Prayers for Bobby

[Rick336]

Prayers for Bobby comes on this Saturday night at 9:00 PM on "Lifetime". It's about a mother dealing with her gay son coming out.

Here's info about the story--> http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/movies/prayers-bobby

It comes on again on Sunday night and again on Tuesday.


Rick

[antiochian]

Yes, I definitely plan on watching it. Read the book years ago, it was so moving... and heart-breaking.

[pnggrad79]

I am going to watch it. I think Bobby commits suicide and his mother, like Mary Lou Wallner, regrets her condemnation of him (as with Mary Lou's daughter). It should be a good movie.

[philip3gw]

I read the PFLAG book about three years ago that has the true story "Prayers for Bobby" in it but I can't remember the the title to the book. Does anyone know the book title?

[Jennifer5]

I'm watching it at the moment... what did everyone else think of it?

[Jennifer5]

That movie was incredible! I managed to hold back the tears in the first several upsetting scenes, but still ended up crying in the end.

I will definitely be watching it again very soon!


Watch the whole thing online for free at www.mylifetime.com

[Xero Eclipse]

Nashville's PFLAG and my University's GSA, Lambda, hosted a screening of the movie on campus, and we had 20-30 people show up (although we could have accommodated a hundred). It was fantastic, although I was crying like a leaky faucet throughout because of the similar experiences I have been through, but I had my boyfriend there to hold my hand and lean-on, so it was all okay.

Apparently my Southern Baptist parents and brother watched the movie at home ort least partially for my brother as he was also on the computer (and my dad only saw the second half of it), but my mother was apparently distraught and in tears too from watching it. I was really impressed that she watched it of her own accord AND had my high school freshman brother in the room too. Kudos to them all, and they thought it was a good movie too.

Silly story: Boyfriend apparently knows the formula for Lifetime movies, and at the very end when the mother embraces the boy, I start bawling as he tries to tell me that it was a spot-on Lifetime ending like he predicted, to which I tried to "shh" him because I was experiencing the moment. Haha.

[u-dog]

Originally Posted by philip3gw

I read the PFLAG book about three years ago that has the true story "Prayers for Bobby" in it but I can't remember the the title to the book. Does anyone know the book title?

I think its called "Prayers for Bobby" . Polly and I watched it last night also and "Lifetime formula" or not ... we wept too. Sigourney Weaver is a good actress even when the monster she is fighting doesn't jump out of somebody's chest and have big slimey teeth.

[Daniel]

The first installment online at Lifetime just now. It's all I could sit through so far. Have to ask myself why this is. And the answer is that it hits close to home.

I grew up in the time period the film is set in. And while my mother wasn't the fire breathing, bible quoting monster that Weaver portrays, the fundi part is the same.

The film gives me the willies, to put it simply. If there is such a thing as time travel, this movie is it.

Love Sigourney. She eats up film with a ferocity that always is a joy to behold.

I read an interview at the Advocate online tonight where she talked about being in Bobby's bedroom and that it was important to 'get it right'. Well. I can see that she does from the get-go.

Bet I will cry that the rest of you. And get mad. All over again. For the years lost in pain and fear.

[Jennifer5]

Originally Posted by Daniel

The first installment online at Lifetime just now. It's all I could sit through so far. Have to ask myself why this is. And the answer is that it hits close to home.

I grew up in the time period the film is set in. And while my mother wasn't the fire breathing, bible quoting monster that Weaver portrays, the fundi part is the same.

The film gives me the willies, to put it simply. If there is such a thing as time travel, this movie is it.

Love Sigourney. She eats up film with a ferocity that always is a joy to behold.

I read an interview at the Advocate online tonight where she talked about being in Bobby's bedroom and that it was important to 'get it right'. Well. I can see that she does from the get-go.

Bet I will cry that the rest of you. And get mad. All over again. For the years lost in pain and fear.

As hard as it may be, at some point you should try watching it in one sitting. I was getting interrupted a lot and I felt like I didn't get the full effect, so I'm going to watch it again soon. I can see why that would be hard for many, like you though.

Let us know what you think of it.

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by Daniel

The first installment online at Lifetime just now. It's all I could sit through so far. Have to ask myself why this is. And the answer is that it hits close to home.

I grew up in the time period the film is set in.

The film gives me the willies, to put it simply. If there is such a thing as time travel, this movie is it.

Bet I will cry that the rest of you. And get mad. All over again. For the years lost in pain and fear.

