Buy Prayers for Bobby on DVD

Prayers for Bobby

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Synopsis

Nominated for two 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards, as well as the 2010 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Sigourney Weaver), and the 2010 Screen Actor's Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries (again, for Sigourney Weaver), Prayers for Bobby is the amazing true story of a mother torn between her loyalties, challenged by her faith, and moved by a tragedy that would change her life, and the lives of others, forever.

Bobby Griffith (Ryan Kelley) was his mother's favorite son - the perfect all-American boy growing up under deeply religious influences in Walnut Creek, California. Bobby was also gay. Struggling with a conflict no one knew of much less understood Bobby finally came out to his family. Despite the tentative support of his father, two sisters, and older brother, Bobby's mother, Mary (Weaver), turned to the fundamentalist teachings of her church to rescue her son from what she felt was an irredeemable sin. As Mary came closer to the realization that Bobby could not be "healed," she rejected him, denying him a mother's unconditional love, and driving her favorite son to suicide.

Anguished over Bobby's death, Mary finds little solace in her son's poignant diaries, revelations of a troubled boy fighting for the love of his mother and God. Finding it difficult to reconcile her feelings of guilt, her conflicted emotions over religious teachings, and her struggles with understanding her son's orientation, Mary finally, and unexpectedly, reaches out to the gay community as a source of inspiration and consolation. For Mary Griffith, it's the beginning of a long and emotional journey that extended beyond acceptance to her viable role a vocal advocate for gay and lesbian youth. In 1996, twelve years after Bobby's death, she was invited to address the Congress of the United States, establishing her as a major force in the fight for human rights.

Directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on the bestselling book by Leroy Aarons, Prayers for Bobby is an inspiring and genuine profile in courage.

3 Reasons To buy this film

Sigourney Weaver, as per usual, delivers a phenomenal performance - both honest and heartfelt.
Ryan Kelley is also excellent as the ill-fated title character. He is a young actor to keep your eye on. That shouldn't be hard - he's pretty cute.
The film has received numerous award nominations from the Emmys, GLAAD, the Golden Globes, the Screen Actor's Guild and more.

Product Format Information

DVD : $14.99

Availability: In stock and ready to ship
Region Code: 1
Catalog #: DV3135342

Studio : A&E, Lifetime Television

Languages: English (Primary)

Keywords

Adolescence, Biographical/Autobiographical, Civil Rights, Coming Out, Family Life, Gay Male, Gay/Lesbian, Homophobia/Negative Portrayal, Literary Adaptation, Parenting, Priest/Minister, Religion/Spirituality

Genres

Drama, Television

Customer Reviews

What Price Religion?

Amos Lassen wrote on 09/20/2010:

“Prayers for Bobby”
What Price Religion?
Amos Lassen
“Prayers for Bobby” is a true story and it has a lot to teach us. It is an American tragedy. In 1983, Bobby Griffith took his own life by doing a back flip off a freeway overpass when he was just 20 years old. He was gay and he had been raised in a religious household. He never found the acceptance that he so dearly yearned for and his own mother, Mary, forsook him. It was her fundamentalist Christian beliefs that forced her to make the choice between her son and her religion. When Bobby came out, she began a crusade to cure him but it did not work. He left behind his diaries and he wrote that he overheard members of his own family saying that they hated gays.
Following Bobby’s suicide, Mary, who is now 76, blamed herself for her son’s death and this brought her to take a journey to understanding, redemption and ultimately transformation (but it took her son’s death to do that). She became an advocate for gay teens. When her life changed upon learning that her son was gay, she turned on him as did his entire family. Later Bobby’s father and siblings came to terms with Bobby’s homosexuality but Mary believed that God could cure him.
Sigourney Weaver is Mary and she turns in the performance of her career and she is wonderful. Harry Czerny as Bobby’s father is perfect and Ryan Kelley as Bobby is a heartbreaking delight. This was not an easy movie to make considering the climate today and the rise of fundamental Christianity. It was even more difficult to narrow Bobby’s life and its aftermath to 90 minutes. This is powerful viewing and it is as relevant to day as it was 28 years ago. I cannot day enough to make you want to see this film and it is a film that all must see. It is not perfect but it shows us how many of us live today and what we are up against. We certainly need more films like this but as can be expected, those that need to see it won’t.