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The Parts You Lose

Name: The Parts You Lose
Director: Christopher Cantwell
Released: 2019
Duration: 94 min

Representation Score

5.6/10

Fair

2019

Director

Christopher Cantwell

Runtime

94 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Parts You Lose is a realistic drama that emphasizes psychological complexity over broad demographic representation. Its standout feature is the nuanced portrayal of disability, presenting Wesley's deafness as a core part of his identity that influences the film's communication dynamics. However, the film lacks diversity in terms of race and LGBTQ+ representation, focusing instead on a relatively uniform social setting in rural North Dakota. This narrow scope restricts the film's broader social context. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its critique of systemic decay and its departure from conventional moral and gendered norms, providing a multifaceted view of life on the margins of society.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Parts You Lose have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include prominent LGBTQ+ characters or storylines. The narrative focuses solely on the relationships between the main characters without any queer undertones.

How does The Parts You Lose portray gender?

Fair

Gender roles are explored through characters' vulnerabilities and the breakdown of traditional family structures. Characters are motivated by psychological desperation rather than typical gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Parts You Lose?

Limited

The story centers on a small, economically specific group in a rural area. There is no indication of a diverse cast representing various ethnicities driving the main narrative.

How does The Parts You Lose represent religion and culture?

Good

The film criticizes economic structures and the failure of social support systems. It portrays a moral relativism where survival requires situational ethics.

Does The Parts You Lose include disability representation?

Excellent

Wesley, a young deaf boy, is central to the film's tension. His sensory experience is woven into the narrative, giving him a significant role rather than using his disability as a mere plot device.

Present on Screen

Integrated and meaningful depiction of deafness through Wesley.
Sophisticated critique of traditional moral and institutional norms.
Avoids 'inspiration porn' by giving characters with disabilities real ability to act.

Limited or Absent

Lack of LGBTQ+ representation or queer undertones in the narrative.
Limited racial and ethnic diversity in the main cast.
Narrow focus on a socioeconomically specific, homogeneous social environment.

Official Synopsis

An unlikely friendship unfolds between a young deaf boy, Wesley, and a fugitive criminal who takes refuge in an abandoned barn on the family’s rural North Dakota farm.

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