((((((((( Daniel! )))))))))
:l ove:

[tehillah05]

So I hate that little acroynm but I felt I had to use it. I just got done watching Prayers for Bobby - all in one sitting - online at Lifetime's website. I'm a pretty strong person when it comes to movies and I don't normally cry in movies other people cry in. Maybe part of it is grief from losing my grandfather 4 months ago so watching the Christmas scene was taking me back to last month (first Christmas w/o my grandpa). Or maybe - and this is probably most likely the case - it's because I'm closeted when it comes to my family. One family member knows...and I only told him because he's "family" (gay) too so...he already knew anyway. But as far as my parents, brother, grandmother(s), aunts, uncles, cousins? Nah...I'm so far in my closet it's the like the wardrobe in Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe.
I of course was raised in a religious household...not quite as fundamental as Bobby's but pretty close. Being gay just flat was NOT talked about...until my friend at church came out to me. THEN it was talked about until I was sick of hearing the words gay and lesbian. I prayed and prayed and obviously it didn't go away because like Sigourney says "...didn't need to be healed because there was nothing wrong." Now explaining that to my parents is going to be a whole nother issue (I'm from Missouri...but that phrase is a linguistic phenomenon...look it up lol). I cried when "Mary" broke down to the pastor - right after aforementioned quoted line - and again when she stood up to the City Council. I envision that for my mother...yet I'll be shocked if it ever happens. Her acceptance will be enough...when I'm ready to come out.

Overall, I loved the movie. I'm a big fan of Weaver anyway...she's one fierce actress!! My hope is that one day I can sit down w/ my parents and watch this movie....

[Daniel]

Re Missiouri. I lived there for 6 years. Went to school in Springfield. Evangel College.

I'm glad you have at least one family member that you can be out to. And if he is out to the family, you've had the road paved for you a bit. Still- considering your religious backround, it may not be a piece of cake.

You may be surprised what people do after you come out. Some will exceed your expectations, and others won't even come close. Hopefully, you will experience more love than you can handle.

Let use know how things go, ok?

[wmanion]

You are so right about this movie bringing back a lot of pain and memories but I found it worth while to watch. I wept like a baby. I also lived in Springfield, Mo. for awhile and attended BBC. It was while living there that I really started feeling like a failure because I could not change my sexuality. While watching the movie, I felt everything Bobby seemed to feel.

Bill

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by wmanion

You are so right about this movie bringing back a lot of pain and memories but I found it worth while to watch. I wept like a baby. I also lived in Springfield, Mo. for awhile and attended BBC. It was while living there that I really started feeling like a failure because I could not change my sexuality. While watching the movie, I felt everything Bobby seemed to feel.

Those at Evangle were considered, if memory serves, as not being as 'real' as those at BBC. The former was, after all, a liberal arts college!

[wmanion]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Those at Evangle were considered, if memory serves, as not being as 'real' as those at BBC. The former was, after all, a liberal arts college!

Yes, but they were not alone...BBC had the only "real" going on, or so they taught. We were even taken to the "other" church services and instructed not to participate in any way. Then we would be bussed back to campus and told why these were not "real." However, this is when I first started questioning spiritual teachings and jumped from them to the assemblies, which only added more self-loathing and nonacceptance of myself. I am just so glad those days are behind me and I survived but what makes me even sadder than the movie is that there are more "bobby's" being put in this same position in the church pews right now and sadly, some will follow the same road Bobby did.

Bill

[Gregory_de_Bois]

I watched this last friday. Loved it. While it was a little fast paced at parts, and slightly hard to follow, it was touching. I think it also shows how Christianity is not all the same, some of us are pro-gay. It's all on Lifetime's website, now. for free.

[snuka12000]

I saw this movie. It was especially emotionally moving for me. Many times in my life I've felt like Bobby felt, a lot of gay people do.

[tdogg]

Finally saw it yesterday. I was a complete soggy mess. What a heartbreaker. At least something good came of it, but I can't even imagine the emptiness and regret Bobby's mother felt/feels. And, of course it reminded me of my own family who have very little to do with me because I'm gay.

[antiochian]

The movie was sad indeed, but I think it's an important one for all family/friends of lgbt people to watch. After seeing this, my mom came to visit me and said she finally understood. She said she was proud of me for being out, and gave me a hug. Ten years I waited for this moment, and I went between joy and shock all that day. All of this thanks to the movie. Good has come out of Bobby's tragic death. May his dear soul R.I.P.