The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)

It is 1993 and two girls are found making out in a car leads to one being forced into a religious, gay conversation camp.
Cameron (Chloe Grace Moretz) is the film's heroine, however, she isn't a particularly strong or even interesting character until the final act. At times, she states she wants to get 'better' while not trying to give in the experimental methods used.
Rick (John Gallagher, Jr.) is one of the founders and claims that he used to struggle with same-sex attraction but is now 'cured', and his sister, Dr. Lydia Marsh (a Nazi-like Jennifer Ehle) is the on-site therapist, but in reality neither have any idea what they are doing.
Some kids, like Erin (Emily Skeggs) who struggles with gender-identity really wants to get better and Mark (Owen Campbell) just wants his father's approval while Jane (Sasha Lane) and Adam (Forrest Goodluck) try to parrot back what they like to hear.
The camp includes high school classes, group therapy sessions, art therapy, individual sessions and still has plenty of time for hikes into the woods where Jane is growing pot, which actually is a concerning thought, though not as concerning as their methods to cure the children.
Things come to a head when Mark tries to sever his penis and is taken the hospital. An investigation is opened and finally, Cameron's spirit comes through, she states that this camp is full of emotional abuse as they are programming the kids to hate themselves. Her comments are duly noted. Given the emotions that this camp brings out, you would think this would not be the first time a suicide attempt had happened but they have literally know idea what they are doing and Rick more or less admits that to Cameron.
It is after this that Adam, Jane and Cameron decide that a life on the streets is better than this camp so they hike away and the film ends with them in the back up a random Democratic pick-up truck.
Overall, the film is upsetting and you need to wonder what others are thinking when they believe that people can change their sexual preferences but nevertheless, there is a real feel to the film, from the kids performing office tasks and peeling potatoes for dinner and even taking their bowls away before the hike.
But there are problems, while some of the minor characters are great, some need more explanation including Dane (Christopher Dylan White) who is deeply troubled and I suspect he may have been sexually abused but his outbursts are never explained which is needed. Some of the characters are far easier to figure out bu regardless, your heart aches for all of them and just hope that eventually they will embraced for their differences, not segregated because of them. Grade: B