Former leaders of the "pray the gay away" movement contend with the aftermath unleashed by their actions, while a survivor seeks healing and acceptance from more than a decade of trauma.... (Full plot summary below)
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Former leaders of the "pray the gay away" movement contend with the aftermath unleashed by their actions, while a survivor seeks healing and acceptance from more than a decade of trauma.
Leave your thoughts about Pray Away.
| The PlaylistJonathan ChristianAt its core, Pray Away is a chronicle of pain. It is a candid, unceremonious study of people who have struggled for years with discovering who they are and who God is; and, perhaps most importantly, it is an exploration in the lasting damage caused by misinterpreting Biblical teachings and misunderstanding the Gospel’s message. |
| Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperStolakis skillfully interweaves present-day interviews with archival footage of these prominent figures in the movement — all of whom have renounced their roles and are now living as out gays or bisexuals. |
| Film ThreatBrian ShaerBeautifully filmed and incorporating interviews and impressive archival news footage, Pray Away digs deep into the pathology of fundamentalist Christian conceptions of reparative therapy. By showcasing survivors of the “ex-gay” movement and illustrating the personal tragedy that has resulted from individual involvement, the film provides a lens of hope for those who think there is none. |
| Film ThreatAlan NgStolakis presents the facts in a studied but engaging manner. The testimonies from her subjects are genuine and heartfelt, especially as they continue to struggle with their faith in light of what is seen as God’s “failings” in their lives. |
| San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleThough there are political elements here, to be sure, Pray Away has more the feeling of witnessing multiple spiritual journeys. These journeys are, by their very nature, moving. |
| The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyThe film is measured yet forceful, never strident in making its point. |
| The New York TimesBen KenigsbergThe harms conversion therapy causes, and the tactics it uses, aren’t news at this point, and Pray Away is more interesting when it focuses on how most of its subjects eventually embraced gay and bisexual identities despite having formerly been so public in their homophobia. Some shifts weren’t long ago. |
| Los Angeles TimesCarlos AguilarWith every added account of shameful contrition, the realization that this issue exists very much in the present tense weighs heavy on the viewer. |
| RogerEbert.comNick AllenSlathered with a score that makes the sadness of each passage unmistakable, Pray Away narrows its purpose to be simply informative; it is too artistically flat to have the emotional peaks that would give its own otherwise vital message some dynamic, or make it more impactful beyond its very subject matter. |
| Paste MagazineJacob OllerDespite its important subject and impressive access, the surprisingly surface-level film doesn’t have much to say. |
