“Boy Erased,” which is based on Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir, is comprised of some strong scenes, some flashy scenes, and some scenes that are just scenes. It makes its argument against gay conversion therapy — a form of torture usually rooted in the self-loathing of the so-called therapist — persuasively. And it is dramatically impressive most of the time, but it is also very messy and uneven.
“Boy Erased” is packed with well-known performers, and this can be distracting. Pop star Troye Sivan and Canadian auteur Xavier Dolan play two of the inmates at a detention center called Love in Action, which is where our teenaged protagonist Jared (Lucas Hedges) is sent by his Baptist minister father (Russell Crowe) after he confesses to homosexual feelings.