New Showbiz

You are here:
Burning Bodhi

Burning Bodhi

2016

R

Director

Matthew McDuffie

Runtime

93 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Lifelong friends stumble back home after high school when word goes out on Facebook that the most popular among them has died. Old girlfriends, boyfriends, new lovers, parents, your first dead friend - how do people deal? The reunion stirs up sticky feelings of love, longing and regret, and the novelty of forgiveness, mortality and gratitude.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

7.2/10

Good


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Excellent

The film centers on a queer protagonist navigating identity within a traditionalist environment. It treats non-heteronormative orientation as a core narrative engine rather than a peripheral subplot.

Gender Representation

Good

The story disrupts masculine hierarchies by pitting the protagonist against his father. It portrays traditional masculine archetypes as sources of emotional stagnation and friction.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The narrative focuses on a localized, homogeneous social group in a rural setting. There is a lack of significant racial intersectionality within this small-town demographic.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film critiques the nuclear family and rigid Southern social mores. It frames established familial structures as potentially oppressive forces against individual emotional truths.

Disability Representation

Minimal

The film explores themes of mortality and grief, but lacks specific focus on visible or invisible disabilities.

Strengths

  • Centering a queer protagonist provides a nuanced depiction of identity and agency.
  • The film effectively interrogates and disrupts traditional masculine hierarchies and authority.
  • It offers a sophisticated critique of the nuclear family and rigid social mores.

Areas for Improvement

  • The narrative lacks significant racial and ethnic intersectionality.
  • The setting feels limited to a homogeneous, localized demographic.

AI Analysis

Burning Bodhi is a character-driven drama that succeeds by deconstructing the social and familial architectures of the American South. It moves beyond the central tragedy of a death to examine how individual identities clash with communal expectations. The film's primary strength is its progressive interrogation of heteronormative and traditionalist structures. By centering a queer protagonist, it provides a nuanced look at identity formation and agency. However, the film remains limited by its localized, homogeneous setting. The focus on a specific, traditionalist demographic results in a lack of racial and ethnic intersectionality.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Movie poster for Still Green

Still Green

2009

No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 6.2 out of 10

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.