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Lucas Hedges Struggles Through Gay Conversion Therapy In 'Boy Erased' Trailer

The heartbreaking film also stars Troye Sivan — and his music

If Oscars were awarded to trailers, then I'd give everyone in the first look at Boy Erased a toned statuette for making me feel every emotion imaginable in less than three minutes. Don't believe me? Just watch for yourself:

Based on Garrard Conley's memoir and starring Lucas Hedges, Boy Erased follows the teen son of a Baptist pastor in the aftermath of being outed to his parents (played by Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe). He's faced with an ultimatum: attend a conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled from his family and faith. In an effort to repair his fractured relationship with his father, Jared enrolls in conversion therapy, where he ultimately clashes with the treatment center's head therapist (played by writer-director Joel Edgerton).

According to Edgerton the film is an intimate look at one family, but its themes highlight the larger systemic issues of homophobia and discrimination. "You get to walk into the living room of one family's life and see the destructive nature of judgement and opinion," the director told MTV News earlier this year. "That hopefully speaks to the bigger political aspects."

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Boy Erased

Judging from the trailer, which features a new original song from openly gay pop artist Troye Sivan — also appearing in the film as another teen in the program — Boy Erased looks like an early awards season contender. Between this and Timothée Chalamet's performance in Beautiful Boy, 2018 is shaping up to be a showdown between Hollywood's newly minted golden boys. Which film will make you shed more tears? Only time will tell.

Boy Erased also stars Cherry Jones, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Xavier Dolan, Joe Alwyn, and Britton Sear. The film will hit select theaters on November 2, 2018.

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