Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Although i don't condone violence, this movie is pretty good and shows the hatred some people have to put up with religious extremists. Two things i really liked is that gay people are not portrayed as the stereotypes, but as regular people. People expect them to be wearing pink shirts and act feminine, but this is a false assumption made by many. And the other thing is both sides of religion and shows both interpretations in the Bible, not just the bias and weaker one. Definitely recommended 10/10 And this is to the other poster who mentions it is a "lifestyle" choice. That is a false statement as well. There is much biological evidence showing it's not a choice. This doesn't let me post links because they are considered "long" words, but for anyone interested, i have links that show differences in brain structures between gay and straight people, and other studies showing biological differences between straights and gays.Most credible organizations, psychologists, medical organizations, and scientists agree it's not a choice. Common sense would show this too. Let me ask you, i'm assuming you are a man. If not, reverse the questions. Are you sexually attracted to other men, and would you be able to enjoy sex with a man,.or would you be happy sexually and emotionally with a man for the rest of your life? If you are heterosexual, the answer should be a resounding no. Also, why would someone "choose" to be gay, knowing they can lose all their family, friends, jobs, knowing many people in todays society are against it, knowing you're life will become 10x rougher if they could easily be satisfied by women? Simple logic, they can't. Nobody chooses to be gay, but people choose to discriminate and hate. Also, you mention Romans. The interpretation that makes more sense show that homosexuality was not the sin, but that passage was referring to idolatry and idolatrous practices. Again, it doesn't let us post links, but simple searches on Romans and the Bible and idolatry will show the truth.

Writer/director Tommy Stovall's first and only film is worth the time to watch for a very good story and some great characters.Brian J. Smith does his first film as Trey, partner of Robbie (Seth Peterson). Trey is the victim of a hate crime, presumably at the hands of the religious kook who just move in next door. Turns out this isn't his first hate crime, but no one locked him away after the last one.Cindy Pickett does an outstanding job as Trey's mother, and Bruce Davison is perfect as the pastor and the father of the kook. Granny Boone (Lin Shaye) is also present as a neighbor, and you just have to love her character.The police did not seem interested in finding the person who beat and killed Trey, so it was up to Robbie to find out what happened. Some secrets get exposed, and a killer is found and dealt with in a manner where it could be said that justice is served.

A gripping and at times brutally violent film Hate Crime explores the devastation wreaked on the lives of those closest to the victim The difficulty of understanding the senseless killing and coping with the grief becomes chilling when justice appears to be a dicey commodity Overall the acting and direction is gripping.I was profoundly moved at this deepening tragic tale. Stereotypes for sure,but the characters' torment and pain is at times harrowing. A great film handling social and personal issues. Christianity as portrayed by the insanely righteous hellfire and damnation evangelical type or the more sedate god is love variety, the justice system choking with pessimism and poor PR The movie says a lot, and says it well.

The actual intent of the writers or director of this film is not quite clear, perhaps an attempt to look at Hate Crimes in general and hate as an answer to hate. Was the revenge murder acceptable? Is lex talionis the only plausible ethic? This movie does not make it clear, but it does bring up the issues very graphically. Some might despise this movie as being sympathetic to the gay community or for making Christians out to be mindless hate-mongers. This view would be incorrect. Actually, the film shows quite perfectly the difference between good religion and bad as the movie switches between the fearful hate filled sermon of the fundamentalist preacher who uses the pulpit to foment hatred of anybody who does not toe their particular interpretation of the Bible, and a more liberal Christian church that emphasizes the loving, forgiving aspects of God. So those who would see this movie as a blanket attack on the Church or God would be in error. It is not any particular doctrine that is harmful but the way it is held. If I believe that Jesus died to save me for my sins, that is one thing. If I believe that it is OK for me, in the name of Christ, to brutalize nonbelievers that is a totally different thing altogether. I, a Jew, like Gandhi, can say "I like Christ, but I rather dislike his followers." But not all of them are mindless, intolerant schmucks, or inclined to commit murder in God's name. There are good Christians, Jews and Muslims in this world who are a credit to their faiths, there are others who are a boil on the butt of humanity. Besides, why should I or any other mortal do God's job? If God actually hates homosexuals, then God can deal with them. It's not my job even if I disagree with their acts. Righteousness is a good thing as long as Righteousness doesn't become fascism and the righteous few decide it is their job to destroy the wicked many. But was it OK for the mother and lover of the gay man murdered to get revenge, or rather would there revenge been necessary if the police officer in charge of the investigation basically not sat on his butt and did little or nothing. A person is a member of the clergy, does that give that person carte blanche immunity from suspicion. All of us know how many predatory child rapists hide behind a clerical collar, but at the same time, many are good people trying to build a better, saner world. But the sad fact remains that religion has fostered more hate, intolerance and war in this world than any other force. There is good religion, a personal thing, and bad religion, where one submits to some supposed authority, or follows blindly like some stupid sheep. There is a religion that inculcates strength of spirit and will, and a religion that fosters a slave mentality, and blind obedience to authority. That religion is very very bad for the individual and for society. For those who doubt, I recommend the web-site godhatesfags.com for an example of religion at its worst. Here, the days Michael Shepherd, murdered in a fag bashing, has been burning in Hell are gleefully tallied up. At his funeral, this demonic church carried banners attacking Michael, his parents, and anybody who cared about the man. Is God such a fiend that he wants people like that as followers? I doubt it. I really do.