The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)

What makes The Miseducation of Cameron Post special is its quiet refusal to sensationalize pain: it looks straight at the cruelty of conversion therapy, then insists on finding the stubborn, often funny humanity of the kids trapped inside it. Desiree Akhavan directs with a steady, compassionate hand, letting the dread seep in through routines and small indignities while Chloë Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane, and Forrest Goodluck build a makeshift family that feels lived-in, protective, and real. The film’s tone is restrained but steely—more coming-of-age survival story than courtroom speech—so its moments of wit and tenderness land like oxygen. It’s not an easy watch given the subject matter and a few harrowing turns, but if you want a drama that treats its characters with grace and trusts you to feel the truth without being pushed, this one stays with you.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is clearly trying to confront the cruelty of conversion therapy with a steady, matter-of-fact realism, and it does give its teens space to feel like actual kids rather than speeches in human form. The catch is that the film is deliberately muted—pacing can feel sluggish, the drama often stays at arm’s length, and for material this harrowing you may find it frustratingly restrained, even a bit sleepy. If you want a hard-hitting, cathartic takedown that leaves you wrecked, this might feel like it pulls its punches despite the heavy subject matter. But if you prefer a quieter, observational drama with strong performances and a small pocket of warmth in the friendships, it’s worth your time—just don’t expect fireworks.