thinking minds, while another very different is to shape fundamentalists, who do not even questioned those teachings. 

In the end, I think, no matter what religion one answered to, our religious beliefs should never overlap the acceptance of our loved ones. 

My rating: 8/10

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