They/Them review.
They/Them isn’t entirely sure what kind of movie it is. There is a good one in here…but it too often turns away from them in favor of a bland, unnecessary slasher movie. The cast does what they can with a script that gets enough right to engage, and enough wrong to disappoint.
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They/Them
Directed by John Logan
Written by John Logan
Starring Kevin Bacon, Theo Germaine, Anna Chlumsky, Carrie Preston, Quei Tann and Austin Crute
They/Them Review
They/Them shouldn’t be a slasher movie. To be fair, it barely is one. The slasher element is an unneeded piece tacked on. Maybe it was done to make the movie feel more accessible. Maybe so they could market it. Whatever the reason, it is the weakest part of a movie that is only hurt by its existence.
A group of LGBTQ teens are sent to a conversion camp. The camp counselors seem nice enough and promise the camp isn’t what they think it is. There are emotional breakthroughs and talk of accepting yourself to begin…but eventually things turn very dark. Also, there’s a masked killer on the loose.
I purposely tacked the last sentence onto the plot synopsis because it’s the best way to describe how it feels while watching They/Them. There is a slight mystery slasher trope killer on the loose. It does tie into the plot in the end. It is horrible. The kills aren’t anything special. The reveal exists to thematically tie up a character journey and it does so in a heavy-handed sloppy way. It’s a disappointing ending to a movie that didn’t need to go down the route it does.
It’s the major flaw in They/Them. The final scene is so bad that there is no way to walk away from the movie without your eyes rolled back into your head. What’s being presented is for positive reasons. That’s good. The problem is that it’s done with such unsubtlety and in a way that feels like pure pandering.
What makes this aspect of They/Them so deflating is that you can see a good movie in there.
The cast does a great job throughout. Kevin Bacon gives his character an inviting kindness that perfectly sets the uncomfortable tone of They/Them. There is no such thing as a good conversion camp. The gay and transgender teens in the cast are played by gay and transgender actors. The movie largely avoids making them the butt of any jokes…which for a slasher movie at a camp is unique and respectable.
The cast does a good job with a script that alternates between taking things seriously and having a bad one-line stinger. There are moments of strong emotion peppered throughout They/Them. These are the times when the actors get a chance to shine. Nothing in the performances strike unauthentic. At least until that final scene.
And this is where They/Them loses its way. There is a profound horror movie under the surface begging to be made. Scenes of emotional and physical torture of the teens are as rooted in true terror as anything you’ll see. It’s why this shouldn’t be a slasher movie. This should be a serious take on teens forced to attend a conversion camp. The emotion and horror of it makes the slasher element look downright silly.
Maybe that version of They/Them doen’t get made. I understand that. But it should. The representation here feels real. Their fears are authentic. The damage being done to them is more impactful than anything a masked killer is going to do at this camp. The frustrating thing is that you can see that movie here. There are moments that are so mean spirited that watching these characters endure it creates a group of people to root for. And against. Whenever the movie breaks that theme to do a basic slasher mystery it is beyond aggravating.
For about 2/3rds of They/Them (save for one unfortunate musical interlude) they handle being a social commentary movie respectfully. After that we either waste time with the slasher mystery or trying to over dramatically hammer home the message. It’s unfortunate that a movie capable of telling a difficult story well falls into these traps late.
There’s a scene where our main character Jordan (Theo Germaine) is in a therapy session with Dr. Whistler (Carrie Preston) that is a brutal, riveting and depressing examination of how a trans youth might look at the way the world looks at them, and how they look at themselves. It’s a sophisticated psychological horror that feels so authentic it is difficult to watch. There are scenes where the teens introduce themselves and explain why they are at the camp that are heartbreaking and eye opening.
There’s a good horror movie in They/Them. One full of fully realized, authentic characters facing true pain and real terror. You can see it. For about half a movie you think you might even get it. What we get instead is a frustrating series of choices that make the movie feel like something far less scary and far less real.
Scare Value
They/Them works best when it understands that the real horror is the treatment of these kids at the hands of horrible people. Not just within the camp…but within their stories about why they were sent to the camp to begin with. The slasher mystery component is a detriment to the movie. There were enough things done well in the first half of They/Them to get you on board for a fun ending. The movie completely fails to deliver one. If we could make this They/Them review about intent we’d have a should watch. But we have to base it on what it not what could have been.
2/5
They/Them Link
They/Them Trailer
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