The night I saw this movie, I had no idea it was going to be on. I don't remember seeing any promotion for it - and wonder how many people actually watched it.
On that same note, I really didn't know much about Matthew either. I'm a gay male, who's grown up in Canada all my life. I remember when it happened, reading it in the newspaper. Talking about it one night, but not knowing anything about it other than that it had happened.
I've read a few reviews on this movie, most of them saying this movie doesn't portray Matthew enough, that he lacks presence in the movie. I disagree.
At the end of the two hour special, I was in tears.
If you haven't heard, the Matthew Shepard story is a true story about a young man from Laramie, Wyoming who is beaten to death by two men - because he is gay.
The movie mainly focuses on his parents, played wonderfully by Sam Waterston and Stockard Channing - a year after his death and how they are dealing with the trial. Should they, or shouldn't they ask for the death penalty for his killers. Matthew appears <in a lot of the film> in flashbacks that show you most of his adult life.
You see him leaving for Switzerland while his parents are working in Saudi Arabia, learn that he is raped in Morocco <on a class trip>, comes back to Laramie, moves to Denver for awhile and comes back - only to be lured away by his two killers.
It's a great film, that managed to keep me interested for the entire two hours. Matthew was so innocent, and I can't believe things like this actually still happen.
If you haven't seen, I hope they'll run it again some time. It really is something to see. To watch how innocent he was at it all is really sad. As I said, I was crying - which is something I don't usually do at a TV show. I strongly recommend it, not only for it's true portrayal of this family's grief but to also learn that people's lives are taken away for such stupid reasons.
Matthew's become sort of a gay icon in North America, I can see why.
RY
On that same note, I really didn't know much about Matthew either. I'm a gay male, who's grown up in Canada all my life. I remember when it happened, reading it in the newspaper. Talking about it one night, but not knowing anything about it other than that it had happened.
I've read a few reviews on this movie, most of them saying this movie doesn't portray Matthew enough, that he lacks presence in the movie. I disagree.
At the end of the two hour special, I was in tears.
If you haven't heard, the Matthew Shepard story is a true story about a young man from Laramie, Wyoming who is beaten to death by two men - because he is gay.
The movie mainly focuses on his parents, played wonderfully by Sam Waterston and Stockard Channing - a year after his death and how they are dealing with the trial. Should they, or shouldn't they ask for the death penalty for his killers. Matthew appears <in a lot of the film> in flashbacks that show you most of his adult life.
You see him leaving for Switzerland while his parents are working in Saudi Arabia, learn that he is raped in Morocco <on a class trip>, comes back to Laramie, moves to Denver for awhile and comes back - only to be lured away by his two killers.
It's a great film, that managed to keep me interested for the entire two hours. Matthew was so innocent, and I can't believe things like this actually still happen.
If you haven't seen, I hope they'll run it again some time. It really is something to see. To watch how innocent he was at it all is really sad. As I said, I was crying - which is something I don't usually do at a TV show. I strongly recommend it, not only for it's true portrayal of this family's grief but to also learn that people's lives are taken away for such stupid reasons.
Matthew's become sort of a gay icon in North America, I can see why.
RY
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