One of Lifetime’s most powerful dramas that’s a real must-see, especially for Pride Month, is Prayers for Bobby. Based on Leroy F. Aarons’ book recounting the true story of Mary and Bobby Griffth, where a young man took his own life in the early 1980s after his devout Christian mother refused to accept his sexuality. The new Hulu release may be incredibly hard to watch due to its intense subject matter, but Prayers for Bobby is an influential drama you need to see for its important message of loving and listening to LGBTQ+ youth instead of turning a blind eye.
It’s Based On A True Story
In 1979, 16-year-old Bobby Griffith was growing up with a close-knit Christian family consisting of his mother, father, an older brother, and two younger sisters. Everything changed for the Griffith family when Bobby revealed to his mother, Mary, that he was gay. She believed it was her mission to “cure” her son of this “sin” by placing Bible verses on her son’s mirror and sending him to counseling at the Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church.
But, Bobby’s self-loathing grew worse, as his mother was sure her son would go to Hell if he wasn’t “cured.” He dropped out of school two months before graduating and moved in with his boyfriend in 1983 only to return home six months later. On August 27th, 1983, Bobby jumped off a freeway overpass into the path of an 18-wheeler truck where he died instantly. After Mary read about her son’s agonizing struggles in his diary entries, she realized that she and the Church played a part in her son’s suicide. She ultimately became an LGBTQ+ advocate.
It Features Outstanding Performances
Prayers for Bobby truly delivers outstanding performances worthy of the Emmys it won. Sigourney Weaver, known for playing one of the best female sci-fi characters in the Alien movies, gave a heartbreaking performance as Mary Griffith. Her character delivered to us the ability to feel anger towards her ignorance of her son and tears when tragedy befell.
Another performance worthy of praise was that of Ryan Kelley, who played Bobby. You may have seen this actor on one of the best modern DC shows, Smallville, playing a mind-reading child and in the indie coming-of-age film Mean Creek. Kelley was excellent in showing Bobby’s caring, gentle nature, as well as leading our hearts to break with him in the scenes when his depression spirals. These two actors truly shaped the Lifetime biopic.
It Has Themes Of Acceptance And Understanding
The based-on-a-true-story biopic shows us the journeys of two characters. The first half of the movie focuses on Bobby discovering his homosexuality. At first, he wants to “cure” himself of his feelings as much as his mom does, so he can gain acceptance back into his family. But then, Bobby realizes that his sexuality is not a choice and a part of who he is.
After he takes his own life, the story then shifts to Mary, who tries to find acceptance towards her son and make sense of it. She begins to do what she should have done when Bobby was alive, like educating herself about the LGBTQ+ experience through a different church and attending PFLAG meetings to gain an understanding of the community. While the world we live in can be cruel to specific groups, this movie teaches us that a lack of understanding and acceptance can lead to isolation and depression for those in real need of empathy and love.
It Discusses The Role Of Faith And Religion
Mary’s ignorance towards what her son went through has to do with her inner conflict towards her beliefs. Based on a bunch of memorized Bible verses, she truly believed in Scripture that said gay people would end up in Hell. It also doesn’t help that the Church plays a role in shaping the personal beliefs of members by telling them to pray away those who are gay.
In order to make sense of her son’s homosexuality, she speaks to a reverend from a church Bobby visited. He informed her that the Bible has numerous verses with different interpretations throughout time that are not all to be taken literally. As Mary’s newfound understanding of her son became clear, she searched for forgiveness from Bobby, God, and herself. It was through her faith that God loves everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community, that she used her new beliefs to help those like her son.
It Carries An Important Call To Action Towards Compassion And Understanding
Bobby killed himself because he was convinced his mother would never change her attitude toward accepting a gay son. Audiences can watch Prayers for Bobby and know that it is always possible to change deeply held beliefs. Education and listening to the personal stories of those who are either gay or parents of gay children can shape your knowledge and move you to do remarkable things.
We saw what Bobby’s rejection did to him. And, he’s not the only one who’s killed themselves for not being accepted because of their sexuality. According to The Trevor Project, it’s estimated that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ youth seriously consider suicide yearly with at least one person attempting suicide every 45 seconds. Through viewing Prayers for Bobby, you can be inspired to take proactive steps to ensure there are no more LGBTQ+ youths who consider suicide, but instead feel love among their peers.
To Learn About The Enduring Legacy Of Mary Griffith
After Mary changed her negative perception of the LGBTQ+ community, she decided to take it a step further by becoming an advocate. Not only did she join the PFLAG family, but she became president of the East San Francisco Bay chapter.
Through her public speaking efforts, she spoke out against issues like conversion therapy and used her story as a cautionary tale for parents to listen to their children instead of any religious scare tactics. There was even a scholarship in Bobby Griffith’s name from 1990 to 2020 awarded to Contra Costa County high school graduates who contributed to improving the environment of the LGBTQ+ community.
As for Prayers for Bobby, the 2009 Lifetime movie reached 6.1 million viewers within two days of its premiere. Critics sent praise toward it and it was even nominated for two Emmys. Sigourney Weaver was also given The Trevor Life Award from The Trevor Project for her role in the biopic. With such a large audience and gaining award-season attention, the TV movie received widespread attention.
This powerful biopic that celebrates real-life LGBTQ+ figures may be very hard to watch, but we must do so to change the perspectives of those who believe advocating for the LGBTQ+ community means turning their backs on a Higher Power. Through Prayers for Bobby, we learn the important lesson of being open to different perspectives and listening to what LGBTQ+ youth have to say.
You can see Prayers for Bobby right now with your Hulu subscription. Make sure to look at our guide for Rotten Tomatoes’ high-ranking LGBTQ+ films to add to your watchlist.