Hedges masterfully portrays his character’s painful expressions of doubt — in himself, in his faith, in his upbringing, and in his parents — bringing to life a person who’s been taught to believe that there’s one way to live (and believes in that path) only to realize that that he’s in conflict with it. Likewise, Kidman as Nancy (almost comically striking in a blonde bouffant, French manicure and rhinestones) and Crowe as Marshall do some of their best work, taking on characters that could have been deeply unlikeable, and fleshing them out into human beings struggling against the constraints of their beliefs in order to extend compassion and understanding to a son they love. Still, I wish Boy Erased had delved deeper into Jared’s personal feelings towards men, fleshing him out beyond just his woes. The film does that a bit in its later moments, especially in one lovely flashback, but it makes the character feel aloof for much of its run time.