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Sigourney Weaver, Henry Czerny, Ryan Kelley, Dan Butler, Austin Nichols ... see more see more... , Carly Schroeder , Shannon Eagen , Scott Bailey , Rebecca Louise Miller , Lee Garlington , Susan Ruttan , Madge Levinson , Marshall McLean

A conservative Presbyterian mother reaches out to the gay community for support after driving her homosexual son to suicide in this made-for-television movie adapted from Leroy Aaron's 1995 novel. Bob... read more read more...by Griffith (Ryan Kelley) hails from a devoutly Christian family. Lately Bobby's been questioning his own sexuality, and upon confiding this information to his older brother, the news quickly circulates to their parents and other siblings. While Bobby's father and siblings resolve to stand by him despite their opposition to his startling revelation, his mother Mary (Sigourney Weaver) believes that her son is committing a sin, and encourages him to change his ways with the help of the church. Despondent over his experiences in the church, Bobby decides that his best option is to move out of the family home, all the while hoping that his mother will find a means of accepting him for who he is. But Mary is staunch in her position, and when Bobby realizes he'll never live up to his mother's expectations he takes his own life. Devastated, Mary seeks consolation from her pastor but fails to find the answers she's looking for. In time, Mary begins a dialogue with the gay community, and discovers that sometimes support can come from the places we least expect. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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87% liked it

1,647 ratings

Unrated, 2 hr.

Directed by: Russell Mulcahy

Release Date: January 21, 2009

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DVD Release Date: December 7, 2010

Stats: 298 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (298)

  • blacksheepboy
    January 11, 2012
    blacksheepboy
    A sad real story about how intolerance can destroy so many lives, and it is ironic to see that sometimes it takes a tragedy to make some people open their eyes. Sigourney Weaver offers a powerful performance in this made-for-tv movie that tends a bit towards melodrama but is alwa... read moreys sincere to what it wants to say.
  • jjnxn
    July 17, 2011
    jjnxn
    Thought provoking made for TV drama about the irrevisible damage that can be caused by blind faith and bigotry as well as the callous hatred zealots inflict in the name of their own interest and prejudice against anything they don't understand or agree with. Sigourney Weaver is a... read moren amazing actress.
  • Tss807
    April 9, 2011
    Tss807
    This is the true story of Bobby Griffith, who killed himself in 1982. Bobby was from a devote catholic family and was also gay. When he came out, everyone tried to "fix" him and it drove him to see himself as a bad person. This movie had some amazing performances in it, so much s... read moreo that it was hard to watch. It's not just a true story, but it's also performed in such a raw fashion, that it feels like you're standing in the Griffith living room watching it all unfold. A lot of similar movies about tragic stories have been made, but none of them share the raw emotion that this movie has. Sigourney Weaver is at the top of her game and it brings out the best in everyone, especially Ryan Kelley who gives the best performance of his career as Bobby. This is as real as it gets and you will need a box of tissues, but if this is a topic that effects you or someone you know, than I highly recommend taking the time to see this film.
  • irisheyes686
    August 28, 2011
    irisheyes686
    Easily one of the saddest movies I have ever seen - I bawled my eyes out more than once. It just goes to show what ignorance and hate can produce.
  • fb25827189
    October 16, 2009
    fb25827189
    Sigourney Weaver gives a wonderful performance as a woman whose son kills himself shortly after coming out to his very religious parents. The trauma sparks a crusade that tests the woman's faith and sanity as she copes with the fact that she thought her son was a sinner for being... read more Homosexual, and that she realized too late that their was nothing wrong with him, and that he is no longer living because she was to unwilling to accept the truth about her boy, and to be their for him in his time of need.

    As far a Lifetime movies go it is most certainly a heart wrenching and emotional movie that Lifetime is known for producing. But a few minor problems with the script and the production take away from an otherwise good movie, with a very important message of tolerance and acceptance of the Gay and Lesbian community. So while the film is definitely all heart, it falls a little short of being something worth repeated viewing, just another forgettable Lifetime movie that gets a bit of buzz, and then fades into obscurity.
  • Cvalda
    June 11, 2011
    Cvalda
    Sigourney Weaver's moving performance and a surprisingly good script manage to just barely overcome awful TV-movie direction and uneven performances from the rest of the cast.
  • BCT8LT
    March 23, 2011
    BCT8LT
    Live your life as you see fit. Just don't push your point of view on me, (religion or homosexuality).
  • clooneyfan
    March 23, 2011
    clooneyfan
    The mother really got on my nerves in the beginning of the movie. She was very religious and followed her faith blindly, without question. After learning her son is homosexual, she tried to "heal" him through preaching and psychiartic help.
    The poor son is conflicted by his sexu... read moreal feelings and religious upbringing.
    He finally commits suicide and the mother realizes how she made him feel unworthy of God's love. In order to atone for her unforgiving attitude towards her son, she became a champion for the Gay & Lesbian movement.
  • marcoBARRAGAN
    March 31, 2009
    marcoBARRAGAN
    Loved it! Made me cry!
    Seeing this movie made me kinda hate the mother at first for being such a b**** but then I saw her effort in leaving what she was taught and finding they way that she could feel good.
  • aaaartstar
    March 8, 2009
    aaaartstar
    this mom makes me so angry!! i can't stand her! it was an amazing movie, but i don't understand why the stupid mom had to be so prejudiced and blinded by hate that she would disown her own SON just because he was gay!!!! how come she had to lose him to suicide all because of HER... read more? and then she becomes a gay rights advocate!! she is such a hypocrite and it pains me that there are people this judgmental in the world that make people go to horrible extremes like bobby did.

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    • Mary Griffith: Before you echo AMEN to your home and in place of worship, think and remember, a child is listening.
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